Housework

Dear Sonny and Sher;

By now, it’s completely obvious to all that you fully intend to see this through. Up until this point in your life I have spent the lion’s share of my efforts pouring spiritual truth into your lives. As your special day and new life together quickly approach, I would like it very much if you would permit me to share some practical insight into married life.

I will add one caution however and it is this; I am completely pleased with my own marriage. That might sound like good news, but it can also be a hinderance. I have surrendered to the possibility that life as one can in fact be even more glorious than I myself have experienced, but I have been too blind to recognize it for what it could have been.

One of my desires for you is that you would live a long, healthy and happy life together being joined as one flesh. The Bible speaks at great length about the way in which we are meant to use our bodies. We’re told that for those of us who believe, that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God cares very much about your body, probably even more than you do.

The truth of this matter has its bearing in many different arenas of our lives. Primarily, we are warned repeatedly in scripture to flee any manner of sexual immorality, because no other sin so clearly affects the body as this one. That is why up until now, I have had no other word of admonition for you than that you would remain sexually pure, waiting for one another until that beautiful day. After that day, the rules change.  I want you to know how excited I am for you both in that regard.

There are different ways in which people view their bodies. Some use theirs as some kind of amusement park; this sensory creature which lives satisfy itself. Others look on their bodies as if they are some kind of shrine of their own. They are something which deserves to be nurtured, buffed and polished as if physical health were the ultimate good.

If your bodies do indeed play host to the Spirit of The Living God, physical fitness isn’t as valuable as spiritual fitness, but it isn’t without benefit. We have but a short time to impact this world for Him, but we don’t want these days cut short unecessarily because we were too lazy to look after His house.

It isn’t uncommon for newlyweds to gain weight in the first year. I don’t believe that is a sin, yet I haven’t met too many young men and women who are all that crazy about putting on the uneccessary extra pounds. It is much easier to maintain what you are at, than to take it off. You’re probably light years ahead of me. I know you used to work out and you already know a thing or two about eating right. Still, I want to encourage you to remain intentionally active to some degree. Please choose something that isn’t too intensive and that you will be able to maintain for several years.

Myself, I choose two nights a week and I simply do push-ups ans sit-ups. I know what you’re thinking. “That is sooo lame. And he’s giving me fitness tips?” I’m not a fitness guru. Remember. I said that whatever you do, you should make sure that you are able to do it for the long haul, without sacrificing the other obligations in your life. Trust me. As life goes by, you WILL have more obligations, whether they be children of your own, connections in the workplace or the community.

Don’t buy chocolate bars, chips or pop. Again, not sin. You probably don’t eat that stuff anyway, but since every corner store, gas bar and grocery store from here to the Mexican border is stocked to the brim, I assume someone is buying the stuff. God cares about your diet. In fact, He spent much of His time telling His people which foods were best for them.

Drunkenness is a work of the flesh. I won’t harp on it. You’re all grown up now and can make your own choices, but I want to make sure that someone has warned you. It might sound silly in a way, but I kind of hope that I still have that privilege in your life.

I love you both and hope the best for you and look forward to seeing what will come out of the lives that you live together.

Love Kevin