Spot of Joy --Post #2 for this week

Several Years ago Paul planted some lavender flowers by our mailbox. When they started to bloom and I suddenly noticed them one day, it brought me a sudden spurt of joy. Whenever I saw them after that I thought of those flowers as my spot of joy. When I walked outside the clinic into our garden waiting area this week, I was surprised by these beautiful blossoms on our hydrangea plant. It brought me such quick, instant pleasure it became another spot of joy.

I have been having some random thoughts about relationships lately. Maybe because as missionary wives we sometimes share with each other what an interesting adjustment it is for husbands and wives to be together 24/7--yes even at the grocery story. "Do we really need that?" after 40 or 50 years of grocery story autonomy.

I was also reminded of a book we read in book club many years ago. I don't even remember the title but it had something to do with deposits and withdrawals in our love account. It has occurred to me that deposits in the love and marriage account are a little like my spot of joy flowers. They are moments of cherishing each other that bring a feeling of well-being. Loving thoughts, feelings or actions expressed that come straight from the heart. They are different for every marriage. If we are feeling a little under- cherished, it may be that we are not doing a very good job of cherishing. Perhaps we are both failing to make enough deposits and we are making too many withdrawals. If we make more withdrawals (angry words, blame, thoughtlessness, I told you so, etc.) in our relationships than we make deposits (cherishing) we will find that our love and marriage account is bankrupt and it will be difficult to weather difficult times. A healthy marriage account needs numerous spots of joy.

PS. Now look below and check out my real blog for the week and see pictures of the big Guatemala sink hole that is just around the corner from our clinic. I guess we could have gone to work in the morning and found our clinic down the hole if it had been a few blocks closer.