One Funny One

We plan on asking other marrieds over the next year what their advice is for you both. Your Uncle Scott is visiting for the next couple of days, so we asked him last night if he had any marital advice for his niece and soon to be nephew-in-law. He asked for a piece of paper and wrote down something and handed it to me. So I read it aloud:

 "Accept each other's differences.

Praise each other's accomplishments

and grope often."

Yep, that's what he wrote. Probably exactly what you would expect from your uncle. I got done reading it, repeating the last one with a giggle. He said he wanted to give you two serious bits and one funny one. But perhaps that last one is more serious than he thought.

See Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:4  "The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife." Now there is much more to this passage speaking about sex between a husband and wife, and we will look at those first few verses of 1 Corinthians 7 in greater detail later, but for now I thought it was good to bring it up in light of Scott's advice. And it's important to note, that scripture doesn't mean authority in an "powerfully enforce obedience" way, but rather an "I belong to you and you belong to me" way. Kind of like it says in the Song of Solomon 6:3 "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." Which is why I don't think Uncle Scott meant it in a derogatorily. He meant it in a fun, playful and loving way. It's meaning is "to fondle" which in turn means "to stroke or caress lovingly." 

Okay, now don't get all squeamish on us that your parents and uncle are providing this advice (like I say we'll get into more detail about all this later anyways, so brace yourselves). But I think it's important for you both to know that Brad and I aren't the only married people who talk about or do this. You will be the only sexual partner the other will have for the rest of your lives, so it's important to remember that playfulness is all part of it. It's equally important to never look at it or approach it in a cheap sense. It must always be done in sweet, caring love and desire.

So there you go, marriage advice from your uncle. And it's pretty good advice at that. But don't start practicing that last bit just yet.

Discussion: What do you think of Uncle Scott's advice? What do you consider as "groping?" What would you both think is caring and fun in this sense?

Prayer: We thank you for intimacy and fun between a husband and wife. We thank you for mutual respect, praise and acceptance between spouses. We pray we can have fun while loving each other throughout our marriage. And we thank you for uncles. In Jesus name, Amen.