Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Once in a Blue Moon (01/06/11)
-
TITLE: How Many Blue Moons are in Your Marriage? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Tim Brown
01/12/11 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
There are actually two answers. Believe it or not, there are rare instances where the moon seems to have a blue tint. Those times happen after huge volcanic eruptions that fill the atmosphere with tiny dust particles. When atmospheric conditions are right, the particles give the moon a blue tint in its appearance. The moon itself doesn’t turn blue, but appears light blue in color.
The second answer is blue moon is a designation or name given to the moon. On an average year, there are twelve full moons, roughly one per month. But since the lunar cycle and our calendar year are slightly off, occasionally there is a thirteenth full moon. That extra moon has been designated or called a blue moon.
Another way of looking at it is there are regular time periods of three full moons that make up a cycle. When there are four full moons in that cycle, the third one is called the blue moon. I don’t understand much beyond that, but I’ll take the scientist’s word on it.
What does a blue moon mean for us today? From a practical point of view, it means little. I personally don’t care how many full moons there are in a year. But the phrase “once in a blue moon” does mean something. It carries the idea of something happening rarely or once in a while.
While there are some things you want to only happen occasionally, there are others that shouldn’t. For instance, I’ve been married to my wife for over thirty years. When we were courting I’d write her notes and poems, we’d go on dates together, go for walks, and sometimes we’d be up until one or two in the morning talking about our dreams. It now is once in a blue moon that we stay up late talking about our dreams and desires. But should it be more often?
If you’re married, think back to when you were courting. What were some specific things you did that caused you to fall in love with your spouse? How often do you do those things today? If I was to ask your spouse how often you do something you did while courting them, would their answer be once in a blue moon or maybe not at all?
It seems that we spend so much time and effort attracting and winning a spouse that once we’re married we let those things slide. Why? Well, marriage takes work. It’s easier to work for something you don’t have than to work for something you already have. Life gets busy, kids come, work increases, there are more demands on your time, fatigue sets in and before you know it the courtship is gone.
What would happen to your marriage if you began to court your spouse the same way you did when you were trying to win them? To do that, you’ll have to place them ahead of yourself in your priorities and work at it the way you did when courting. You were willing to do that to win them; shouldn’t you continue it to keep them? “But they’re not courting me; why should I bother courting them?” Rather than waiting to receive, why not take the lead? If each of you waits for the other, you’ll both wait a long time.
When you hear the phrase “once in a blue moon” or see that a blue moon is coming soon, let that remind you to date and romance your spouse. Set a goal that your spouse will never again say or think that you only court them “once in a blue moon.”
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
The advice given is very true and one should never let their marriage become stale.
problem being there are too many outer influences which we allow to hinder our relationships.
Good read. I truly enjoyed it.
Norms