“Don’t yell unless the house is on fire.” Those were words that I read shortly before we were married. I’ve never forgotten those words. That was a good tip then, and it is good advice now.

You can make your marriage more meaningful. We can work at our marriages, and we can change.

Here are five tips to make your marriage more meaningful. Work this plan and see the benefit that you receive.

First, speak kindly to your spouse. This is where “Don’t yell unless the house is on fire” comes in. Words matter. What we speak sets the tone for the way we feel and how we act in other ways.

The more you control your language, the more your spouse will do so as well. We feed off each other.

Do you know the phrase, “whatever goes around comes around”? It means that whatever you give you will eventually get. If you speak angrily or roughly, you probably will get it back at some point. If you speak with kindness and love, you will receive that as well.

Second, speak well about your spouse. It’s hard to overemphasize this point. Speaking well about your spouse to others shows that you love and respect your spouse. It affirms your spouse and helps him/her want to grow to be a better person and a better mate. It is a great deterrent to infidelity.

Third, focus on what your spouse gets right. Anybody can be negative, but your negative comments will really make matters worse. As you focus on the positive, you will reinforce good behavior. Try to catch your spouse doing something right. As you thank your spouse for what they did right, you will encourage more of the same. You might find this article helpful as well. http://waylonbailey.com/?p=224.

Fourth, take time every day to talk together. This is mandatory for good marriages. Good marriages have to be shared. You may find this difficult because of the time crunch. We are all busy, but you can find the time if you will be creative. It doesn’t matter when the time is as long as you strive to do so every day.

Fifth, pray for your spouse. Ask God’s blessings on your mate, and pray for God’s help with your spouse’s busy life and difficult tasks.

What additional tip would you give for making your marriage better?

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