Here’s what I mean.  When we get married it seems like the niceties of dating go out the window.  She stops shaving her legs every night and he stops covering his mouth when he belches—the whole neighborhood can hear him.  Now sure, it’s great to be comfortable with our spouse, but we still need to work at keeping the magic alive.  So as you’re going through your daily routine, think back to the nice things you...

Days can be filled with so much insecurity…insecurity about a job, about paying this month’s bills, about a parent’s health, about a child making wise choices.  But when it comes to marriage, it’s really important for your wife to feel a sense of security.  How can you help? First, help her be secure in your finances.  Keep your finances strong by working hard to provide for your family, creating a budget, and...

The gifts have to be wrapped just so. The decorations have to be hung on the tree like this. The Christmas cookies must have this color icing. Sound familiar? The holidays can bring on a lot of extra pressure – if you let them. To avoid that intensity, be flexible. If traditions turn out a little differently this year, it’s ok. If the kids don’t hang the ornaments on the tree just right…let it go. And the cookies...

The glittering displays of Christmas lights bring out the kid in all of us.  This year, make taking in the lights a family adventure.  Map out a list of decorated houses you want to see, put together some snacks, and then pile everyone in the car one evening and take a drive to see all the Christmas lights.  Take your time, drive slowly. Talk about which house you like best.  Pause to take some family pictures. ...

Parenting is the best job in the world.  We get to train, inspire, and watch our children grow.  Yet, at the same time, parenting can be somewhat complicated given these 5 hats we must wear. First, be a protector.  We not only need to protect our kids from physical harm, but also we need to guard their hearts from things like unhealthy relationships and the negative influence of friends.  Second, be a...

Each year, I somehow manage to let the pressure of making Christmas great fall on my wife, Susan—from buying and wrapping presents, to decorating the tree, to setting out the stockings—she’s the one that makes it happen.  That’s why, this year for the sake of my marriage, I am pledging to be a better elf.  First, I pledge not to fall asleep on the couch when my wife needs my help setting up.  Which leads to my...

Leave your spouse a sweet note. That’s right – a note. You’ll be amazed at the power of the pen. If you head out of the house first, leave it on their car. Or, hide a note where you know they’ll find it. A friend of mine used the letters from a Scrabble game to create a surprise note for his wife. It only takes a minute, but the boost it gives lasts all day long. For more ideas, here are 6 ways to boost your...