Midweek Moment: Maintaining The “SPARK plugs” In Marriage

Four hundred fifty seven dollars! I read the invoice and thought I would literally fall to the floor. The first thing that went through my mind was not the fact that I had recently spent $159.00 for alternator repair or the $49.99 oil change or even the fact that it had just taken $60.00 to fill up my gas tank, but more importantly than that how could I ever forgo my other “foo foo” purchases that I had so awaited this paycheck for. How would I ever live without those polka dot chunked high heels, that cute monogrammed bracelet, or the new flashy sweater that had been calling my name begging, pleading to come home with me and take up residence in my closet!

 Replacing my two front tires on my vehicle was definitely not what I had in mind as fashionable. Of course at that price how could I NOT make some kind of fashion statement. Was there a diamond imprinted somewhere on those rubber made treads that I had overlooked? On top of that the service guy informed me just last week,  that it is inevitable the back two will soon have to be replaced. Then there is the vehicle taxes that have now come due, along with the license tag renewal, & the wiper blades that need to be replaced. Let me not forget to mention the car CD player that just decided to conveniently break as I was hitting a high note, (singing along very loudly with the music) at a traffic stop light, while the windows were STUCK in the rolled down position. What kind of sensor has gone haywire now? I am sure the driver next to me got a kick out of that one! Vehicle maintenance, repairs, gas tank fill ups, wow, all this for a vehicle way over 165,000 miles.

Still there is nothing like that confidence in knowing that “Old Lexie”, as we call her, will get us back and forth safely to our destination. I want to do everything I can to make sure when I hit that interstate to take my kids to school or out for a day of family fun that there are no tire blow outs or the possibilities for me to be stranded alone on a highway with two small children.     

Just like that vehicle, my marriage needs regular maintenance. We maintain our cars, health & financial portfolios, our homes, jet skis, boats….shouldn’t we apply the same effort and dedication to maintain this gift from God which is our marriage? We need to pray together, maintain the romance, communicate more effectively and continue to enrich our marriage. My husband and I, are on our tenth Art of Marriage Conference. Not because we are fighting, (although we do sometimes have some rather intense fellowship) ,or because our marriage is headed for divorce, but because we want to do everything to make our good marriage even better. We want all that God has to offer for us. Just being candid, like some of you, even now reading this post, we have had our moments of very difficult struggles and attacks. I reflect back and realize now that it was at a time when we were doing absolutely nothing to protect our relationship. We simply put other things, renovation projects and purchases ahead of our greatest investment of all- our marriage. Want to keep your marriage fresh, alive & happenin? Whether your marriage is on fire or under fire, now’s the time to invest in a little “spark plug” maintenance.

Beverly Weeks is an energized Christian speaker who is devoted to encouraging couples with God’s inspired Word. She has written numerous online devotions, blogs & articles to exemplify powerful, practical biblical truths to couples standing for their marriage and family. presently serves with Intentionally Yours, a marriage focused ministry, facilitates Art of Marriage conferences and is a Homebuilder Catalyst for Family Life Ministries.

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