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...

Emotions are so powerful that at times they seem to overwhelm us. Emotions like jealousy, anger, fear, worry, and grief can put us on a reactionary path. But you don’t have to be controlled by your emotions. These tips may help. First, be the boss of your thoughts. Emotions certainly affect your thoughts, but your thoughts can also guide your emotions. Try to look at an emotional decision or situation with someone...

We often associate the heart with love, but practically speaking, the heart sustains life. It needs all four chambers working right.  My wife, Susan, and I believe there are four chambers in every wife’s heart that fill her with life and love. The first chamber of a wife’s heart is to be understood, even when you don’t agree on everything. Your good listening skills help her see you’re trying to understand her,...

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...

While I can’t give you superpowers, I can give you the power of insight regarding your spouse with 7 Ways to Be a Hero to Your Husband. First, praise him in front of the kids.  Say something along the lines of, “You should have seen your Dad today—he was awesome!” Second, engage in something he enjoys. Figure out what he’s passionate about and join in—whether it’s sports or exercise or cooking. Third, respect his...