Love Marathon - Who can survive?

Overheard a conversation (NO! I do not eavedrop but the names of people involve have to be changed.),

"Person A is going through tough times with boyfriend of many years, but no plans for marriage yet because the guy still studying in uni and no job. After so long, the relationship become like a routine."

"But isn't marriage also a long-term relationship? Of course for christian couple, marriage has greater significance, but for non-christian couple, marriage is just getting a piece of paper, right? But it is the Love that keep us going."

The million dollar question is "Do couple actually fall into a certain routine or is it only person A realtionship only?" I will not answer the "What is Love?" question here because it has been answered in previous blog. To me, GOD is love and with GOD in the relationship, that keeps us going. Hence, that is why for non-christian couples after being married for many years, they find that the so called "magic" is not there and start to stray, which we know leads to divorce and broken family etc.

However, the question here is whether couples, be it married or not, have a routine. Personally, I know my marriage do have certain routines. It is an understanding with my wife that we visit my parents on the weekends and may stay over. Even through it can be quite a major affair of bring clothes and my boy's "barang barang" (meaning clothe stuff, bag and pram), it is also my duty to GOD to honour my parents and it will give my son good influence that Dad respect his parents so he should give me the neccessary respect.

And Sunday is time for GOD, but after the service, we go out shopping or watch movie, just being with each other without boy. Time alone with each other is important, especially for married couples with children. (The "experts" in reseach also agree with this and back by data and statistics.) And sometimes, we go over to JB city square to eat and shop after school, not totally planned or fixed on a day but just as and when we feel like, doing some thing out of the routine once in while to make life interesting. (Those same experts also recommend this.)

Someone mentioned that routine for non-married couple may be boring because there is nothing to look forward to, it is just day in day out. I just want to say even as a couple you have to plan because when the couple fail to plan, they actually plan to fail, it is the same as other matters in life. Plan when to get married, if a couple date each other just for the sake of dating, then the relationship leads to no where.

Last but not least, LOVE. Observe all the old couples. It is not the initial puppy love or romance that keep them together for 30 years, it is love, to be patient with each other, self-sacrifical, trust and faith. Agree?

12This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you.

John 15:12 (Amplified Bible)

12And may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you,

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (Amplified Bible)

8Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and [a]disregards the offenses of others].(A)

1 Peter 4:8 (Amplified Bible)

7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know and understand God [to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].

1 John 4:7 (Amplified Bible)