Be Nice!

 Chapter Two

Do you ever get so mad because you husband left his socks on the floor AGAIN??...or your wife forgot to wash those socks and now you have to wear the same ones you wore yesterday? That is so aggravating!!!! You want to just give him/her a piece of your mind!!  Maybe it was worse; your wife just backed into your new car..... Hang in there, chill, count to one hundred.... we all make mistakes. What you need to do is, swallow your pride and just forget it. It isn't worth creating a scene just to make your point. Just go in there and pick up the socks... go give your wife a hug and tell her its okay!! BE NICE!!! That is what you do ...BE NICE!!! Getting even will leave a bitter taste in your mouth and a rip in the fabric of your marriage!


BE THOUGHTFUL!!


  My husband came in from work the other day... I was feeling yucky with a cold, headache, and fever. He had in his hand a small bouquet of flowers that he had bought from a local grocery store. Just seeing them made me feel better!! You know, those meant as much as a dozen red roses. Why?? Because of the thought behind it!! It doesn't have to cost a lot of money to be thoughtful. A little note in his lunchbox to tell him you love him, a note taped to the mirror that will help him start a new day. ...A call to your sweetie in the middle of the day, just to say you love him/her. You could fix his favorite meal.... ask him how his day was and quietly listen as he rants and raves about his boss! Offer to watch the children so she can go out shopping by herself. WOW! What a treat! Thoughtfulness goes a long way and covers a multitude of mistakes! 

Don't Take Your Spouse for Granted
 
I know of so many marriages that fall apart because one or both partners took the other one for granted. Remember the little things you did for each other when you were engaged and first marrried... how often you spent time together... how often you just sat and talked and listened to each other. Don't give those special times up!  Don't forget to listen to your spouses needs, dreams, and wishes. They are so important in keeping a marriage alive!

Don't Retaliate
So your spouse has just called you a fat, lazy slob. (I hope not) Steam is absolutely boiling out of your ears. You want to blast him/her away with words! This is when you count to 10, 100, 1000, whatever it takes to keep from being spiteful right back. Retaliating will do no good! The momentary pleasure you get from doing it will not be worth the added pain it brings to your marriage. When I got married, I set a rule in my mind regarding my husband and future children. I would never say anything that would unjustly, unfairly hurt the one I was talking to. I mentally pictured my words on my tongue before they came out and if they wre hurtful, I would try to swallow them. I did not succeed everytime, I know that and my husband and children will tell you that. Many times, though, I swallowed words that almost choked me, because I knew how much they would hurt our relationship. The trite little ditty," Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me", is the most untrue saying that was ever created. Words will tear and destroy any relationship, whether it is with your spouse, your children or your friends!

You know, there are so many thing we could talk about regarding marriage but let's move on... we can come back here later. Tomorrow, we will talk awhile about raising children. Bring your coffee cup and I will fill it up!