Recently, a woman wrote, "Do all marriages go stale after 25 years? Ours has. We used to talk about our kids; but now they're grown, and we're out of conversations. I have no major complaints, but the old excitements is gone. We watch a lot of television and we read a lot. And we do have friends that we get together with. But when we're all alone together it's pretty dull. Is there some way to recapture that old magic?"


It is such a great and invaluable gift to belong to a family where love reigns, a home where husband and wife are best of friends and friends to their children as well. That indeed is the portrait of a blessed family! But the truth remains that many couples today do not really marry as best friends. What this implies is that, over the years, they have to work at being best of friends. Being best of friends with our spouse is very important, because as someone puts it "passion has its ups and downs, but friendship is its establishing force." A marriage that will last requires much more than passion; it requires much more than being in love. We have to cultivate friendship that will outlast all else.


Actually, the problem with this woman's marriage is lack of friendship. Best friends talk about everything, not just children or family finances, ministry or merchandise. They talk about everything, not just for the fun of it, but because they are so blended together that their conversations are not forced. They flow so naturally. Imagine the way it was with us and our childhood friends; how we would be together for hours unending, and wouldn't even recollect what we spent those hours discussing, because we said a lot to each other that we've lost track of. That's the way we should be with our spouse - real intimate friends.


Friendship is what keeps the marriage relationship going longer than anything else does. Once a while when passion grows cold, as they are bound to, the understanding that comes with being best of friends is what keep our relationship with our spouse fresh and up-to-date. Becoming best friends with our spouse is something we have to work at in our marriage. Below are helpful tips as to how we can be best of friends.


1. Acknowledgement, Affirmation and Appreciation: No person wants to be friends with anyone who talks him down. For our spouse to be our best friend, we must by our words and actions show that we appreciate them. We must acknowledge and affirm the strengths of our spouse, appreciate them for what they do for us. We must do these as often as possible. It can never be done in excess.

2. Spend quality and quantity time together: We must delight in each others company. Spending time together is important if we must bring lasting friendship. Spend time together in relaxation, for fun and play, for heart-to-heart conversations. Someone rightly said that if you think of having some fun time with anybody, that person should be your spouse.

3. Discover and foster mutual interests: This is one way of staying connected with one's spouse. Find out what his/her interests are and delight in those interests the much you can. Sharing the same interests adds to the list of the things we talk about. In other words, it makes our discussions more dynamic and interesting.

4. Let your spouse come first. The best way to fully enjoy any relationship is to go with the heart to give. Our thinking should be more of what we can give to our spouse, how we can make our spouse better, and how much value we can add to our spouse. If we think more of what we can give than what we stand to gain from our marriage relationship, we are on our way to building real lasting friendship with our spouse.

5. Show enthusiasm for individual and shared goals and achievements: This naturally shouldn't be a problem, but sadly it is with many couples. Is it not repeatedly said that once a man and a woman are married they become one flesh? If our spouse is making progress, are we not making progress as well? Why compete, such that if they build a bungalow, we strive to build a duplex? We are one, and if this is really so, we should rejoice in our partner's success and achievements, and not strive to outdo him/her.



6. Defend your spouse against others.
7. Show empathy, help and support your spouse during difficult times.
8. Don't take advantage of your spouse's weakness.
9. Let go when your spouse is grumpy or needs some space. Marriage does not erode individuality. There are occasions when our partner needs some time alone, learn to respect that; it's not out of place.


Not only must spouses be best of friends, they must also be their children's best friends. In subsequent write-ups, we are going to discuss how the friendship that thrives between couples MUST be allowed to flow down to their children.

Source: http://kolawolepeters..com.ng/2016/02/becoming-best-of-friends.html

when I got to No. 4, I read let your spouse "cum" first

Slapsticker:
when I got to No. 4, I read let your spouse "cum" first

Chisos! Only hypo can wash your sins away..

the poster that occupied that FTC is very sick.Bad pikin

great write uP op

.

cruzita:
great write uP op

Thanchu