Twenty-One Things Every Married Couple Ought to Know

1. Don't yell at each other unless your house is on fire.
2. Take a shower together - it saves water, and may have other benefits.
3. When your spouse asks "Do you love me?" DO NOT answer, "I married you, didn't I?"
4. Make and keep a regular date night.
5. When you feel like dancing in your undies, do so in private.
6. Playing scrabble has been known to cause HUGE arguments - (So remember rule number 1 above.)
7. Talk talk talk...about everything.
8. If you plan on doing any major household projects, get marital counseling before starting and maybe after completing the job.
9. Definitely read the book of Songs of Solomon from the Bible together.
10. Remember that intimacy begins in the morning with the way you talk to and treat each other.
11. Be sure to schedule your mid-life crisis.
12. Always enjoy making up after a quarrel.
13. Be spontaneous, and remember that tickling never goes out of style.
14. Always remember that a little tact can go a long way!
15. Find the humor in negative situations.
16. Eat cookie dough in bed together at least once a year.
17. If you have other people living in the house with you - like kids or in-laws - be ABSOLUTELY sure there is a lock on the bedroom door (And it may be a nice idea to get a DO NOT DISTURB sign, too.)
18. Remember that the silent treatment was invented by a kindergartner.
19. Remember that you are NEVER too old (or fat or skinny, or whatever) for crazy or colored underwear.
20. Remember that a long-lived marriage will involve growth, both as individuals and together as a couple.
21. And most important of all - remember that genuine love means always valuing your spouse as much as God does.

A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short. An ideal marriage is one in which two people love, cherish, and encourage each other through any troubles during their time together.