Marriage Course - August 20, 2012

Day 4 - The Third and Fourth Seasons of Marriage - Autumn and Winter

Marriage

Autumn
• season of richness and maturity-reaping
• the benefits of what has gone before
• marriage more established having weathered tough times
• may be teenagers in the house
• emotionally the most exhausting stage of parenting
• the greatest need is to support and encourage each other

Winter
• empty-nest stage for many
• probably fewer demands with an opportunity for more time together
• can be the most exciting stage of marriage
• the greatest needs are shared interests and good communication

Question:Reflect on what you've heard so far. If you are in one of these seasons, talk together about the pressures you've worked through until now in your relationship, and the pressures you're currently facing. If you’re not here yet, what do you think it will be like?

From Series: "Marriage"

Study Guide

More Messages Associated With "Family"...

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  • having a vision for our familu life
  • pausing to think about what we want to achieve
  • what will our children’s memories be of us and their home in twenty years, time?

Goals for our family life

When they are adults, will our children associate their upbringing with:

  • having fun together as a family?
  • being listened to?
  • being able to talk through difficult choices?
  • being encouraged and affirmed?
  • being valued for their unique personality and gifts?
  • knowing they are loved?
  • learning important values of honesty, generosity, etc.?
  • learning to think about others?
  • being prayed for?
  • having clear boundaries for their own protection?
  • seeing kindness modeled?

The importance of play

  • using their imagination
  • learning skills
  • playing on their own
  • playing with others
  • indoor and outdoor play
  • limiting screen time

Did you have fun with your family growing up?  When do you have the most fun together as a family now?

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