Fun

No, this isn't about the the music group FUN., though they are kind of addicting.  It's about marriage (and a little bit about music).  A few months ago I heard Easton Corbin's latest song, "Loving You is Fun."  I was hooked.  I'm a bit of a country music junkie.  I know, I know, some of you don't like country music.  However, I just don't know what's not to like about these lyrics:

Love don’t have to be a bunch of drama

A bunch of knock-down, drag-outs, crying in the rain

It’s all right to keep it light now mama, don’t you think

We’re having such a good time together and it’s only just begun

My heart’s never smiled so hard

Baby, lovin’ you is fun

Love is supposed to be fun.  I certainly see a lot of people out in marriage world that are not having fun.  I often say, "Marriage is not that hard."  It's not.  It doesn't have to be.  Love is supposed to be fun.  The person you love is supposed to put you in the best mood, not the worst mood.  Love is supposed to be natural.  Yet, relationships are often filled with drama, heartache, bitterness and anything else but fun.  Where did the fun go?  I'm convinced that fun is one of major keys to building a healthy marriage and a lifetime of love together.  What's sad to me is that I see so many un-fun relationships in the Church.  Because of the example of Christ, we're supposed to be the experts at love and marriage.  I think God wants marriage to be fun.  Here's what I've learned in 12 years of marital fun:

• Single people...if you don't have fun when you date, don't get married.  It won't be fun after the wedding either.  Fun is really easy to spot -- you smile a lot. 
• Keep doing fun things together.  They don't have to be expensive, but you have to keep having fun together.  When you were falling in love, you made allowances and did things to make your future spouse happy.  You have to keep doing that.  You let your guard down, and you've got to keep doing that.
• Eat together.  The funniest moments in my house often happen around the dinner table.  Turn the TV off and eat together.  Sit and visit after the meal (that's what us Southern-folk do).
• Be creative.  Do different stuff together.  Go to different places.  Try new experiences.  Eat at different restaurants.  One of the fun things about dating is that you make sure to schedule these kinds of events.  Married people have to keep doing it.  PLAN on having fun.
• Be happy and don't be so easily offended.  Honestly, I don't understand how and why people get their feelings hurt so much.  I believe that if we are honest with each other we will ward off most hard feelings.  Our feelings get hurt when we hide things.
• Serve each other.  You'll be happy when your spouse is happy and they'll be happy if you serve them.  So serve them.  Help them out in what they're doing.  It'll put a smile on their face and that should put a smile on yours.
• Put the kids to bed early.  It's hard to have much, uh...'fun'...when your 7 year-old is staying up till 10 o'clock.
• Be yourself.  If you can't really be yourself around your spouse, you're going to have a hard time having a long and happy marriage.  *This is really important single people!  Your spouse ought to be the one person on the planet you can be stone cold honest with about everything.
• Pray for and with your spouse.  It is fun to watch your spouse grow spiritually. 

I'm still fairly young and learning.  I'm trying to improve as a husband every day.  However, I can promise you one thing:  we have a lot of fun in our house.  And that's just the way I always dreamed it would be.  Love should be fun.