Invaluable Marriage Advice

I had an amazing bridal shower this week, where all of the woman attending have been married 25 or more years (most of them between 40-55 years!). In the 13 woman who attended, 564 years of marriage was represented. (A few woman were unable to attend, but still sent advice... including the women unable to attend, there is 754 years of marriage!!!)

I had hoped to post pictures, but the internet isn't cooperating with me at the moment.

The women who attended this shower are truly extraordinary and such examples of MARRIAGE... when I think about their lives (even the brief window that I have witnessed their lives), I am utterly humbled by the Godly example they have shown of successful marriages.

The hostess asked each woman to share a recipe with me, and on the back of the recipe card, share advice for a long and happy marriage. I love that their advice is on their recipe card because many of my more stressful moments happen in the kitchen and I will appreciate the loving advice in those moments.

Enjoy marriage advice from amazing, veteran wives:

• In marriage, it's important to have... individual time.
• Enjoy!
• Patience. Patience. Patience. Forgive and forget - remember, they are not perfect! I wish you great happiness always.
• Always have a sense of humor. Be each other's best friend.
• Remember your husband is #1 in your life. He will be there for you long after your children leave. He is your mate!
• Follow in your mother's footsteps on how to be a loving and caring wife and your husband will be very blessed.
• No advice - Just take one day at a time. Just ski hard and fast!
• Let him think he's right when you know you are and compromise, compromise, compromise!
• Just remember that no day will be totally 50/50.
• 1 cup love, 1/2 cup respect, 1/2 cup laughter - mix with kindness and enjoy!
• Patience, Patience and Understanding
• Keep the romance alive, always. Hold hands, tell your sweetheart that you love him every day. Put a love note in his lunch, have regular dates -- start and end every day with a kiss. Your spouse should be your best friend. Share your joys and fears with him, don't let anxiety simmer below the surface -- communicate, but don't accuse. Be supportive, but not critical. Treat your relationship as though it was something precious and fragile... because it is!
• My advice for a successful marriage is two-fold. Be willing to compromise. When merging two into one each must be willing to sacrifice for the other in order for the new life to grow. Marriage is a new life for you both and something that requires work -- not always your way but perhaps a better way. Once you were a single individual, now you are a unit - a couple - a family where love covers a multitude of errors. Remember to love. Second part of my advice is never ask of your spouse anything that you are not willing to do yourself for them. Respect, love and honor each other and you will have a very happy marriage.
  
• Marriage is like the maiden voyage of a ship upon the seas. Calm days, rough days, water spouts, submarine attacks may all come your way, but don't abandon ship.