Everything Everlene 

Relationships are a vital part of our existence on this earth.  We start developing them very early in life and they are constantly evolving.  We start with the nurturing relationship from our mothers when we are born and it blossoms from there.  The way we are treated and received in our early relationships shape the way we approach them later in life.  We can be open, reserved, giving, taking, warm, or cold; all depending on what has been expressed or demonstrated to us in the early years. Whether good or bad, these relationships create the template for how we approach our relationships down the line.My husband and I feel that the relationship that either benefits or suffers the most from our earlier experiences is the romantic relationship. This is the relationship that we strive for and hope that it will become our life-long partnership before God.  The romantic relationship teaches us about ourselves in ways that other types of relationships do not.  We learn how much we are willing to give and take, and what our breaking points are as we navigate our way through them. We learn that we need to communicate our feelings and needs to our partner in order to sustain the relationship.  Ron would never know how I like to be approached or spoken to if I did not communicate that to him.  For example, when Ron asks me to get something or pass something to him, he does not say, "Can you..." or "Please..." This is because of what he observed with his parents.  My parents on the other hand always said, "Please..." and "Thank you..." which shaped my expectations.  As small as this may seem, it was an area that had to be addressed because it could have easily escalated into something bigger. Communication is everything!  

 

Relationships are only as hard or as easy as we make them.  Every morning when you wake up you have to make the decision to be an active participant in your relationship.  A true relationship should be mutually beneficial where one party does not gain or benefit more than the other.  Both parties should feel love and support by their partner and thus, requires a movement from selfishness to oneness.

 

In our blog, we hope to inspire couples to step outside of themselves in search of that space within their partner that allows for the continual development of oneness.  Ron and I do not claim to be experts in relationships and we understand that we are still in our honeymoon years; however, through years of experiences in our previous relationships and through the observation of other relationships, we have uncovered a passion for discovering what makes relationships successful.  It is a journey.  365 Days of BLISS will share thoughts and "ah ha" moments that we encounter on our relationship journey.  We will also share what we learn from other couples and inspirational things that we read that we feel others can benefit from.  There is also a parallel between how we approach our relationship with our spouse and God.   Marriage is a ministry and an everyday walk with your partner that should line up with your daily walk with Jesus.  Stay tuned...