(Because of no phone service on Monday and to keep Karen's Korners coming out even of "5" per week, one for the weekend!)

When I was driving down the road several weeks ago, I heard Dr. James Dobson of "Focus on the Family" speaking on WHO radio. His recorded couple of minutes' spot was talking about the "5 top things needed for marriages to be successful". It wasn’t compiled by a guru in marriage relationships, rather it was taken from survey results of couples who have been married for a good number of years.

Here is the list as best a scribbled them down (remember I was driving!):

1. Successful married couples call their spouse their "best friend".
2. There is easy natural communication between the partners.
3. The couple shares similar spiritual and moral values and is committed to them.
4. Both people in the marriage believe their marriage to be a permanent relationship.
5. They know how to deal with conflicts and have learned (or continue to learn!) how to deal with their differences.

Since we are all married; know someone who is married; or know someone who is thinking of getting married, this could be a list to be read and shared with many!!