We’ve all seen it before.  We say something to our spouse and, immediately, we can see their face starting to turn red with rage. Well, if you realize you’ve offended your spouse, or have been misinterpreted, you can ask for a “do-over,” where you rephrase the statement so that it’s kinder and clearer. First, when you see your spouse bristling, stop the conversation immediately.  Second, ask for the do over with...

I’ve been hearing that question more and more lately.  People who’ve had affairs often say that they had some unfulfilled need that slowly began to be met by someone other than their spouse—a friend, co-worker, old flame, a neighbor.  From there, it was a slippery slope to a full-blown extramarital affair and a broken marriage.  So what can you do? Well, be aware of danger signs and take action.  The best way to...

I am so grateful for my 23 years of marriage to my wife, Susan.  She’s awesome! But I can tell you that I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my marriage. Here are 8 of them. Mistake number one…thinking that Susan was responsible for my happiness. In my early years of marriage, I felt like an important part of Susan’s “duty” as my wife was to make me happy. I was a bit more focused on me than us. Mistake number...

When you try to convey love to your spouse, does the message get through clearly, or is it lost in translation?  You see, we’re all different.  What I consider a loving gesture—a nice gift—might not mean anything to my wife… not because she’s unappreciative, but because there’s something else that makes her feel loved…like when I tell her I appreciate her sacrifices for our family.  Dr. Gary Chapman says there are...

Romantic movies often give us the wrong impression of what love is.  They tell us that it takes grand gestures to show real love.  However, I’d suggest that many small acts of love add up to much more than one big gesture.  So, here are 7 love actions to show your spouse day in and day out.  First, write a note.  It can be a long love letter or just a short sticky note with words of encouragement.  Second, buy...

Twenty-five years of marriage to my wife, Susan, has taught me that women often communicate by saying one thing, but meaning another. So for all the men out there who thought it was impossible to understand women, here is a key for decoding your wife’s words. First, when she says “I’m fine” she really means “I’m not fine, but I’m not ready to talk about it.” Second, when she says, “Didn’t you go out with your...

Well, maybe you’re not saying what he wants to hear.  What your husband craves are words of praise and validation from the most important person in his life.  There are 10 things your husband wants to hear from you.  Number one… “I love being your wife.”  Number two… “You’re an outstanding father.”  Three… “I’m really attracted to you.  You are the Man!”  Four… “I really respect the decision you made.”  For the...