25 years ago I had the honor of marrying my beautiful wife, Susan.  In front of hundreds of family and friends, I stood up and made vows to promise to love her well.  Now 25 years later, I’ve read through those vows I once made. How have I done? Have I made the grade? Let’s take a look. I vowed to be “patient and kind, without envy or boasting, pride or arrogance.”  I give myself a B- on this one. My love is...

Of all the sports that make up the 2014 Winter Olympics, there is one that’s a lot like marriage: cross-country skiing.  So how can you learn to go for the gold in our marriage from this timeless sport?  First, you can learn to prepare for different terrains.  Some days you’ll glide freely in your marriage. Other days may feel relationally cold and icy.  Be prepared for these different terrains by having a...

If you don’t maintain your car—change the oil, filter, check the points—on a regular basis, it may start clanking and sputtering.  If your spouse is making noises…if they’re negative, nagging, or flat out nasty, maybe it’s time to check under the hood.  When you do, you may find that neglect is the culprit…a husband who has neglected to listen to what his wife really needs, or a wife who has neglected her husband...

On my blog, I focus a lot on providing practical solutions to people’s deepest marital problems.  With the year coming to a close, I looked through the marriage blogs I wrote, pulled out the most popular ones, and put them into a short list for you.  Tens of thousands of readers consumed “10 Things Wives Want to Hear from their Husbands” and its counterpart, “10 Things Husbands Want to Hear from their Wives.” ...

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...

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...