Successful Parenting Requires a Successful Marriage - By Carol DeMar
From the beginning of your marriage, prioritize your life, placing God first, your spouse second, and children third. If a couple does not start out on the right foot with the "I dos," the child-raising experience can become a hair-raising nightmare.
I came across a wonderful little book titled Home-Making by Rev. J. R. Miller, first published in 1882. The title may make some of you wrinkle your nose and think, "What a dull subject!" Who wants to read about homemaking when visions of washing and ironing, cooking and cleaning come to mind? Beyond the title and cover is a treasure trove of insight into what produces a successful marriage.
The author impresses upon the heart and mind what the roles of husbands and wives ought to be. Rev. Miller's words are as applicable today as they were in the 1800s and are probably needed now more than ever.
Today, when the family is suffering due to the neglect of its responsibilities, this little book provides much-needed truth to set husbands and wives on the correct path to successful home-making. I encourage you to add this little treasure to your home library, and read it! It contains many morsels of wisdom.
Marriage is a work in progress; just because a couple has been married for years, doesn't mean they can't learn a thing or two or more about marriage and how to improve it. Show that you value your marriage by continuously cultivating your relationship with your spouse. This is a lifetime process.
A Gift for Your Children
What better gift to give your children than to model for them the godly husband and wife relationship. One day they will leave home (hopefully) to establish their own homes. To have had parents who manifested the husband-wife relationship that God requires is priceless. Far too many young couples begin married life lugging weighty baggage given to them by parents who poorly modeled the role of husband and wife.
We observe no difference between Christian couples and other couples. Divorce among Christians is keeping pace with that of non-Christians. Each successive generation of husbands and wives repeats the previous generation's mistakes; the children emulate those mistakes, and their children do likewise.
Marriage is God's own ideal of completeness-it adds to the fullness of life of the husband and wife; neither loses but both gain. As a relationship, marriage is the closest and most sacred on earth. Let marriage be held in honor among all (Heb. 13:4). Marriage is closer than the relationship between parent and child. Husband and wife are to live for each other.
When you put the needs of your spouse above those of your own and treat your spouse with respect, you are showing your children how a godly marriage works. Your children's chance of having success in their own marriages increases when your marriage flourishes.
Carol DeMar is regular article contributor to Family Raising: Growing Organic Families. Visit her website at: [http://www.familyraising.com/main] Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_DeMar Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2698041
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