The Super Bowl Strengthened My Marriage!

AFC vs NFC

The Patriots vs The Giants

Tom Brady vs Eli Manning

This Sunday is the big day - it is Super Sunday in America as millions of people will gather around their large screen TV's and watch the big game lovingly known as "The Super Bowl." I for one am excited. Who do I want to win? I'm siding with the Giants. Does that mean that I like the Giants? Not necessarily. So why the Giants? That's simple. I am rooting for the Giants because I don't particularly care for the Patriots and I'm not a fan of Bill Belichick or Tom Brady. I would much rather see Eli Manning "one up" his brother from Indianapolis (at least temporarily from Indy) with a second Super Bowl trophy.

I know that the Super Bowl is just a game but it really has helped my marriage...seriously! I have a stronger marriage today because of the Super Bowl. Let me explain. I grew up in Akron, Ohio as an avid Cleveland Browns fan. My wife, on the other hand, grew up in southern Colorado as a Denver Broncos fan. The year before our marriage (while we were dating) and the first year of our marriage out favorite football teams were undoubtedly the best in the AFC and ended up playing both of those years against each other in the AFC Championship Game. Both years the Browns seemingly had the game wrapped up before watching it all unravel due to "The Drive" and "The Fumble" which propelled the Broncos, not the Browns, on to the Super Bowl.

As a result, our marriage faced one of its first obstacles. Most obstacles in marriage come from mere differences that get blown out of proportion. That's what happened to us. Our differences in football perspective created tension, especially when our first-born came along. There are so many adorable NFL outfits for babies. However, I was not about to let my baby girl be seen in public wearing anything associated with the Broncos and my wife dug in the same way in regards to my Browns.

Fortunately, over time our maturity took over and we realized that instead of dividing our home over our difference in sports allegiances, it was better to take the Biblical approach of Romans15:7 which tells us to "accept one another." I am shocked and saddened at how many times I watch marriages struggle and even dissolve over petty differences. So I am excited about the Super Bowl! It taught me an important lesson that has helped to make my marriage strong 25 years after "The Drive" and "The Fumble."

Go GIANTS! Go MARRIAGE!