It's kindof funny it's Mark and my 3-year anniversary and this is my topic for today:
Now, I know that this is completely off topic for this blog, but honestly I am just saddened so much by what has happened to this couple I feel the need to share an opinion. I’ve been watching this show since it was just a “2-Hour Special” rather than the “Series” it is now on TLC. This has been a channel I’ve watched for MANY years, so essentially I’ve watched the dissolution of this marriage happen slowly over the years.
As I was watching last night, (while I should have been doing my adoption reading!) I was literally heartbroken by how these two people have lost sight of everything they once valued and loved about each other. Now, I have read on the Internet that they’ve had some undocumented, serious problems in the past and we all know that Kate is a VERY controlling person, but listening to them talk last night it was like they both just gave up fighting for their marriage. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! Quotes like: “We grew into 2 different people.” –Kate and “I let her control me for a long time and now I’m finally standing up for myself.” –Jon. Now I understand I do not live with the pressures of their world, a show, (that I think they should have stopped doing several seasons ago) having 8 kids and dealing with my face on a tabloid, but I do know that when it comes to your marriage, that comes first ALWAYS because when the marriage is crumbling, everything else falls apart around it. When these problems began, the show needed to stop right away, they needed to stop doing Interviews, take a step back and focus on their family.
After watching though, I firmly believe I know what happened that created the situation they are in now. I was thinking back to when the show began, they would make a point during the taping to discuss how Christ was a very important part of their lives and how they were always working to grow in their faith as a Christian family. Now, I haven’t heard them talk about their faith at all in a very long time, probably since they renewed their vows in Hawaii. Hmmmmmmmmm, I firmly believe that losing sight of Him is the reason they lost sight of each other. Again, just my opinion.
I know marriage is hard. And for those of you who are reading this who aren’t married, don’t let anyone tell you it’s not. Throw 8 kids into the mix and you’ve got yourself the challenge of a lifetime. However, I’m just a believer that if you keep working to keep Christ at the center of your marriage and continue learning about your spouse each and every day your fate will be very different.
After watching that last night all I know is that I’m never going to simply give up like this couple has, I love my husband too much to let the ways of the world change that. And although it was sad to watch that last night, it did remind me yet again that I need to work at my marriage every single day, not just on days like today when we celebrate our wonderful marriage. So, as I get off my soapbox, I just wanted to leave you with a picture I promised to post of Mark and I after we finished a 15 1/2 mile run a couple of months ago. Today I am so happy to have a husband that loves and respects the person I am. As for Jon and Kate, I'll just pray for their family as well as all the others in this country that are struggling through a tough time.
