Keys to a strong marriage

This one gave me a laugh, but there's a lot of wisdom here.

From "The Word For Today"

Keys to a stronger marriage (1)
"Love ... is not ... self-seeking."
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NIV

An elderly couple celebrating their 50th anniversary had no secrets, except for a shoe box the wife had always kept hidden under the bed. She agreed to let her husband look inside. When he did, he found two crocheted dolls and $50,000 in cash. 'Years ago,' she explained, 'my mother told me that the secret to a happy marriage was never to argue. Instead, when I got angry I should keep quiet and crochet a doll.' Her husband was delighted; she'd only been angry at him twice in 50 years! 'Honey,' he said, 'that explains the dolls, but what about the $50,000?' 'Oh,' she replied smiling, 'that's from selling the dolls!'
Marriage therapy often calls for 'active listening', and affirming your spouse through paraphrasing, validation, and positive feedback. But research shows that many couples aren't always happy with the results and problems still recur. Dr John Gottman says, 'That's because we're asking people to do Olympic-style gymnastics when they can hardly crawl!' Instead, Dr Susan Boon recommends identifying the issues that must be resolved - and learning to live with the rest! Work around them, commit to staying together, and for every negative experience, look for five positive ones to balance it out. Dirty socks, snoring, thermostat settings, unmade beds - our habits can drive our partners crazy.
We must learn to 'Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ' (Eph 5:21 NIV), and remember, 'Love ... is not rude ... self-seeking ... easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs' (1 Co 13:4-5 NIV). Well, how are you doing so far?

http://www.thewordfortoday.com.au/