Grandpa's Marriage Advice

 Minutes before my grandpa walked me down the aisle at my wedding, he stood with me outside the sanctuary and said, "It's not too late, if you don't want to go through with it, we can leave right now."

He didn't have anything against Angel--it appears that a last minute reminder that you're not locked down for life until you've actually signed the papers is a tradition in my family. But besides that moment...and the day when he first met Angel and promptly took him on a very suspicious "walk" around the neighborhood, my Grandpa, and every one of my relatives, has supported my marriage and loved my husband, and for that, I'm very grateful.

Today I came across a copy of the speech my Grandpa gave at our wedding reception. Upon reading it, I realized that there's definitely some things I could be paying more attention to! I thought I'd share his speech with you. So here's what a man with nearly 50 years of marriage experience has to say on the subject:

Some things a marriage can withstand: Sickness, debilitating injuries, financial disasters, loss of possessions through fire, flood, tornado, tragedies, death of a loved one, the loss of a child.

Some things a marriage cannot withstand:
Leaving the toilet seat up, using your husband's razor, squeezing the toothpaste tube in the middle or leaving the cap off. Hanging the toilet paper the wrong way. Arguing about whose turn it is to do something. Not taking the garbage out when the opportunity presents itself.

Advice:
1. Treat your marriage partner with respect. Never cut each other down.
2. Make your spouse your best friend and confidant.
3. Avoid negative humor toward family members.
4.Be totally honest in LOVE.
5. Have a generous spirit towards others (in terms of time and money especially).
6. Your home is your castle, keep it financially secure.
7. Never reprove your marriage partner in front of others.
8. Always speak well of your family members to others.
9. At least twice a month spend some time alone together outside the bedroom.
10.When your marriage partner upsets you and they  ask what is wrong, do not say "nothing"--be honest.
11.Remember you are marrying a sinner, a person who is in a desperate need of experiencing salvation every day of their life.
 12. Forgive each other just as you have been forgiven.
13. Do not let the sun go down on your anger.
14. Speak only once to a child before taking corrective action, but make sure they really heard you the first time.
15. Don't argue about the children in front of them.
16. If you throw it down, pick it up, if you open it, close it, if you turn it on, turn it off.
17. Never take revenge, never deliberately hurt or ridicule.
18. It takes two to argue, and a soft word does turn away wrath.
19. Love is mental and physical attraction in the presence of emotional security.
20. Jesus is your life--make Him the center of your marriage.

And I'm just wondering if his last-minute offer to allow me to be a runaway bride is a common one? Did any of you get an offer like that from someone in your family on your wedding day?