Are you and your husband growing closer together or further apart? It is easy to get caught up in your individual areas of interest but it is important to stay connected to your spouse. Try to include them in some way.

Are you a crafter or artist? Show your spouse your work. Talk to them about your materials or what you like about it. Try to draw him into some aspect of your interests.

Are you a reader? Share interesting bits with your spouse. I like to read a funny comment one of the characters make in my reading out loud, to include Michael.

Are you into gardening or nature? Sports, bicycling, or walking? Find some way to include your spouse. Take some time to invite them to participate with you and adjust your speed to theirs. But don’t badger them into joining you, that is not conducive to closeness and will probably do the opposite and push him away.

You could go on a stroll together, just for the opportunity to connect with one another. This stroll is not about exercise or getting somewhere, it is simply about connecting together.

Take a few minutes out of your day to share something about your day, even if it is just ordinary. Share a high and a low. It doesn’t matter what you are sharing as long as you are making an effort to communicate with each other.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again . . . marriage takes work. If you aren’t working on making your marriage better then you are probably taking your marriage for granted and that is not a good thing. Hurt and bitterness can easily come in when a person doesn’t feel like they are important to you.

So, set a reminder on your phone or computer to connect with your spouse (in a non-confrontational way) each day. Michael uses the reminder feature of the Love Nudge app to rub my arm or look into my eyes. Sometimes he does it in a very humorous way and we both get a good laugh, which is also building up our marriage. The point is . . . make an effort to better your marriage today.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº