Here are five rules that I found to plant a good garden; and we can apply the same to marriage relationships between husbands and wives.

1. Use seeds that are resistant to disease

The key to good disease-control is prevention. We sow seeds with our tongue. Make sure you don't spread disease with the words that you speak to each other. Use words that are resistant to disease, when you speak. Some diseases require frequent spraying with chemicals to protect the plants. You'll have to be ruthless in dealing with your tongue, if you want to avoid having weeds in your garden. I hope you will never allow weeds to grow in your marriage.

2. Improve the soil with fertilizers

If you want a happy marriage, encourage one another and appreciate one another. Put fertilizers such as these into the ground - and then you will get a really good crop!

3. Destroy any plants that have diseases that cannot be controlled

This refers to activities that have become uncontrolled and addictive - like watching too much television. Destroy that - I don't mean the TV set, but the time wasted in front of it. Be in control of such activities. This rule refers to diseases that cannot be controlled. If you can control them, then it's fine. But it is important to control such activities.

4. Cut off diseased leaves as soon as you notice them

This means that as soon as you realize that you have hurt the other person - that's a diseased leaf - cut it off immediately. Ask for forgiveness immediately, and forgive immediately; and then the leaf is cut off. Otherwise, such problems can become severe. And one more thing: Throw away that diseased leaf: Don't remember the past.

5. Do not plant more than you can take care of properly

Don't overcrowd the plants. Over-crowding prevents good air movement and exposure to adequate sunlight. That means you shouldn't try to do so many things in 24 hours a day that your marriage-garden gets neglected - and your family becomes your last priority. The garden of your 'family' must always be your Number One priority. Over-crowding will prevent exposure to adequate sunlight (God's light) and also good air movement (good fellowship between husbands and wives).

These are the laws that God Himself has made for gardens all over the world. So make your family your first priority.