Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Romance in a World With Children




My husband tried to steal a kiss from me all morning, but each time we had a moment alone together, my children sensed something and made their presence known, as only young children can.

So, what is a young married couple to do when it comes to romance?

Taken from dictionary.com:

ro·mance

1   [n., adj. roh-mans, roh-mans; v.roh-mans]  Show IPA noun, verb, -manced, -manc·ing,adjective
noun
1.
a novel or other prose narrative depicting heroic ormarvelous deeds, pageantry, romantic  exploits, etc., usuallyin a historical or imaginary setting.
2.
the colorful world, life, or conditions depicted in such tales.
3.
a medieval narrative, originally one in verse and in someRomance dialect, treating of heroic, fantastic, orsupernatural events, often in the form of allegory.
4.
a baseless, made-up story, usually full of exaggeration orfanciful invention.
5.
a romantic  spirit, sentiment, emotion, or desire.




Isn't it funny that out of the 5 definitions for romance only one of them isn't fictional?  We can't expect the world's fictional depiction of romance to exist in our day to day lives.  Sure we might be able to have a truly "romantic" date here and there.  Like this one, *so jealous*.  But let's be for real, overnight getaways and drawn out excursions aren't practical for parents of young children.


That's Okay!!  The best piece of advice I can give to parents is simply adjust your expectations.


When the Bible talks about love it never mentions romantic excursions that allow a couple to escape from reality.  What it does speak to however, is how love is giving and generous.  It speaks of how true love, love that resembles the love of Christ, never fails.  


When I read about love in the Bible, I can't help but see how raising children is used to teach real love.  Children force us to see beyond ourselves and truly sacrifice.  The love that they develop in our hearts, and the fruit they develop in our lives is in my opinion better for a marriage than any date could ever be.  I know I love my husband better now, that I'm a mother because I have a better understanding of what love truly is.


There will be seasons in marriage where fictionalized romance just can't happen, but that doesn't mean the love between husband and wife needs to suffer.  Yes dates are important, but God will use whatever season you are in to build your marriage if you allow Him. 


Allow God to teach you what true love looks like, and let your children teach you how to sacrifice. 





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