Posted by Viv Neville in Durham UK @ 10:45 on Nov 7 2009

This article brought a smile to my face. All married people can relate to many of these points that Paul has covered.

I am reminded of a beautiful verse in Song of Songs 4 v 15: You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water. Could your spouse say the same about you? Sometimes the familiarty that comes with marriage causes us to forget the over whelming feelings of love and refreshment we shared at the beginning. Many marraiges could benefit from a course in "refreshing". Do you refresh your spouse or are you a burden of complaints, sorrows and problems? Partners in marraige should continually work at refreshing each other by an encouraging word, an unexpected gift, a change of pace, a suprise call or note, or even a withholding of a discussion of some problem until the proper time. Your spouse needs you to be a haven of refreshment because the rest of the world may not be. (NIV Life Application Bible)

I think a few points to a good marraige are:
1) Continue to praise and encourage your partner, not to do that for the sake of it but to be completely genuine about it. See the good in your partner and care for there well being. Praise and encouragement does absolute wonders for the soul.

2) Be honest with your partner. This one is a golden rule. Keep the lines of communication open. We may need our partners approval and blessing for some areas of our lives and some of the open communication relationships with have with others.

As a vicar's wife, on a regular basis we see the devastation of marraiges that don't work. It is so sad to see people so devasted in marraige break ups.

Renewing marraige vows is a wonderful strengthing occasion for a couple. Also remembering the vows made...For better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.

Enjoy the journey together.