A Weekend to Remember

Along with 3,999 other people or 1,999 other couples, my husband and I attended the Family Life's Weekend to Remember Marriage conference (www.familylife.com/weekend) this weekend. It was apparently a record-breaking attendance. Although the number of people there was a little overwhelming and different from the more intimate marriage retreats we'd attended in the past, it was still enjoyable (even despite us playing hookie a couple times). It was a refresher in some areas and convicting in others. But it was also a personal motivator for the mom I hope to be and the woman I want my future son(s) and daughter(s) to seek and model after (Wow that's scary).

So for this season in my life, I'm preparing for motherhood. Being the nerd I am, I intentionally try to prepare for the next season of my life. In my singleness, I prepared for marriage. I attended marriage classes at church even when I didn't have a significant other. I went to child raising courses and read a wonderful book called A Gift From God and got the author's autograph...still, no boyfriend in site at the time. But that's just me...Anywho...

But the key opportunity often missed in being successful in the next season is to be successful and content where you are. I had to first learn to love myself and my singleness to the point where I was content to say, "If I stay single I will be fine.". It was in that moment marriage knocked on my door. As a newish wife, I'm trying to relearn how to be comfortable in my skin. In my singleness, I'd gotten to the point where I was "V" and V" was chill with who she was, what she was about, and where she was going. But Mrs. V? She's kinda new to me and she has some edges that are kinda rough.

I've always said, and strongly believe that you will NEVER see the fullness of yourself (the good and the challenging) until you're married. Marriage makes you capable of doing more than you ever imagined. I never would've known how capable I am to sacrifice and hold it down for the family until getting married. And yet I also never would've known how capable I am to seflishly and intentionally set aside some of the fundamental things I'd studied and learned about marriage. I've disappointed and also amazed myself in new ways. Marriage TESTS you. Marriage STRENGTHENS you. Marriage HOLDS you. Marriage EXPANDS you. Marriage WEAKENS your ME, MYSELF, and I mentality and turns it into WE and OUR. Marriage is arguably the most incredible thing God ever created.

So I'm trying. I'm trying so hard to be content in wifedom. I'm not looking to reach perfection- but contentment; to know that whatever wife I am, I'm content to be flawed but still try. That's marriage success for me. I recently told a friend that who I am is tied to that purpose. To abandon that would be to destroy myself. Besides, I want to be ready when a beautiful baby comes knocking on our door. And even if that baby one day realizes that Mommy has issues, at least that baby will know Mommy tried.

If not this retreat, I would recommend for every serious couple, seasoned or novice, to attend one.

Mrs. V