Welcome to
Marriage in God's Hands.
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I'm Willie Lee, your
host, and I have as a co-host
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with us Wilma Lee.
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Welcome.
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Today we're going to talk
about marriage for all times.
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And we have had a marriage for
all times because we have been
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through all times and we -
hmmm - know that it takes God
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to get through those times,
don't we? We definitely do!
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Let's pray.
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Thank you, Lord,
for having been with us.
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And we know, dear Lord,
that the same God who is with us
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is also available for
each and every marriage.
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And we pray for Your help today.
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Lord, we are thankful
that you have promised that You
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will never forsake us
and that you will be with us
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through the end of the age.
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In the name of
Jesus we pray, Amen. Amen.
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As we discuss this
particular area, it's important
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to understand that God
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is not a stranger
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to the fact that
living in a sinful world
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that there are challenges
to maintaining marriage.
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And the enemy has made it
his point to at every part
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and every stage of marriage
to interject and to cause
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difficulties. And
God predicted that in
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Genesis 3 verses 16 through 19.
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And He told us from the very
beginning through Adam and Eve's
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experience that their
marriage and their relationships
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would be challenged. In
fact, if we read very carefully
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through there, there are
some areas He said to the woman:
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"You are going to bear children,
have intense pain and suffering,
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and though your desire will
be for your husband, he will be
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your master. " So that causes
some difficulty, doesn't it?
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It definitely does.
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And He also talked to Adam.
It says: "Because you listened
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to your wife and ate the
fruit I told you not to eat,
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I have placed a
curse on the ground
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and it will grow
thorns and thistles,
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and it will be tough.
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You will have to eat of
its grains. You will struggle
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to scratch a
living from the ground.
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All of your life you will
sweat to produce food - wow -
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until your dying day. " So
the challenges of married life
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and having things
cared for for your family
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were always prophesied and told
that it would be difficult -
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um-hmm - and it
would not be easy.
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And because of that,
many marriages have fallen
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along the way. Because
of many different things.
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But God gave instructions,
didn't He? Yes He did.
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That you must maintain your
marriage and that you didn't
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have permission to bail out
just because it's difficult.
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Um-hmm. Well, if you look
into Matthew the 5th chapter
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verses 31 and 32, we also
hear from God through Jesus
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when He says: "You have
heard that the law of Moses says
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a man can divorce his wife
by merely giving her a letter
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of divorce but I say that
a man who divorces his wife
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unless she has been unfaithful
causes her to commit adultery.
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And anyone who
marries a divorced woman
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commits adultery. "
God says that also in
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Romans 7 and in I Corinthians 7
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that the only way a
marriage should be dissolved
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is through unfaithfulness.
Or sometimes, one of the mates
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deserts a marriage,
or, of course, death
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changes the marriage situation.
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But if it's not
because of those situations,
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we need to be ready to
live through all of the seasons
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of a marriage. And
there are many seasons.
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Just as our weather goes through
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seasons, there's spring
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and summer and fall and winter.
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All right. So a
marriage has its own seasons.
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And a family
has its own seasons.
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And, you know, as we have
talked about... most people
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only plan for the wedding...
that one day - yes -and so
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they are not prepared for
the seasons of the marriage.
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And they are very shocked
to find out that the wedding
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is not all that there is
and that a marriage has seasons.
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Well, I've heard of
honeymoons even being difficult.
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That honeymoons have been
terrible and because of the
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honeymoon being so terrible
many have left their marriage
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not too long after the honeymoon
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because they
expected more, different.
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If you are a student of
the Word of God, though,
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you will not expect anything
different than you expect
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in life. The enemy,
Satan, has made it his point
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to destroy the marriage
because the marriage, then,
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grows the family. And if
he destroys the marriage,
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and then the family,
and then you have children
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that grow without having both
parents, it makes it difficult
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for parents to
parent a child with just one
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of the parents there.
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So, you create a family
brokenness that is cycled
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over and over again.
God says there is a remedy:
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that He will be with
you through every season,
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through every change,
through every difficulty.
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And that's what we want
to assure everyone today.
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We are evidence that through
difficulties God will be there
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and you can come through.
You have a famous saying
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that "you'll get through it but
it just won't look the same. "
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Well, there may be some
changes in the way you look,
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but that's because
there is experience.
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And these gray hairs are
for something, aren't they?
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No, they are platinum - oh,
they are platinum - and they are
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for years of service. And
you know platinum is rare.
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Everybody doesn't get
that. So, it's platinum.
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All right. Well, we are going
to be discussing and sharing
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some of those things you
can expect in marriage...
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just in case you did not have
that opportunity to know and
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understand this. Some of
you who have been in marriage
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for a while will understand
that you have been through
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some of these things
and how difficult it is.
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Those of you approaching going
through some of these things
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will be made aware and so
it won't catch you by surprise.
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Because you need to know what
you're going to be faced with.
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So we have developed a graphic
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that we will be going through.
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And we are going to be
going through it right now.
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And you can read on that graphic
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at the very beginning of that
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graphic it says:
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newlywed or newly married
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couple. What are the things
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that the newly
married couple go through.
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A newly married couple
has to work through new rules
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because they are
establishing a new household.
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So they bring rules from their
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households, but that doesn't
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necessarily work
in the new household.
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So they have to establish
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new rules, and they've got to
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establish interdependence
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from both families of origin.
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And that's a challenge...
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especially if they
live in the same town.
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And so they also have to
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establish how they separate
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from those same
families of origin.
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Let us go ahead and
discuss these areas that we have
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read through. What
about that first area?
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Work through new rules.
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If you have a new
household, you need new rules.
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You've got new
dishes, new china, new linen.
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Everything needs to be new.
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OK. So there are also new
rules about roles in the home
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and things like that. Is
that what you're talking about?
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Because you are bringing some
things different from each house
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and so you have to
establish your own rules
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in your new house. Yes. OK.
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And what about the next area?
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Establishing the interdependence
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with both families of
origin. How does that work?
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Well, you know, you've been
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dependent - um-hmm - and you are
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no longer dependent
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and you don't cut yourself
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totally off. But now
there's a new relationship...
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so you are interdependent.
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You are adults, but there is an
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adult relationship. And
that's usually very difficult
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to establish because I
think it's difficult for parents
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to really let you go.
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And it's a challenge if
you live in the same town.
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It's probably not as
difficult if you don't
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live in the same town.
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But a lot of couples do
start out their new marriage
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in the same town as parents.
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And what if you
are...? Let's say there are two
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independent people who
have left a previous marriage or
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have never been married
before but they are independent
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Now they are moving into or
either they have their previous
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families like a blended
family or a step-family that are
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involved. What does that
say about what they have to
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establish? That, too, is a
challenge because you've got
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then if it's a blended family
you've got a group of families
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then to combine. And
that goes back to rules then.
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How does this work? Who sets
discipline if there are children
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in families? So there are a
number of things that you really
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have to talk
about to make this work.
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And all of this talks
about separating from the family
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of origin. That's always a
thing that's most difficult
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for that newly-married couple
who were dependent upon their
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families before. And
you continue to be dependent
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upon these families in ways
that you don't realize - OK -
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until you establish a new union.
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OK. We are going to
move to our next graphic now
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which talks about a
family with young children.
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What are those
particular components?
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OK. Well, that's pretty clear,
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and I think that we need
to establish exactly what it
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talks about in
balancing pressures of parenting
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with couple hood.
That's a difficult area.
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And I think especially so
in our society now because our
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society is very child focused.
Um-hmm. It always talks about
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what do children
want; what do children need?
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And we don't always
focus on our coupleness because
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if you listen to all
the voices around you
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you'll feel guilty about
worrying about coupleness.
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OK. And so you still need to do
that and nurture young children
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at the same time. Yes.
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And having young
children is very demanding.
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In fact, you
don't get enough sleep.
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You don't get enough
time. So it is a very fine line
00:11:57.58\00:12:01.85
that you have to walk.
That means that if the children
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are now involved, then
the time that used to be ours
00:12:05.12\00:12:07.79
belongs to children
now instead of just us.
00:12:07.90\00:12:11.42
Yes. OK. So how do we
adjust the role expectations?
00:12:11.62\00:12:16.07
What are we going to
have the most difficulty with?
00:12:16.18\00:12:18.68
Ummm, making sure that parent
is a neuter word in so that
00:12:18.88\00:12:23.38
fathers become a part
of the parenting experience
00:12:23.48\00:12:27.30
and that it's not all Mommy.
00:12:27.50\00:12:29.68
Oh, my. Wow!
00:12:29.88\00:12:32.41
And that's moving into a new age
00:12:33.60\00:12:35.71
because we have the age now
00:12:35.81\00:12:38.64
where both parents work.
00:12:38.74\00:12:39.88
Does that means that Mom is
00:12:40.08\00:12:41.57
going to work away from the
house and then come back and
00:12:41.67\00:12:44.73
do all of that
and Dad does nothing?
00:12:44.83\00:12:47.17
That's what
you're talking about.
00:12:47.27\00:12:48.29
How are you going to
balance that as well? Right?
00:12:48.39\00:12:50.18
Yes. But Mom has always
worked in most households.
00:12:50.28\00:12:54.71
OK. She's worked in the house
and out of the house, right?
00:12:54.81\00:12:57.77
Yes! So there are challenges
in adjusting to this period
00:12:57.87\00:13:01.58
of time. You can see now where
just talking about these first
00:13:01.68\00:13:05.33
two areas that there are
real challenges that you need
00:13:05.43\00:13:09.95
the grace of God going through
these very things. You need
00:13:10.05\00:13:13.13
to provide each other with
grace and patience as well.
00:13:13.23\00:13:16.21
And we want you to be patient
with us, too, because we've got
00:13:16.51\00:13:20.05
some more of these discussions
because we've got some more
00:13:20.15\00:13:23.14
stages of development coming up
for the marriage and the family.
00:13:23.24\00:13:25.89
So stay with us
and come right back,
00:13:26.10\00:13:28.12
and we'll be back shortly.
00:13:28.22\00:13:30.66
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Welcome back to
Marriage in God's Hands.
00:14:16.43\00:14:18.98
We have been discussing the
00:14:19.18\00:14:21.21
stages of marriage and family
00:14:21.31\00:14:23.01
development, and we have already
00:14:23.11\00:14:25.53
gone through a couple of
graphics on newly-married
00:14:25.63\00:14:29.14
couples and their challenges.
00:14:29.25\00:14:31.15
And then moving on to
families with young children.
00:14:31.25\00:14:34.34
So after that, we
get to another stage,
00:14:34.44\00:14:38.30
and discuss this graphic
with us now that's talking about
00:14:38.40\00:14:43.19
family with adolescents.
00:14:43.29\00:14:45.74
I guess this is probably
the one where most families
00:14:45.84\00:14:49.13
pull out their hair...
because it's a time when you are
00:14:49.23\00:14:52.65
preparing children for
adulthood and you're providing
00:14:52.75\00:14:57.39
responsibility balanced
with support and authority.
00:14:57.49\00:15:01.88
You mentioned
pulling out hair. Why?
00:15:01.98\00:15:07.98
Because you... look at it:
00:15:08.18\00:15:10.88
you're preparing children for
00:15:10.98\00:15:12.26
adulthood. And that means that
00:15:12.36\00:15:15.51
you're really... The Bible says
00:15:15.61\00:15:18.08
that "the evil
stirreth up the nest. "
00:15:18.18\00:15:20.99
And you're stirring up your nest
because you're preparing them to
00:15:21.09\00:15:26.04
really fly.
You're launching eagles.
00:15:26.14\00:15:29.58
OK. And launching
eagles is difficult? YES!
00:15:29.78\00:15:33.58
Now don't you just push
them and let them fly? NO!
00:15:33.68\00:15:36.22
Because looking at the other
part, that means that you're
00:15:36.42\00:15:40.19
doing support with authority.
Oh, that sounds like a difficult
00:15:40.29\00:15:46.05
balance, isn't it - yes,
yes - for... Who does that?
00:15:46.15\00:15:49.51
Does the mother do this?
Because Dad's gone to work so...
00:15:49.61\00:15:52.31
obviously the wife is gonna...
Wait a minute! Back up, back up.
00:15:52.41\00:15:55.61
Parent is a neuter word - OK
- that applies to both people,
00:15:55.71\00:15:59.52
mother and father.
And you must remember
00:15:59.62\00:16:02.96
that this person you
are parenting is full of
00:16:03.06\00:16:06.07
raging hormones. Well, that
must put some strain, obviously,
00:16:06.17\00:16:10.07
on the relationship.
Because the relationship
00:16:10.17\00:16:14.83
between the husband and wife,
that marriage relationship,
00:16:14.93\00:16:18.01
now has in it the
stresses that come from creating
00:16:18.11\00:16:23.39
a new dynamic dealing
with these emerging hormones
00:16:23.49\00:16:29.00
that are flying all over the
place and they are challenging
00:16:29.10\00:16:32.46
the manhood of the father
and the womanhood of the mother.
00:16:32.57\00:16:37.64
And if you just think
about where parents are
00:16:37.94\00:16:42.68
in this process in their lives,
00:16:42.78\00:16:45.41
this is usually at some point
in their career where they are
00:16:45.51\00:16:49.00
being challenged with stressors
from their job or something else
00:16:49.10\00:16:55.02
and then you've got this person
at home that you don't know
00:16:55.12\00:16:59.38
who they may be at any given
time. So it's kind of crazy!
00:16:59.48\00:17:04.90
A lot of crazy making a
lot of changes. So, uhh...
00:17:05.10\00:17:09.05
The parents are re-defining
their personal goals.
00:17:09.15\00:17:12.66
Is that one of the issues
that husbands and wives have to
00:17:12.76\00:17:17.42
work out this marriage
now? You're beginning to shift.
00:17:17.52\00:17:20.89
You thought you'd be able to
do this but now it looks like
00:17:20.99\00:17:24.12
it might be delayed or
you might have to move into a
00:17:24.22\00:17:27.48
different area of expertise
as far as your job is concerned.
00:17:27.58\00:17:32.41
Or where you're
going as a family period.
00:17:32.51\00:17:34.90
And of course now... It used
to be you worked for a company
00:17:35.00\00:17:38.77
until you retired, and
that doesn't work anymore.
00:17:38.87\00:17:42.46
And stayed in the same town...
because companies suddenly
00:17:42.56\00:17:46.51
merge, go offshore - um-hmm
- whatever. And then you're
00:17:46.61\00:17:51.41
trying to figure out...
Can I educate this child?
00:17:51.51\00:17:54.79
And so there are lots
of crazy things going on.
00:17:54.89\00:17:58.04
And you don't
exactly know what to do.
00:17:58.14\00:18:02.45
So does it make it easier,
then, if they are home-schooled?
00:18:02.55\00:18:05.14
No, you still have to
prepare them for adulthood.
00:18:05.34\00:18:10.58
Ahh. Which means what as far
as preparing them for adulthood
00:18:10.78\00:18:16.00
and they are at home... they
are not with other children.
00:18:16.10\00:18:19.51
So socially what's happening
to them? You've got to stir up
00:18:19.61\00:18:21.84
the nest. They are
supposed to leave your nest.
00:18:21.94\00:18:24.32
So you are supposed to challenge
how you interact with the world
00:18:24.52\00:18:28.37
around you. Yes. And help show
them from practical ways how
00:18:28.47\00:18:32.22
to emerge. Because if they are
in home school, that means they
00:18:32.33\00:18:36.81
are not developing
relationships with children
00:18:36.91\00:18:39.59
every day who are from other
families at school, exactly, so
00:18:39.69\00:18:43.38
there are challenges for
the husband and wife to create
00:18:43.55\00:18:47.15
environments where they
can merge their children
00:18:47.25\00:18:50.94
with the world and at the same
time they merge their own lives
00:18:51.04\00:18:55.93
with the world. Because isn't
it a challenge for a mother
00:18:56.03\00:18:59.14
to get out beyond
even her children and to,
00:18:59.24\00:19:02.03
if she is at home with
the children, for instance, to
00:19:02.13\00:19:05.45
have her own set. Sure it
is. So, you know, at some point
00:19:05.55\00:19:11.16
you want to know am I more
than just a wife and mother.
00:19:11.26\00:19:15.16
Will I ever have a time when
I am introduced as somebody's
00:19:15.26\00:19:19.65
mother or am I somebody?
Wow! Well, you know, you brought
00:19:19.95\00:19:25.93
something to our minds and to
our lives now that we are really
00:19:26.03\00:19:29.50
going to have to look at.
So, let's go to our next graphic
00:19:29.60\00:19:32.35
and we are going to talk
about what you've introduced
00:19:32.45\00:19:35.10
that fits. We are talking about
launching our families. OK.
00:19:35.20\00:19:37.89
So now we have to help young
adults establish independent
00:19:38.09\00:19:42.37
lives, and then parents need
to re-define personal goals.
00:19:42.47\00:19:47.58
OK. So this is just a little
bit further ahead but it's
00:19:47.68\00:19:53.39
some of the same things.
Yes. But the children are older.
00:19:53.49\00:19:56.67
The marriage is older
and perhaps becoming...
00:19:56.87\00:20:01.67
What? A little ho-hum?
00:20:01.97\00:20:04.43
Yes, but you know what we're
finding is that young adults
00:20:04.63\00:20:10.21
don't like to
leave the nest. Umm.
00:20:10.31\00:20:12.96
And they're coming back home
and staying - Wow! - longer.
00:20:13.06\00:20:16.05
Oh, so we're dealing
with "in-dependence. "
00:20:16.25\00:20:20.46
And I say independent because
they're not as independent
00:20:20.66\00:20:24.70
as they are pretending to
be. Yes, because they like
00:20:24.81\00:20:27.46
parental lifestyle.
What is that parental?
00:20:27.56\00:20:30.80
What are you talking
about? Parental lifestyle?
00:20:30.90\00:20:33.01
Well see, they want to have
everything that Mom and Dad have
00:20:33.12\00:20:36.15
um-hmm - but they want it now.
00:20:36.25\00:20:38.31
And Mom and Dad are saying
finally we are getting to the
00:20:38.51\00:20:41.71
place where we can
have our lives back - yes -
00:20:41.81\00:20:43.97
and we can have our house
back - yes - and can do things
00:20:44.07\00:20:46.77
we have always dreamed
about doing - yes - as a husband
00:20:46.87\00:20:49.04
and wife and
now... they're here. Oh!
00:20:49.14\00:20:52.29
They're still here. Oops!
00:20:52.49\00:20:54.86
Ahh. So that's a
challenge, isn't it?
00:20:55.06\00:20:57.30
Very much so. Because
you can't have grown people
00:20:57.50\00:21:00.90
living in your house but
wanting to have the advantages
00:21:01.00\00:21:06.82
of not being grown.
00:21:06.92\00:21:08.77
Wow! So those are challenges,
and we must say even right
00:21:08.87\00:21:13.25
here that this looks a little
bit different in every home,
00:21:13.35\00:21:15.66
doesn't it? Yes it does.
00:21:15.76\00:21:16.97
Because it depends upon the
00:21:17.07\00:21:18.10
husband and wife. It depends
00:21:18.25\00:21:19.56
upon your relationship with
00:21:19.67\00:21:20.78
the Lord. How that's developed
and grown. Yes, it does.
00:21:20.92\00:21:23.06
And also how you have helped,
at every stage, to introduce
00:21:23.16\00:21:26.90
your children to God and
helped teach them how to have a
00:21:27.00\00:21:30.74
relationship that is unique and
special with God for themselves.
00:21:30.84\00:21:33.84
And then we go back to talking
about boundaries again. OK.
00:21:33.94\00:21:37.37
Because the establishment of
00:21:37.47\00:21:39.76
boundaries will then decide
00:21:39.86\00:21:42.20
whether young adults will really
00:21:42.30\00:21:43.88
feel comfortable coming back to
00:21:43.98\00:21:46.47
the parental home to
establish themselves. Ahhh.
00:21:46.58\00:21:50.65
Wow! These are a lot of
challenges. And it takes
00:21:50.86\00:21:53.92
good communication
between a husband and wife.
00:21:54.02\00:21:58.05
The marriage must continue
to be viable and communicative
00:21:58.15\00:22:03.32
during all of this time...
especially during the stresses.
00:22:03.42\00:22:06.16
So you should have developed...
And if you haven't developed
00:22:06.26\00:22:09.05
that kind of communication
system and a relationship with
00:22:09.15\00:22:12.57
the Lord that you share
together in your marriage,
00:22:12.67\00:22:15.03
then those are
primary in order to help
00:22:15.13\00:22:20.39
your young adults to
really find God for themselves
00:22:20.49\00:22:25.11
and to be
launched into the world.
00:22:25.21\00:22:27.50
Well let's go to
our final graphic.
00:22:27.60\00:22:30.14
That final graphic talks
about empty nest and retirement.
00:22:30.34\00:22:34.80
All right. Where couples then...
00:22:34.90\00:22:37.05
Umm. That's kind of deep.
00:22:46.39\00:22:49.19
Yeah. Normally people don't
like to talk about these things.
00:22:49.39\00:22:54.45
And if you have not
developed all along the way
00:22:54.55\00:22:58.66
and adjusted your lives
as a couple to the changes
00:22:58.76\00:23:04.04
that have been taking
place, when you get here,
00:23:04.15\00:23:06.19
there may be insurmountable
challenges. That's right.
00:23:06.29\00:23:10.32
Because, again, if you've
been totally child-focused,
00:23:10.42\00:23:15.92
- um-hmm - then maybe you're not
really important to each other.
00:23:16.02\00:23:19.30
Wow! That means
there's nothing between you
00:23:19.50\00:23:23.14
that you can share and enjoy
00:23:23.24\00:23:26.91
if it's only been
children before. That's right.
00:23:27.01\00:23:30.51
And so that means that you
don't have any goals that are
00:23:30.61\00:23:35.07
not child-focused because
you don't know this person.
00:23:35.17\00:23:38.60
This person isn't
your friend. Um-hmm.
00:23:38.70\00:23:40.65
You have nothing in
common, so you really do have an
00:23:40.75\00:23:44.33
empty nest... and that's all.
00:23:44.43\00:23:47.53
So, an empty nest, then,
is not really a positive thing
00:23:47.83\00:23:53.42
if you think of
it in those terms.
00:23:53.52\00:23:55.53
I think we have
tried to change that.
00:23:55.73\00:23:58.36
And we started long before
the children even began thinking
00:23:58.46\00:24:02.23
thinking about leaving; we began
talking about the time when we
00:24:02.33\00:24:05.21
would have a
renaissance marriage.
00:24:05.31\00:24:07.23
That we'd get a re-birth
to our years that we enjoyed
00:24:07.33\00:24:12.68
before the children got
there and when we would travel
00:24:12.78\00:24:15.56
and do things uniquely for
us and develop that kind of
00:24:15.66\00:24:20.32
life purpose. So
here we are talking about
00:24:20.42\00:24:23.78
establishing this
importance for each other.
00:24:23.88\00:24:28.27
The best way to do it
is to establish it now
00:24:28.37\00:24:30.94
so when you get there it will
be like a breath of fresh air.
00:24:31.04\00:24:34.95
And the freedom that you've
always expected will be yours
00:24:35.06\00:24:38.74
and you'll know each other
as this couple who have learned
00:24:38.85\00:24:43.56
to grow together. That's true.
00:24:43.67\00:24:46.04
And I guess really the
preparation for the loss of a
00:24:46.14\00:24:49.37
spouse goes back to
celebrating uniqueness.
00:24:49.47\00:24:52.98
Because that means that you
have developed all of the gifts
00:24:53.08\00:24:56.61
and abilities that God has given
you so that you are not just
00:24:56.71\00:25:01.54
sitting around being totally
dependent on the other person.
00:25:01.75\00:25:07.74
You know how to
take care of yourself.
00:25:07.84\00:25:10.26
You do have a life.
You do have interests.
00:25:10.36\00:25:13.97
You do have your
own set of friends.
00:25:14.07\00:25:16.30
Now, one unknown quantity
that we haven't talked about
00:25:16.40\00:25:19.57
is having to deal
with an aging parent
00:25:19.67\00:25:22.98
even previous to now
and in this period of time.
00:25:23.08\00:25:27.32
That's true, that is true.
00:25:27.42\00:25:29.31
These are things you
must talk about and discuss.
00:25:29.41\00:25:31.70
Yes, and they do happen.
And, of course, these stages
00:25:31.80\00:25:37.06
of development are
never this orderly.
00:25:37.16\00:25:39.58
But they do happen in life
and they are things to consider
00:25:39.68\00:25:43.36
because they do
happen to families
00:25:43.46\00:25:46.53
and you need to
be aware of them.
00:25:46.63\00:25:48.36
So that gives us a
lot to communicate about.
00:25:48.46\00:25:50.64
A lot to grow toward, including
growing toward the fact that
00:25:50.74\00:25:54.42
we may lose one another some-
where in this period of time
00:25:54.52\00:25:59.29
or even before this period
of time, and we need to be
00:25:59.40\00:26:01.70
prepared. Being
proactive and planning your life
00:26:01.80\00:26:06.44
with your partner, with
your spouse, is important.
00:26:06.54\00:26:10.12
And you need God's
help through all of this.
00:26:10.22\00:26:12.45
Let's pray for ourselves and the
couples who are watching now.
00:26:12.56\00:26:16.39
Dear Lord. There are so
many things that You know
00:26:16.59\00:26:20.37
about us and about our
future that we do not know
00:26:20.47\00:26:24.01
about ourselves.
Lead us and help us to
00:26:24.11\00:26:26.59
follow You as we prepare
for each stage of our marriage
00:26:26.69\00:26:31.61
and our development. And
because You love us, Lord,
00:26:31.71\00:26:34.59
we know that there is
nothing that You would do
00:26:34.70\00:26:37.25
that would harm us.
00:26:37.35\00:26:38.76
And we thank You
for your love and care.
00:26:38.90\00:26:41.04
In the name of Jesus
we pray, Amen and Amen.
00:26:41.14\00:26:45.24
The one thing we haven't
talked about is the fact that
00:26:45.44\00:26:48.69
as you have grown to the age
where you might lose one another
00:26:48.79\00:26:54.43
there is always the
hope of the resurrection
00:26:54.53\00:26:58.65
and the coming of Jesus Christ
00:26:58.75\00:27:01.25
where families are united.
Where couples and marriages
00:27:01.35\00:27:06.18
will once again
take on significance.
00:27:06.28\00:27:09.81
Because it prepares you
to accept the inevitable.
00:27:09.91\00:27:12.74
But at the same time,
the greatest inevitable
00:27:12.84\00:27:16.67
if you are a Christian couple,
is looking forward to the
00:27:16.78\00:27:20.20
coming of Jesus Christ and
being in the New Earth with Him.
00:27:20.30\00:27:23.93
We hope that you
are making these plans.
00:27:24.13\00:27:26.69
We hope that you,
like we have done,
00:27:26.79\00:27:29.35
are basing our faith on
our relationship with God
00:27:29.46\00:27:33.28
as well as with one another.
00:27:33.39\00:27:35.52
He has us in His heart,
and He has prepared a place
00:27:35.62\00:27:39.29
and He is ready for us. I hope
that you are getting ready too.
00:27:39.40\00:27:43.23
God bless you.
00:27:43.26\00:27:46.29