We always look forward to a new year and already two months have gone by but we still have 10 months to go throughout 2012. So there is still time for all of us to look to declutter our marriage and family, for this year, just like we declutter our house and garage. We have realized that many things come into our lives each year that only clutter it and oftentimes gets us side-tracked from where God is leading us. We are sure you have experienced that too. Let us all remember, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Ps 90:12)

What we do to review decluttering is to go out to dinner at a place where we can spend a couple of hours discussing three questions:

Question #1
What areas worked for us this past year and do we want to continue them?

We start with what worked for us and gave us encouragement, followed by reviewing our financial, physical, spiritual and relational areas. One example: A couple of years ago we set a goal to read four books together. It worked well for us so we are going to do it again in 2012. Our initial reading already this year is a book with many spiritual values and virtues – “Being George Washington.” This book is already an energizing conversation opener for us, and if you have not read it we highly recommend it.

Question #2
What areas did not work for us – why – and do we want to do something differently?

At the beginning of last year we decided that once a month we were going to set aside one to two days to go and explore the area we live in – areas that probably every tourist who comes to the desert has seen but we have yet to visit. Typical, huh? Well our ‘best intentions’ soon fizzled out as we allowed ourselves to get too much busyness in our business. Also we did not put these days in our schedule. We were just going to ‘wing it’ and you know how that can not work. So this year we have litterally scheduled certain days for our ‘touring’ and nothing will detour is from that baring an emergency. This is our date time together and sadly far too many couples no longer date each other. We do not want to fall into that trap.

Question #3
Is there anything new we want to add this year?

Yes – even though we are, as the term goes, ‘gym rats’ and go to our local fitness facility usually Monday through Friday in the mornings, we have also agreed for this year to take some leisurely walks throughout our complex on weekends and while doing so bring along many 3 x 5 cards that have bible verses on them. We walk and take turns reading the verses, share what they mean to us and what we sense God would have us to do with the words we are reading, plus commit them to memory. A physical and spiritual adventure together as a husband and wife. If you have children, and depending on their age, this could be a fun and productive family activity too.

How About You?

Is there any decluttering of your marriage/family that is needed? We encourage you to pose these trio of questions to each other and then, “Make your plans, counting on God to direct you.” (Prov 16:9).

We pray for you to continue to have a productive and fulfilling rest of 2012. We are anticipating our Lord will continue His good work in you and through you, and that you will stay faithful to your love and obedience to Him, and will continue living each day in preparation for His soon return. Thank you for your love and prayers for us, too!

And to be sure that you have Peace With God we would like to encourage you to visit www.billygraham.org and then click on Spiritual Help followed by clicking on Steps To Peace With God. You may want to share this link with family and friends.

(And to be sure that you have Peace With God we would like to encourage you to visit www.billygraham.org and then click on Spiritual Help followed by clicking on Steps To Peace With God. You may want to share this link with family and friends.)