Being almost 20 years old, I have recently begun thinking about marriage a little more than I was before. In doing this, I have tried to find the perfect couple to model my future marriage on. Unfortunately--the perfect couple does not exist. Nobody is perfect.
Now, before I get too far into this I just want to say: I was looking for couples outside of my family. I have some great examples of married life within my family, but I wanted to see others as well. I wanted to get examples that I didn't already know so well.
Continuing on with my search, I found HGTV's power couple--Chip and Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper.
The Gaines' are the most accurate representation of what I aspire for my future marriage to look like. They run their own business called Magnolia Market, which is located in Waco, Texas. Magnolia Market is a major hit all over the country, however, thanks to their other business--Magnolia Homes. Magnolia Homes is the business that got them on HGTV with Fixer Upper. As a part of Magnolia Homes, Joanna envisions the end result of a home that is run-down, but has some serious potential, and designs it. She then comes in later on in the process by adding the finishing touches with the interior design. Chip is seen mostly in the demolition and construction part of the projects. Yes, they do work on every part together, but they both recognize that they have more talent in certain areas rather than others, so they know when to let each other take the reigns.
Now that I've established a quick background of how I first got to know the Gaines (essentially my love of Fixer Upper), I want to examine their marriage a little more closely.
First off and most importantly, they center their marriage on God. This does not really apply to non-Christians, but to me, it is incredibly important for a marriage to be centered on God. They have read God's Word and they know how a marriage is supposed to be conducted. Chip knows that husbands are to "love [their] wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). And Joanna knows that she is to do the same for her husband. They work their faith into their everyday lives and they are unashamed to tell the world about their faith.
Next, a little more on the playful or fun side of things--the Gaines' are always seen flirting with each other. Always. It's in every single episode, and I am 99 percent sure it happens off camera as well. This is important because I don't believe that flirting is supposed to end as soon as you're in a relationship, engaged, or married. I believe that flirting with your significant other should be a continuous happening. It shows that fun is still alive in a relationship. The flirting should not end when you are no longer trying to get the attention of an individual--it should continue, at the very least, as a reminder of where it all began.
Yet another thing that makes Chip and Joanna Gaines a great example of what I believe a marriage should look like is the way they maintain their marriage through the busyness of their lives. Everybody gets busy. It's life. Between children and jobs, it can get tiring. Mind you, I don't have children, but I have noticed it in others. It's the small things that just say "I'm thinking of you", and the way that they treat each other is not based on how their day is going. Not only this, but that have a weekly date that is a "no-business zone". When they have this date, they are not allowed to talk about Magnolia Homes, Magnolia Market, or any other venture that they have taken part in. It is just them and anything that pops into their minds.
There are plenty of other examples that I could list, but I don't want to spoil all of the surprises! Check out Chip and Joanna at hgtv.com/shows/fixer-upper, magnoliamarket,com, on Facebook or on Twitter!
