24 Years

Last month Mark and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary. I meant to do a post back then but we were too busy celebrating.....or something :)

24 years is a wonderful long time to be married. I can truly say that I love my husband more today than I did the day that we married. How could I not.....with the wonderful man that he is!!!

Since we have learned a thing or two over the years I thought I would share 24 marriage tips that we have learned along the way.


1. God has given a perfect order in which He wants the family to be in. Husbands as the head, wives in submission to the husband. If you follow this plan....God's perfect plan....you will have a God honoring marriage. I could write a whole post on this subject :)

2.  Always make time for each other. Spending time alone together as a coupleis easy to put on the back burner.....especially with the busy life of a family. But we have found that it is so important to spend some quality time together as a couple. A scheduled date is a great place to start. Now a date doesn't mean that you have to actually leave the house....it could be after the kids are in bed....eating a special something together...spending some time talking......share your dreams...... whisper sweet nothings......doesn't have to cost a dime :) But the investment that you are putting into your marriage is invaluable! So many couples make the mistake of pouring their whole lives into their children in their growing up years and then one day their children leave the home and they wake up next to each other as complete strangers! It's not enough just to live in the same house! You have to nurture and grow in your relationship together. The best gift that you can give to your children is a strong husband/wife relationship!!!

3. Spend time doing outside activities together as a couple. Too many times the husband goes to his meetings, coffee times, fun times and studies....the wife goes to her meetings, coffee times, fun times and studies...but they don't do much together. He goes one way....she goes another....and they don't share experiences together. Don't covet your "me" individual time....work on your "together' time.

4. Learn each others love language and show your spouse love this way. Gary Chapman's book "The Five Love Languages" is a great book to read to learn about your spouses love language.

5. Serve each other. Society is so full of me-ism....and servanthood is frowned upon. So many couples will do anything for other people, but when it comes to their own spouse's they think that serving them is not necessary. NOT!!!

6. Don't EVER speak unkindly, badly or make fun of your spouse...in front of them to other people, or behind their back. There is no good reason to put your spouse down except to make yourself look better.

7. Be quick to say, "Will you forgive me". Don't let hard feelings fester and grow. Deal with them right away. The longer you wait to ask for forgiveness....the harder it is.

8. Be quick to forgive. Don't withhold forgiveness to teach your spouse a lesson.

9. The silent treatment is just plain nasty. Don't do it!!!!!!

10. Fulfill your husband or wife duties in the physical aspect. That's all I am going to say :)

11. Listen to each other....and respond. Even if you are not interested in something...your spouse may be. Give full attention to them when they are talking.

12. If you can't say anything nice....don't say anything at all!!!

13, Don't have his money and her money. Or his things and her things. You are one....your possessions should be too!

14. Love unconditionally.

15. Don't raise your voice at each other. If you keep calm, things will go much better.

16. Boast often about your spouse in front of other people.

17. Listen to the unspoken messages from your spouse.

18. Work on your own heart. So many times we want to fix our spouse, but really it's our own heart we need to work on. When you see a fault in your spouse...take the log out of your own eye before you try to take the speck out of your spouse's

19. Don't spend time alone together with people of the opposite sex...even if it's just in the name of friendship. Guard your heart carefully.

20. Pray for your spouse

21. Give expecting nothing in return

22. Laugh together often

23. Compliment your spouse

AND......

24. Don't ever take your spouse for granted! Life is short and you never know when your time with them will end. 

Of course this list is not exclusive or in any particular order...just stuff we have learned over the years!!!

 Here is part of a photo shoot Megan did  for us around our anniversary.