Marriage Retreat 2008

The truth is, Eric and I have wanted and needed a marriage retreat since about 2 days after we got back from our honeymoon 2 and a half years ago, but this is the first one we’ve had. With the new year already upon us, and with a new stage of life (2 kids) fast approaching, we finally got serious about it and took up my parents’ offer to keep Noa for the weekend. We really went all out too, and after dropping Noa off, headed to a nice little resort called Casa de Noll in the quaint town of Honda, Japan. Actually, we had been meaning to get away for several months now, but with life having been so busy since we’ve been here and nothing settling down much before Baby Martha arrives, we realized last week that this weekend is was our last chance for a while. Without having planned much, we decided it would be most stress-free, cheap, and easy to just stay at home.

AND IT COULDN’T HAVE BEEN BETTER!!

We had just over 48 hours of just us. The only people we talked to were my parents and Noa to check up on her (mostly since she wasn’t feeling very well…) Eric found some great resources on-line of exercises we could do to help stimulate good conversations. He also found a great sermon by Piper on forgiveness and forbearance in marriage. We spent a good deal of time working on our marriage covenant, an activity that our pastor recommended we do before we got married, but that we hadn’t done yet. Again, it really stimulated great conversations that we needed to have, and we were convicted too, of specific areas that we would like to grow in as husband and wife. We also read some and spent time talking about our future. Amidst that “work” of the weekend, we slept a lot, went out to a fancy dinner one night and a great breakfast, watched 2 movies, painted the Girls’ room, and just enjoyed being together without distractions. What a blessing this was! We both came away feeling refreshed and renewed in our love for each other and our desire that our marriage be one that glorifies the Lord and encourages each of us toward Him. How I praise Him for providing and protecting that precious and important time.
ps- we highly recommend a marriagae retreat to any couple. If you are close by to us, we are happy to pass on the blessing that my parents gave us in keeping and caring for Noa, and would gladly keep your kid(s) for you. We learned that all you need is the two of you and an open schedule – not money, or a fancy place, or even an agenda with marriage materials (although we would gladly point you to some of the free resources the Lord provided for us to use).

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