Marriage is hard work!

I recently listened to a speaker who gave some wonderful tips on the marriage relationship. 

 Here are some of my favorites:

• Never use absolutes "you always", "you never", etc.
• Rather than telling him what to do, start your request with a statement such as "It would mean so much to me if you would ___".
• Realize that although women are prone to believing that if they feel something it is a fact, that is not always the case.  Facts are very different than feelings.
• Women are especially sensitive to criticism.  We have a built-in desire to be pleasing to others and therefore criticism, especially from our husbands, is very hard to handle.  
• If you are craving some actual conversation - something other than the score of the game last night or what your child ate for lunch, ask him "In what ways can I let you know that I value you?"
• Just as you reserve some of your energy for your children (rather than using it all at work or on the house), you need to reserve some energy for your husband.  This includes conversation, intimacy, and date nights.
• Book suggestions:  The Five Love Languages, The Power of a Praying Wife, Love and Respect, and The DNA of Relationships.
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