Marriage Moats- Investing- Part 4
Published: Mon, 06/04/12
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 The premarital counseling sessions with Mona, Harvey, Marjorie and Larry Soneson continued. With the contract of support in place they were ready to move forward in the process.
"There is another piece that I require of the couples I marry," Larry began. "I expect you to invest in your marriage. People are more likely to protect something they have invested in. You will each put seven dollars a month into a savings account. I have spoken with each of your parents and they will contribute the same amount, as will your mentor couple. In addition I will deposit seven dollars as well, from a fund that has been established by the other couples I have married over the years. It is to represent God's eagerness to invest in you. This is a confidential aspect of our premarital agreement, and I trust you will honor that."
Mona and Harvey were stunned. They had spoken with perhaps twenty couples over the years who were married by Rev. Soneson, and none had mentioned this. "That comes to forty two dollars a month, and five hundred dollars a year!"
"Five hundred and four," Larry corrected. "In addition you will add to the fund every time you go to church, pray, go on a date and apologize." Mona could hardly believe what she was hearing.
"How much?" Harvey was doing math in his head.
"A dollar for each of those. It is a tangible way to see that those actions are a way to invest in your marriage. Too often we are duped into thinking it makes no difference. When you see the balance growing, you will know otherwise." Larry paused to let them process this idea. He knew that it was outside the box, but he had watched its remarkable results over the past thirty years and believed in its success. "I ask that you have a jar in your house that will collect the dollar bills as they accumulate from prayer, church, dates and apologies. Then at the end of the month you deposit them along with the fourteen dollars in the bank account. Your parents, and Frank and Laura will have deposits slips too for making their monthly investment."
Mona was laughing. "This is incredible!! But why would other people contribute to our marriage this way?" she asked.
"You have no idea how much your parents, your mentors, Larry and I, and God want you to thrive." Marjorie smiled as she witnessed their surprise. She had seen this reaction many times before. "Seven dollars does not begin to quantify our love for you." She felt softened with the innocence of this couple. They could not possibly grasp the collective love from their community, or heaven. "In all there are seven streams pouring into your bank account, three from you, three from other couples who support you and one from God."
Marjorie had witnessed the overwhelming generosity of the couples who had been blessed by this ministry over the decades. They gave back much, much more than they had been given.
"But what is the money for?" Harvey wanted to know. "Do we just keep adding to it forever?"
to be continued
Photo by Jenny Stein
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