We have a love/hate relationship with our flower beds. Actually, heavy on the "hate" to be honest. We seem to be in this never-ending cycle of getting our flower beds all cleaned up, pretty, and just the way we like them (usually because we brought in a professional landscaper to help). Then, we don't really touch them again until we notice them being overgrown with weeds. At that point, we usually just give up and say "flower beds are too much hard work." So, we call in the professional and start the cycle over again.
People like us say that taking care of flower beds is hard work. Other people enjoy working in their flower beds and may not consider it hard work. But, we've discovered that those people do something a little different. They are constantly giving their flower beds the attention that they need. As weeds begin to grow, they pick them. As bushes, shrubs, or roses begin to spread, they trim them. They periodically replace mulch or pine straw. By giving the flower beds daily, weekly, and monthly attention, it rarely requires hard work to maintain its beauty.
So, is marriage hard work, or does it just require attention?
Most people would quickly answer that question by saying that marriage is hard work. Obviously, there are seasons of marriage that require hard work. Sometimes we put ourselves in those situations - we have been there! We are certainly one of those couples that had to put in the hard work to resurrect our marriage back in 2011. But we also want to challenge your thinking and as Ted Cunningham says, "Instead of saying marriage is hard work, say marriage requires attention."
Just like those flower beds, giving your marriage the attention it needs can keep you from finding yourself in those unwanted situations that require "too much hard work."
To listen to our full (and fun) discussion on this subject, check out Episode 71: Does Marriage Really Require Hard Work?
Rusty and Heather