Two weeks ago, we started a new series of seven blogs designed to recognize unhealthy habits. If you missed the last two weeks check out our first TWO Highly Defective Habits:
Habit #1: Spiritual Continuity.
Here we go…#3 on the list of my 7 Habits of Highly Defective Marriages:
Habit #3: The Fun-less Couple
fun/fən/
noun: enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure.
synonyms: enjoyment, entertainment, amusement, pleasure
adjective: amusing, entertaining, or enjoyable.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing
For a while, whenever I read Ecclesiastes 3, my eyes went to the negative parts of the scripture. (Maybe that reveals something about my psyche…that would explain a lot). Focus get’s drawn toward words like die, kill, break, weep, and mourn. We can get so caught up in theses inevitable unfortunates. Marriage is no different. We too can get drawn into “inevitable unfortunates” and dwell on them as if to forfeit the other side of the coin. It’s time to get out of our marital pessimism. It’s time to return to what we relished in our dating/courting.
Fun…times of enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure. It’s more than a noun (something to do). It should describe who you are (adjective).
Defective marriages struggle with a deficiency of fun. We treat our marriage like a business transaction instead of a growing relationship that THRIVES on fun. Couples forget that fun isn’t optional for a growing marriage. It’s a vital time filled with, according to our writer a time of building up, laughing, dancing, and embracing (which is my favorite one).
A couple of years ago, we had an odd winter here in Michigan. We hit temperatures in the 70’s to the 80’s. In the Michiganders minds, this was the best winter. It’s as if we skipped the season of winter. The problem: it messed with our agriculture and was a tremendous burden for our farmers. Our harvest wasn’t the same which affected our economy. Skipping a season may feel okay in the moment, but it’s detrimental on so many deeper levels.
It may not seem like a huge deal, but I want you to know something:
“FUN” is a marital season that is not optional. Skipping the season of fun in your marriage is detrimental on so many deep levels.
Come together with your spouse and plan out some fun. I’m not talking about what YOU think is fun. Look into your spouses heart and position them for a great time. What do you two like to do together? What can you both do that will facilitate laughter, emotional intimacy, and stress-release? What can you two try that may be new? Have you talked with other couples to see what they do (get some ideas from others)?
Know this: marriage wasn’t designed to be in a constant season of stale monotony. It’s to reflect who God is. God is life. God is celebration. God is a God of enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure. God is fun.
If our marriage is to reciprocate who He is, then our marriage, therefore, needs to have “fun.” Don’t just let it naturally happen. Be purposeful with your fun. Be strategic in your busyness. Be a fun spouse. I leave you with a great scripture out of the Old Testament:
Deuteronomy 12:7 (MSG) Celebrate everything that you and your families have accomplished under the blessing of God, your God.
Get off your butt and go have a time of enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure with your husband/wive…
Go have fun!
Thanks for letting me ramble…
pdave.me 
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