Between Marriage Extremes – Tips for Living with a Spouse

Most of life is lived between the marriage extremes.

There are days when I do NOT like my husband. He gets annoying, frustrated, or discouraged, and then I have to deal with it. It may be okay for a day or two, but when it goes on and on it just gets on my nerves.

There are days when I think my husband is the greatest thing since sliced bread. He cleans up the kitchen. He smiles a lot. He makes my day better.

Most of the days fall somewhere in between the extremes.

Learning to Live Between the Extremes

– Remember that he is just a man. He is not a superman or a god. He was not designed to fit those molds.

– Remember that he makes mistakes. He slips up and forgets an appointment. He loses the list on the way to the grocery store and gets the wrong item. It is okay and it will be okay. Berating him because of the mistake will only make things worse.

– Remember that marriage is a covenant. I did not get with a plan B. It is and that is all there is to it. I may have to wait things out sometimes, but I committed to the wait and so wait I will. I am in it until . . .

– Remember that I am not perfect. Do NOT tell my husband that I told you that. He has been trying to get it in writing for years. But I know that I have my flaws even if I refuse to confess them out loud.

– Remember that the only one I can change is me. I can believe in his ability to change. I can pray for his journey. But I will never will him to change, nag him to change, yell him to change or force him to change. I can only focus on making me a better me and staying out of his way of becoming his better him.

I do not have to like my husband all the time. I do not have to enjoy his company every minute of the day. I simply have to be committed enough to keep on keeping on between the extremes and even into them.