Love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12

When you met and fell in love with the person who is now your spouse, you felt connected and had deep compassionate feelings about that person. When you first married there was a jumble of tender thoughts as you worked through the process of dating, engagement, wedding plans, and the marriage itself. But for many there comes a time when the newness of passion will start to wear off and you begin to notice faults in your spouse that weren't obvious to you before. Conflicts start to arise because you are now thinking quite differently. The 'feeling' of love you felt may begin to wear thin. You had high aspirations and were hoping your marriage would always be filled with hope and joy. Isn't it true you thought you would share your life and future together and would continue each day sharing your dreams with that one who vowed to always love you? Here's when you need to remember that in the long run, love is a decision, not a feeling. It is a gift we bestow on our spouse as we enter the sacrament of marriage. Even when feelings of love are no longer the controlling factor of your relationship, you are still committed to give the gift of love to your spouse. The unhappy events that come into your lives will test your marriage to the max. Crises isn't the death of love, but proof of it. The unhappy events of life test your marriage, but it can also strengthen it, giving your marriage an even stronger foundation on which to grow. You can get through any crises if your relationship is built on a foundation united by a caring, compassionate, and loving heart. To have a relationship of that degree will involve having God as number One in your lives. He will be right there with you in the midst of all the pain that discord may have brought into your home. In times of tribulation of any sort, remember to "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12 You married your spouse because of love. You took time and put effort into it's dreamy first years. So in remembering the good years, it's got to be worth working together for a happier future. Make it a day to day commitment though crisis may bare down on you in your home (My thoughts added to This Love We Share by Harry and Emily Griffith). Sherry