Want a Happy Marriage?

My kids are growing up.  My daughter is getting married in two weeks, and this will be our fifth child to get married.  I'm so happy for my girl and her fiance, and I've been thinking about all the things I want to tell them.  I have so many things I've learned over time that I want them to know....that I want every young couple to know.  So in a tribute to my daughter and her fiance, and to young couples everywhere, here are a few things that can contribute to a happy marriage.

1.  Be faithful.  You are committing to each other, so be REALLY committed.  Let no one come between  the two of  you....not a coworker, not  an old flame, not a friend , not someone new you meet.  No one.  Be completely true and faithful to your spouse in every way.  You both deserve that. 

2.  Be one in purpose.  The two of you make one family unit now, and nothing or no one is more important than your marriage. Set goals for your future that you work on together.  Include each other in all decisions and in every part of life.

3.  Pray together.  Invite God to be a part of your marriage and let Him guide you as you build your life together.  No one loves the two of you more than He does, and He truly wants you to make it.  Let Him help you. 

4.  Speak kindly to each other.  A soft answer can turn things around when conversations become tense and opinions differ.  The relationship is more important than being  right or getting  your way.

5.  Never forget that you are sweethearts first.  You may become parents, business partners, or have other roles together, but first and foremost, you are sweethearts.  I love to see older couples walking hand in hand in the park, or sitting next to each other in an old truck.....still sweethearts after all those years.  I want to grow up to be just like them.

6.  Smile at each other.  Yes, you see each other every day, and life can become commonplace and mundane.  So smile at your sweetheart when you wake up, when they or you get home from work or school, when you are in a crowd of people and you suddenly look at each other, when you are eating dinner together, whenever they don't expect it.  It will warm both of  your hearts and create a feeling of togetherness and understanding. 

7.  Do kind little things for each other.  The other day I opened up my lunch bag, and found that the night before, my husband had stashed a little bag of white chocolate covered pretzels in there for me to find.  He knows I like them, and finding them made me feel so loved.  It was a small, sweet gesture that made my whole day.  It's all the little things added up together that makes a great marriage and life.

Really, I could ramble on about all this for days, so I'll leave it at this.  If both people want the marriage to last and be as good as it can be, you have a winning formula.  One cannot make it work alone, but together you can accomplish anything.  My love and prayers go with all of you that are embarking on this new adventure.

Love,
Michelle