Marriage Truths with Ann Mainse
As someone who has been married for just over a year in my second marriage, I loved Ann Mainse’s show, where she shared her tips for a great marriage.
Ann and her husband Ron – who might be familiar to you from 100 Huntley Street and other programs on YES TV and has a daily podcast called Sincerely Yours on Faith Strong Today – run Heart to Heart Marriage and Family Ministries. Married for 33 years, Ann is an expert in what makes marriages thrive.
In 1 Corinthians 16:14, we are commanded to do everything in love, but that’s not always easy when someone leave his socks on the floor! Ann is well-versed in practical tips, no matter what stage you are at in your marriage.
I thought one of the best points Ann made on the show was that men think differently than women do. Our brains are different and men are not mind readers, so it’s important that we communicate openly.
Ann mentioned Bill and Pam Farrel’s book, Men are Like Waffles – Women are Like Spaghetti, that explains how men tend to compartmentalize the parts of their lives, and women find interrelationships in everything.
One of the most stunning quotes to me from the book is from Bill Farrel, who writes:
“Most men have boxes in their waffle that have no words. There are thoughts, but they don’t always translate into words. Not all of the wordless boxes have thoughts, however. There are actually boxes in the average man’s waffle that contain neither words nor thoughts. To help relieve stress in his life, your husband will park in one of these boxes to relax.”
Wait a minute: There are actually boxes in the average man’s waffle that contain neither words nor thoughts?
What? No thoughts at all?
That actually explains a lot…
Melinda, Cheryl, Abby and Ann talked about women’s need for girlfriends with whom we can discuss a problem over and over again until it’s fully processed. This, in and of itself, could be a marriage saver.
As someone in a new marriage, parenting a blended family of five kids, my husband and I have discovered that we are not always on the same page. Ann stresses the importance of being on the same team when it comes to conflict and finding a solution to the problem together. As Cheryl – another long-married person – pointed out on the show: marriage is not a power struggle!
Ann provided so many great tips on this show, including divorce proofing your marriage through daily prayer. And she answered the question of all questions: what is it that men really want?
And if you want the answer to that question, you’ll just have to watch the show!
For more information on Heart to Heart and Ann, you can read her blog here: http://www.h2hliving.ca