{se} x marks the spot

Every Monday for the past four week I’ve been part of a collaborative series, “How To Maintain Your High Maintenance Marriage” {brain child of Kayse Pratt}. Some may say we’ve saved the best for last. Others may be appalled that we are broaching this subject on the interwebs at all. This topic may illicit blushing, unease, or a cold sweat – but please don’t click away!

You guessed, it. We’re talking about sex.

No worries, this post is far from x-rated, but I fully support having candid conversations about this often sensitive topic.

{It is taking a large degree of self-control not to attach the musical stylings of Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass Band to this post and refer to “making whoopie” from here on out. Too much Newlywed Game. Back to the business at hand…}

A Little Background

I’ve been married for 10 months (rounding up a couple weeks here), so am quite the novice when it comes to physical intimacy. Tim was my first boyfriend so everything in the physical department was new to me as a 24 year old.

For everything, from kissing to sex, I had a fear of not being good enough. What if I was horrible at both things? It’s not like I could practice the sex aspect, since both Tim and I were committed to virginity until May 11th, 2012.

I also struggled with defining physical and conversational boundaries. I went into my relationship with Tim committed to not kiss until my wedding day. Whether I heard God’s voice correctly or manipulated His will for my own benefit, I eventually felt released from that commitment (which is a whole different post). So, that created new physical boundaries to establish. And with all of this, conversation was necessary, but I worried, like any good-girl, that discussing sex crossed the line of purity.

A note on virginity: Virginity doesn’t preclude you from having sexual sin enter your relationship. It’s easy to push physical boundaries. Realize that no one is immune to temptation and relying on your own self-control is not enough. God gives strength and grace. Lean on those.

{Now that I’ve launched in to this background, I realize the original content for this post will need it’s own separate day. My background, however, provides necessary context for my perspective on sex. So, definitely come back tomorrow for the The Newlywed Perspective on Sex.}

Another struggle I hadn’t anticipated was the ghosts of previous relationships. I may have never had a boyfriend, but Tim had been in a few relationships before me – a couple in high school that didn’t bother me and one serious girlfriend in college. Initially I wasn’t bothered by Jackie, Tim’s college girlfriend. Then, her history with Tim began to haunt me.

Jealousy, pride, and fear took hold. I hated to think of the physical and emotional intimacy they shared, even though I wasn’t in the picture back then. It felt unfair that I had to suffer Tim’s past relationship when I didn’t have one of my own. What if I was inferior in some way? Though I still wrestle with these feelings occasionally, I wrote Jackie a letter that gave me much freedom.

Pre-marital counseling also offered ample opportunities to revisit these issues. Surprisingly, it wasn’t awkward to discuss sex, and a myriad of other things with the single, male pastor/professor who did our counseling. {Our pre-marital was good, but after experiencing a couple sessions with a married couple, I highly recommend your pastor/counselor is married. The real life experience is invaluable.}

So, that brings us back to May 11th, the day sexual intimacy became an active component in our relationship, and the past ten months of it being a part of our marriage. Thanks for bearing with my mid-post decision to make this two parts! Come back tomorrow for my newlywed perspective on sex.

{se} x marks the spot part II

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Don’t miss the much more experienced perspectives of Kayse, Kelly, Monica, and Jamie.

Check out the other posts in this series: Communication. Service. Laughter.