Marriage advice from “an old hand” (1)

Author Jim Killam wrote, “In a few days our oldest son will marry…I have no coherent advice to offer on planning a wedding [but]…based on 24 years’ experience, I can offer a few bits of advice on how to navigate marriage. So here goes! (1) Praising your wife in front of others does wonders for her self-esteem. (2) Criticizing her in front of them, even in jest, is always a bad idea. (3) Sometimes she doesn’t need you to solve her problems, she just wants you to listen. I know; I don’t understand it either! (4) Don’t fall for that line of garbage that marriage is a ball and chain. The people who tell you that would give anything to have what you have. (5) Sometimes, as impractical as it seems, it’s better to spend $500 on a trip than on furniture—provided you have the money. (6) Credit card debt is a monster. Don’t fall for it, even short term. And don’t keep financial secrets; they never remain secret. Live on less than you make; if possible, live on one income. Swim against the tide. Be stewards, not consumers. (7) Tithe. Not only does it honour God, it brings focus to the rest of your money decisions. (8) Laughing together is better for you than exercising together. (9) Don’t be so afraid of hurting each other’s feelings that you never talk about how you really feel. (It took me 5 years to tell your mom I didn’t like the grape jelly she’d been putting on my peanut butter sandwiches!) (10) Don’t be too embarrassed to talk about sex together.”