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July 27, 2005
Recommended book for marriage, or those interested in it...
The Mystery of Marriage: Meditations on the Miracle
This is a book that I read probably back in 1999, or 2000, after I was required to do a book report for one of my family counseling classes in seminary. This book was a handful of books recommended by my professor, and I thought, well, I'm interested in marriage, at least at some point in my life, so I might as well start reading now.
What attracted me initially to the book was the title. It wasn't a self-help style book, or here is seven steps to a great marriage, or the ten things you better do before you say I do, or else your marriage is doomed...type of book. Instead it was simple:
The Mystery of Marriage
I liked that, because for all I knew from experience was that women were definitely a mystery at times, as men can be as well, and if God could bring two people together in marriage, it was definitely a mystery that could not be reduced to simple steps. It was also a miracle, hence why Mike Mason meditates on it. Meditation conjures up the idea of something that takes patience, work, concentration, etc...you don't think of ten easy steps, or eight sure fail rules, when the word meditation is in the mix.
And his table of contents was very different than any table of contents I have ever read concerning books on marriage. Short. Simple. Mysterious. Here is the table of contents.
Foreword
Preface
Prologue
Otherness
Love
Intimacy
Vows
Sex
Submission
Death
Epilogue
The Lover's Hermitage
Six weeks into marriage, and with a little hindsight, I think this was the best book of all the books I have read on this topic. It is beautifully written, and Mason does a great job of exploring difficult themes in marriage, while maintaining a sense of mystery, and not talking things to death, or laying them out in steps. So if you aren't into easy steps, this is a great book for you.
And for my students who think or know they are light years away from marriage, I found this book to be a great prepping tool before marriage. Mason gives great insight into the single mind, and the struggle one has, and the desire one has to be single, yet also to be married. It is a great read.
Expect a few more things like this now that I'm married.
Posted by rhett at July 27, 2005 05:59 PM
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Comments
i like the title! it sure is a mystery, how to have 2 egos live in 1 relationship, actually 3!! but one's perfect, so he's not the problem!!! ha ha!! I've been married for 24 years. . don't know if i'd read the book, cuz i think my husband and i have a great marriage. but hey, you never know what you might learn!
Posted by: Kathryn at July 27, 2005 10:10 PM
Thanks for the tip, man. I'd read the book, but I figure we can go out for coffee in a few months, you know, when you figure out the whole marriage thing, and you can break it down for me in like a half an hour.
Looking forward to it.
Posted by: Brian at July 28, 2005 12:38 PM
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