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| ONLY TO SAY "I LOVE YOU" Leith & Charleen Anderson Intimacy is about sharing all of life together. It is like unlocking all of the doors of who you are. There are no secrets. Privacy may be granted but is never protected as a right. Since we grew up together and started dating in high school, we have known each other very well for all of our lives. But we have worked at keeping up-to-date. Intimacy has a short shelf-life. Every morning we talk to each other about our plans for the day. Often we have prayed through each other's schedule. Whenever possible we call each other during the day for a minute or more of sharing. Sometimes it is only to say "I love you!" If the other doesn't answer, a message of hello and love is left on voice mail. We have often stopped by each other's places of work during the day. When Charleen was a bank teller, Leith drove by her drive-up window. Charleen often stops by Leith's office days in a row. At night we review all the day held. It has no feeling of reporting or accountability, but sharing of genuine interest in each other. Perhaps the best times have been early in the morning before the phone rings or children are up. We each pray, often holding hands as we talk to God. We sense that all of life is open and known to God and each other, and we enjoy knowing that the partnership is three-way. When the cries of life have come they have been surrounded with hours of talking them through. We have prayed together often. Sometimes it is not both taking a turn but one blessing the other. When his father died Leith cried and Charleen held him and prayed for him and blessed him. It isn't so much that there is a piece of our relationship that is spiritual or that is intimate. All of life is deliberately shared with each other and with God. Prayer: O God, our Father, teach us to open the doors to tenderness by freely saying to each other "I love you." Open our mouths, unstop our ears, illumine our eyes to the many ways we can bring healing reminders of Your love to one another. May loving words fill our home and empower our marriage. Amen. From "Becoming Soul Mates" by Les & Leslie Parrott Real-Life Soul Mates (orig. subj.) |