Earlier this summer, I lost $400 in cash when a grocery-budget envelope escaped me.  I have no more details of its whereabouts than the fact that it was in my purse on Thursday when I did my grocery shopping and no longer there when I was at a store again on Saturday.

There were a lot of days in between, a lot of places.  Truthfully, it was a large diaper bag tote more than a purse.

I really shouldn’t have even had the entire envelope with me.  I usually pull some bills out when I go shopping.  Just enough to get what I need for that week.  But, that particularly week I was shopping without a meal plan (more usual than not) and noticing the kitchen was particularly empty and figured, better have enough so I can stock up.

When I noticed this envelope was missing, my stomach turned a bit.  My heart sank.  My first thought was, “Dave is going to be upset with me.”

Not that my husband is someone to be feared, but he does have a temper from time-to-time.  I prefer NOT to be the one who ignites it.  Even though his temper doesn’t show itself like it used to B.C. (before Christ), I was not looking forward to his reaction.

We had just returned from an amazing (and not too cheap!) 10-year anniversary trip, so I knew this was not a good time to come up majorly short on the grocery budget.  However, the anniversary trip had us feeling very connected…and for those of you who know me for The 72 Hour Club, you know what I mean ;-).  The intimacy quotient for us was way up after four days and three nights away from kids, chores and alarm clocks.

Dave watched as I came in the house, frantically checking the office, the kitchen counter, several other bags I often take.  He asked what was wrong and I admitted to the lost envelope, fully expecting him to tell me about my poor timing, lack of focus, irresponsibility….all the things I’d heard when I played the moment out in my mind.

Instead, Dave put his arm around my shoulders and said, “Listen.  You had the baby with you that day and lots on your mind.  Things of far more value than money.  It is okay.”

Dave met me with grace.  I know this is partly because of how different he is becoming as he journeys with Jesus.  I also know that part of him seeing ME, and not the missing money, the mistake, was because of our high level of oneness at that time.

Some people think The 72 Hour Club is about sex.  Some think it is a club with more benefits for the husband than the wife.  If this is you, then I would say, you don’t really understand what intimacy in a marriage is all about.

It isn’t all about sex and it isn’t all for husbands.

It is about the miraculous and marvelous connection that happens between a husband and wife.  It creates an artery from one heart to the other, a conduit in which things like sacrificial love, unending grace and mutual understanding, all heavenly & holy things, can flow between two earthly beings.

When you let the duties and drudgeries of daily living take priority over the marriage, those holy things don’t flow quite as freely.  Think of it like this….stress, exhaustion, busy schedules, lack of time together, little annoyance, big disagreements, they are like cholesterol clogging up the artery of intimacy between you and your spouse.

But, a regular diet of sexual intimacy (like the 72 Hour Club proposes!) keeps that artery clear and the holy & healthy blood-life of marriage flowing.

Who doesn’t need a bit more love, grace & understanding in their marriage?  Just remember, that conduit flows both ways if we only keep it clear.

Questions to ponder:

How does the artery between you and your spouse look these days?  Clogged up or flowing freely?

What about your intimacy diet?  Are you starving yourself?  Allowing in too much of the unhealthy?

Try the 72 Hour Club Challenge for 30-days and see if the heart of your marriage is any healthier!!

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