Ed Stetzer: "10 Things I've Learned after 26 Years of Marriage"

Well worth the read. I would add - You can’t show enough appreciation for your spouse. Continual words such as “I appreciate your hard work.” “Thank you for taking out the trash.” “Thank you for showing love to our child in that way.” etc., etc., etc., foster an attitude of respect and “we are in this together.”

Image that reminds one that marriage is not a fairy tail!

Source

http://www.boredpanda.org/fallen-princesses-dina-goldstein/?image_id=fa…

…heard of a similar title…

Observation: There are pastors who have very good marriages … there are pastors who portray having a very good marriage (analogous to the “comb-over” in my view :) ).

Being a Christian (and married to a Christian) does not guarantee a good marriage. It takes work … hard work.

My wife and I are 38 years and counting. We have seen “sickness and health” (all the sickness has been on my part! Broken neck, C-Diff twice, back surgery, neck surgery twice), “richer and poorer” (really the other way around, AND “better and worst” (my wife just said … ‘I’ve gotten better … you’ve gotten worse’)

5 years ago I wrote Scriptural Marriage Axioms. Some may find it helpful.

Well, Jim, I told my wife what I posted here on SI. Her response was (and still is), “That’s very cynical.”

And then she started laughing…

Marriage is an on-going effort — and, yes, it is as you said “hard work.” That work never stops. Just when I believe “I have learned…”, I find out, no, I haven’t learned. When one partner or the other (let’s admit it - it’s usually the guy) thinks he has this marriage-thing figured out, that’s when the trouble starts.

My wife & I are 26 years-plus, and there are days where I know nothing.

Just ask my wife…

(she’s still laughing)