Patience

Marriage is work.  We all know how it goes..... Maybe one of you is a clean freak and hates to see a dirty sock lying NEXT to the hamper instead of in it.  There are a lot of scenarios like this one, so I won't list them off.  You know what they are.  The point is, generally these things are barely worth mentioning on the scale of importance.  Patience is a key principle in marriage and we would all benefit if we practiced it a little more.  Often our patience is tested by things we later recognize as.... stupid.  For instance, let me share a story with you that paints a perfect picture of what I'm talking about:

A woman had her kitchen organized just the way she liked.  She usually did the cooking and the cleaning, fulfilling her wifely duties as a happy little homemaker.  Her husband, often busy with work and school, decided to be helpful.  What a kind thought, to do the dishes for his wonderful wife.  He first unloaded the dishwasher.  He put the plates and cups in one cupboard, the pots and pans under the stove, and the silverware in the drawer.  (Do you know where this is going?)  He put the cutting board in the cabinet above the sink, along with the liquid measuring cups and mixing bowls.  Then he preceded to load.  He put the bowls and cups on top, the plates and big things on bottom, and the silverware all willy-nilly in the basket.  He started it and walked away, feeling very good about himself, happy to help his wife.

The next day, the woman is in the kitchen preparing to make a meal.  She takes out the vegetables, the knife, and..... wait.  Where's the cutting board?  She knows she put it in the dishwasher, so it should be in the cupboard below the counter.  She has to search the kitchen and finally finds it above the sink.  She says to her husband, "Why did you put this above the sink?!  It goes down here!  I hate having to search for things in my own kitchen!"

Never mind that the man had set aside the things he could have done for entertainment or relaxation.  Never mind that he thought he was doing her a favor.  How likely do you think it is that he will offer his services again, now that she has come across as ungrateful and naggy?

How do we better approach a situation like this?  When something is done in a way we would have done differently, it is always better to come across as grateful, understanding, and PATIENT.  She could have said, "Sweetheart, thank you so much for doing the dishes.  For future reference, the cutting board actually goes down here."  There are far too many people who jump down their loved ones' throats when a simple explanation is all it takes.  We have to be patient if we want our marriage to last.  Otherwise, we'll get angry one too many times and perhaps just throw in the towel.  This is not the way it should be.  Like I said in the beginning, marriage is work.  So work hard and allow each other a few mistakes.