Is there a more beloved couple than Chip and Joanna? I’m thinking, no. The love they have for one another is evident. Not only is their love evident, but you can also see how much they actually like one another too. They just have this way of making marriage look fun, don’t they?
Now sure, we want a lot of what Chip and Joanna have (her taste and talent and his adventurous spirit and fun)—but don’t they make you want a marriage like theirs too?
A Chip and Joanna kind of marriage may not be as hard to achieve as you might think. Let’s see what we can learn to do in our own marriages from these two, crazy talented, love-filled Texans.
Use Each Other’s Strengths—How crazy would it be for Joanna to knock down all the walls and for Chip to set the flowers and all of the art throughout the house? I’m guessing some homeowners would have an entirely different space to come home to if that were the case. That method just wouldn’t make sense. Chip and Joanna know each other. They know each other’s strengths and abilities and they make use of them. They allow themselves to each have their lane and to stay in it. They staff each other’s weaknesses and they appreciate and make use of what each one brings to the table.
Encourage Each Other—Remember that time Joanna surprised Chip with that crazy plane ride or threw him that big 40th birthday bash filled with all his friends? How about the countless dogs she lets him bring home? It’s clear that Joanna knows her husband—and she encourages him to be exactly who he is by doing the things that he loves and that are important to him.
Chip does the same. We all know Joanna has that garage entirely filled with stuff for projects that Chip has no idea what she needs it all for. You also know that he has sat through countless shopping trips as the bag holder without complaint. Why? Because he loves his wife and knows that all of that is important to her.
Parent Together and Parent Well—It’s not uncommon for a Fixer-Upper scene to involve all the Gaines’s kids. You can find them collecting eggs, exchanging nuts from a tree for cash, or helping to pick out the perfect antique for a house. Some of these adventures they do together, and some involve just one of them in charge.
It’s not uncommon for Joanna and the kids to bring their dad his favorite sandwiches or cupcakes when he’s been working on a house all day—nor is it uncommon for Chip to bring dinner to Joanna when she has a long night of decorating ahead. You see, they work together, they tag each other in, and they model what it is to love one another well.
Accept Each Other for Who They Are—Chip and Joanna could not be more polar opposite, could they? It wouldn’t be difficult for Joanna, a more straight-laced, structured woman with a plan, to be constantly frustrated with Chip, a trouble-making, prankster who is constantly on the hunt for fun. But instead, what we see is her appreciation of his ill-timed silliness and his acceptance of the importance of a project done well. Chip loves his fun, but he never has it at his wife’s expense. She appreciates that side of him and he knows his limits.
Seek Balance—As hard as it was for all of us fans, Chip and Joanna knew when to call it quits on their obligations. They knew that in order for their family and marriage to have success and balance, they needed to let go, even if it was letting go of something they loved. They knew their limits as a family. They knew what they were about and weren’t willing to sacrifice their family for anything.
The success of their show was fantastic, but the success of their marriage and family pulled rank. In order for the most important thing to remain successful, they needed to fight to keep it the priority.
Chip and Joanna, we thank you. We thank you for all the designs, for your Target line, and all the things you taught us on your show—but most importantly, we thank you for these hidden little gems for our marriage.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Expedition Marriage
Featured Image by Sierra Bell on Unsplash
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