(whoa, I accidentally clicked on my picture above and it opened into one VERY huge picture where I can see my eyes soooo clearly. I think the one thing I love most about myself would be the colour of my eyes which is inherited from my lovely mother. nyahahaha. And thanks Tzia! I got it! ;p)

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON?

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question.
She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?"
I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?"
In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?"

Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind.

Here's the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse / partner . You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies (unconventional behavior/habit).

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience.
You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU .

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that __expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU .

Falling in love is easy . It's a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria (excitement) of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship . Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies , instead of being cute, drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?"
And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else.
This is when marriages breakdown . People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious.
But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.
I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else.
You could.

And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy . And most importantly, it takes WISDOM . You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships.
Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger.
It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make" love .

Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling.

Remember this always :

"God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go."


I Still Believe : Hayden Panettiere

Some how I know I will find a way
To a brighter day in the sun
Somewhere I know that he waits for me
Someday soon he'll see I'm the one

I won't give up on this feeling
And nothing will keep me away

'Cause I still believe in destiny
That you and I were meant to be
I still wish on the stars as they fall from above
'Cause I still believe
Believe in love

I know what's real cannot be denied
Although it may hide for a while
With just one touch love can conquer fears
Turning all your tears into smiles

It's such a wondrous feeling
I know that my heart can't be wrong

'Cause I still believe in destiny
That you and I were meant to be
I still wish on the stars as they fall from above
'Cause I still believe
Believe in love

Love can make miracles
Change everything
Lift you from the darkness and make your heart sing
Love is forever
When you fall
It's the greatest time of them all

'Cause I still believe in destiny
That you and I were meant to be
I still wish on the stars as they fall from above
'Cause I still believe
Believe in love

Yes I still believe
Believe in love
Still believe in love
I still believe
Believe in love

**=)**