Many write their own vows for their weddings, however there is a standard vow that was said for many years.  Part of those vows included:  for better or worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us part.  Those vows have been repeated countless times, and most couples repeating them hope for and believe they will have the better, richer and health.  No couple stands in front of anyone thinking, I hope our marriage we see the worse, poorer, and sickness.

We all know of couples who seem to have the ideal of situations… the better, richer and health.  We also know of couples who have had the other side of each of those.  The interesting thing about that is that both sides can have strong relationships and both sides can have rocky relationships.   I personally know people in the more difficult column whose relationship with each other is one that most would envy.  They don’t have enough extra in the budget to split a candy bar, but they are happy.  They have learned that things and possessions don’t mean for a happy thereafter.  In fact, working together to make it has brought them closer than ever.  I also know of couples who have everything they need and so much more but can hardly stand looking at each other. 

Honestly, I would much rather have what most consider a harder life and yet be happy in my relationship with my husband that have everything I can imagine and be miserable in that relationship.  Which would you choose?  Since we can’t choose health, even when we make all the right healthy choices, we can hear the doctor pronounce some diagnosis that we would never desire.  We can work hard and not spend on extras, but accidents, and a host of other things can keep you from coming ahead.  There are things we can’t avoid. 

Even when life situations in the natural are harder than we can imagine, we can still be happy.  That is a choice we can make.  It is all in our attitude.  Many have said marriage is 50/50.  I don’t agree.  It is 100/100… a total commitment from both parties.   There are some things we can do to improve even bad marriages.  I would never recommend staying in an abusive situation.  However, there are a lot of relationships which are not abusive but are not happy either.  For those, I would suggest communication.  Most of the time the break down can be traced to a lack of communication and forgetting to do the things that made you fall in love in the first place.  Praying for your spouse and for how you can be the best spouse for them helps so much.  Many times, it is not the big things which cause the problems, rather it is the little things.  So, if little things can cause turmoil, then maybe little things can turn things around as well.  Write kind notes, do unexpected things for them, verbalize appreciation, and build them up to others. 

I don’t know what condition your marriage is in, but I pray that it gets stronger and better than ever.  Letting the Lord be at the center of it is always a positive thing in improving your relationship.  May you find joy in the simple things together! fffffff