Sign up for a marriage retreat in your area. This is a great time to step away from the stress of daily life and focus on the most important relationship we have on this earth. https://www.eventbrite.com/ has a list of retreats all around the country.

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As the year comes to a close, take some time with your family to review the past year: accomplishments, failures, good times together, things you wish would have been better, etc. 

Have each person come up with what they want to do differently in this coming year. Discuss a plan on how you are going to accomplish this.  Write them down and put them on the refrigerator or bathroom mirror to remind yourself throughout the year. 

I don't know about you, but 2023 had a lot of difficult challenges for us. Let this year be the beginning of a new adventure.

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Gather friends and family and have a good old fashioned game night. Pick out some favorites and try some new ones.

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One of our favorite holiday activities is to go searching for Christmas lights. We like to just drive around, but you can also check out commercial places in your area. Take the family out for an evening to enjoy the holiday.  Play some Christmas music and see what you can find.

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Pick an old or new classic, grab some popcorn, and gather around to enjoy a Christmas movie together. We watched my all-time favorite "White Christmas".  I still remember the first time I saw it on our family black and white TV and seeing Bing sing "White Christmas" for the first time.

Psychologists say that we each need at least ten hugs a day. Intentionally take time to hug your wife and children multiple times each day, before you go to work and when you get home.

Affection with no ulterior motive is important to keep our marriage healthy and romance kindled.

Men tend to shut down or run when things get challenging. Confrontations or intense emotions are sometimes hard for us to process. This week focus on building bridges instead of putting up walls when faced with difficult situations in our marriage.

The next time your wife gets emotional instead of running away build a bridge, reach out and pull her close. If she needs to confront you about something, instead of getting defensive take time to talk through the issue. Tearing down walls and building bridges is a key to building a healthy marriage.

Life is an adventure. Find someplace you have never been and explore it with your wife.

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Drop by a home decor store like Hobby Lobby or Cracker Barrel. Find a saying that reminds you of your wife.  Take a picture and text it to her, letting her know she is on your mind.

The family that prays together, stays together. God's desire is to be the center of our marriage and family. When everything is going well, we should praise Him. When things are tough, we should run to Him. When we need direction, we should seek Him.

Take time this week to pray with your wife each day for your marriage and children. The more time we spend together in prayer, the stronger our relationship will grow with each other and with God.