Spouse Neglect 1/15/2014

Good Morning,

Today I am starting out with one of my favorite mugs filled to the top with Door County Cherry Crème Coffee. Many people ask me where they can obtain Door County Coffee. I will be happy to share the link. www.doorcountycoffee.com

I want to launch a short series on a topic that needs to be discussed. "Spouse Neglect"  I believe we are in the age of "what's in it for me" and "it's all about me". There are so many forms of entertainment or hobbies available that I believe Satan uses them to distract us from enjoying the company of our spouses. You all know that I love to hunt. And I hunt hard. But I structure a lot of my hunting so that I am home by the time my wife is getting out of her jammies. I hunt while she sleeps. I then devote the rest of the day to her, chores and family life. I don't come from the field and attach myself to the boob tube for a Packer game. Sorry Packer fans. I may watch the game with her because she is the bigger football fan.

But what I am seeing and hearing is this. People keep score now.
1. You did this or went there, now it is my turn. This is contrary to Scripture. Therefore the family structure suffers and each person learns to be selfish.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres

2. I see many people that allow hobbies to consume hours and hours of time. During this time kids go to bed without prayer, family suppers are skipped, spouses are left to be alone and silent. This is contrary to Scripture. Our hobbies have become our idols. These idols rob us of what God truly meant for marriage to be.

Mark 10:8

⁸ and the two will become one flesh.’^[a] So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

What is worse is that we don't see this as a sin. This is contrary to Scripture. The sin of neglecting your spouse in over indulging in your hobbies is like cheating on them.

1 Corinthians 6:16

Or do you not know that he who is joined^[a] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.”

Yes we join ourselves to other friends, hobbies, work or television. We then have prostituted our marriage for a substitute.

Dear Friends. "all things in moderation". There is time for all things but if your choice is destroying your family then it is time for your choice to go! Don't keep even a little bit. It will come back stronger and the desire will be overwhelming. Would you drink just a little poison? I doubt it.

I have been blessed with a wife who understands my hobby. Yet I know when enough is enough and I go antique shopping, or watch the Packer game with her. I know the flowers need to be planted Memorial Day weekend. And in return she never schedules things in October or November. She does however say. "Hunting geese this weekend?" Goose is her favorite wild game meal. That is a hint for me to drop the pheasant hunt and chase down some geese. I like pheasant. The freezer is full of geese.

Your spouse chose to spend their life with you. How about honoring that with spending your life with them. Stop the neglect, it turns to abuse.

God bless,
Marty