Yeah, but...

I have many flaws. Some of them small...some of them not so small.

One big flaw is my tendency to criticize my husband for what he doesn't do instead of appreciating the things that he does. I'll say "thank you" in one breath and add a " but you didn't..." in the next.

Example: Mark is extremely good about taking the full kitchen trash bag out to the trash can. He's not so good about remembering to replace the bag in the kitchen. Yet I am ashamed to admit that more often than not instead of thanking him for taking the trash out I am criticizing him for not replacing the bag.

So I am working on just saying, "Thank you" for taking out the trash and simply replacing the bag myself.

Or he'll do laundry and stop short of folding it. My gut reaction is to be annoyed that he didn't finish the job. But is it really a big deal that I have to fold the clean laundry? He washed it, afterall.

How about, "Thanks for washing the laundry. I appreciate it." And leave it at that.

We are less than a month away from our one year anniversary. The farther we get into marriage the more I realize how important every word I speak to him is. Careless words can wound where careful words can bring life.

How bout it? How often do you affirm or thank the people around you without tacking something you feel they did wrong to the end of it?