Be Selfless Not Selfish

If I can say anything I've learned over two and a half years of being in a committed relationship is that it is hard work. To keep any successful relationship, it takes time, patience, and a whole lot of effort.

Even if you truly love your man and you know he's the only one for you, it doesn't mean that you'll always be happy. It doesn't mean that even loving him will be easy. But despite the times when it doesn't feel easy, you shouldn't stop trying. It's when someone becomes selfish and stops trying that the relationship starts to flail.

Is there any reason to stop doing the things you first did when you met? What things did you do when you first started dating him that made him fall for you? And what things did you used to do that drove him crazy for you? I know this sounds so cliche, but it is so true! You can't stop doing what you used to do and then expect that your relationship will continue to grow and get better.

Those really amazing couples that have been together for what seems like eternity, didn't make it work by forgetting how they first loved each other. I am also sure that if you asked them if it was easy to always love each other, they would say no. Loving someone else isn't easy. Loving yourself is easy. It's easy to be selfish. It is very difficult to be selfless.

That is what I have always found to be the source or root of problems and issues in relationships. It becomes the problem of "he didn't do this for me," and "he never does that," when it should be "I don't do this enough for him," and "how can I help him do that?" We are such selfish human beings, but if we can't choose to be less selfish and sacrifice ourselves for our relationship, then we won't be in happy, successful relationships.

Don't become so selfish that you tear down a house because you got a hole in the wall. Repair that hole and make that spot stronger than before. You don't want to keep repairing the same hole over and over again either.

Let me end on this:
Dare to see how your relationships can grow if you choose to show love the same way you did when you first were dating, you put effort into your relationship, and you choose to be selfless. There are two questions that if you asked your man every day, your relationship could grow and become so much stronger. As June begins, take this challenge with me to ask your boyfriend, fiance, or husband these two questions every day and see if this can help transform your relationship.

1. What can I do for you today?
2. How can I pray for you?

(I pinned these questions a while back from To Love, Honor and Vacuum, but loved it looking back that I wanted to create this challenge.)

- Jem 

Welcome to the Twenties

It is a relief to say that I am twenty years old! It's a new decade for me! The excuse of being a teenager is no longer valid. I am a full fledged adult, and although I cannot legally drink alcohol for another year, I think being twenty is still something special. And I want to attempt to chronicle the many different aspects of my life as a twenty-year-old! 

This blog is to chronicle the craft projects that I chose to take on this summer. The weird little obsessions I have, especially with tea cups and tea pots. The joys and struggles of working with kids in a day camp setting, as well as I start student teaching this upcoming semester. To chronicle whatever may be my fancy for the day. I love almost all things cute, and because cute can range such a many of things, this blog has the opportunity to span over many different topics! I hope that this blog will be a way to express all the many different aspects of me as I begin a new time of my life. I hope you would enjoy this as much as I hope to! 

- Jem