For the past month we’ve been busy, but haven’t gone anywhere. Tom has been fighting the flu and bronchitis which has been a bear to defeat. I have worked hard to make sure he’s comfortable, well-fed and well-hydrated. Thankfully, he’s been able to sleep at night helping him be more comfortable with all the other discomforts of such an illness.
Our lives have been put on hold–at least the life we live outside of the home. We have missed being with friends. We have missed going out for a normal date night. We have missed being able to have a conversation without interruptions of chronic coughing. And we have missed feeling normal.
But on the other hand, we have enjoyed quality time together. Being able to show my love to Tom in such practical ways by making something for dinner that actually “sounded good” to him took thought, research and planning. We saved a lot of money just staying home. Our lives slowed down to a snail’s pace, and I realized how tired I was as well. If he needed a nap in the afternoon–he took one. If he needed fresh air, he would walk out our back door for a small dose. All in all sickness serves a good purpose in helping us slow down and take inventory of our love.
During sickness we discover:
- How unselfish our love is–showing a willingness to serve without being served in return.
- How strong our friendship is when nothing romantic is able to happen.
- How much we enjoy just being together doing nothing, as opposed to always having to do something to find our time enjoyable.
- How far we’re willing to go to prove our marriage vows are still true.
- How much I’m willing to be inconvenienced for the good of another.
- How grateful I am for time together.
This week of Thanksgiving is a great time to assess the quality of your love.
If you haven’t been tested in the area of “in sickness” in your marriage yet, be assured you will be at some point. Investing your time during the healthy years will go a long way in helping you love well during seasons of sickness too. This is why we provide “Healthy Marriage Tips” on a daily basis on our Facebook page. It’s like a constant reminder to be at work building your marriage, so that when sickness and hardship comes you’ll have a deep well of wisdom from which draw.
