Career aspirations and husband duties. Balance. That’s a hard concept. We are taught to work hard. My example started early with both parents. A truck driver and a school librarian didn’t make much.

Financial struggles exist. There are always choices to be made about money in marriage regardless of your age. However, when first married, you quickly learn the value of the dollar. When we were first married, we had two incomes. My wife was a grade-school teacher, and I was a youth pastor. Our combined income paid the bills and allowed us to put some money away for one big item, but the question was, why do we save?

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” — Isaiah 64:6

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” — Proverbs 18:22

I was a young man in a serious relationship, having a marriage discussion with my parents. They gave me the most excellent marriage advice I’ve ever heard in my life. I still use it and apply it to this day. They told me to apply the same energy and effort I gave to basketball, writing, games, work, or whatever it is I do with great enthusiasm, into my marriage, and making my wife happy.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Well I guess we just have to agree to disagree”? It happens in arguments or any discussion on any topic from large to small. It happens all the time. I have seen it applied in all areas of life, including marriage. How to handle disagreements? Romans has some wisdom for us.

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18)

It’s been nothing but change since August of 2018. I have been experiencing the life-changing events of being an empty-nester.

Now that we are empty-nesters, we have more time together as a husband and wife, but there’s this sadness mixed with excitement lingering in the air.