My Heart to Yours

• How long has it been since you told your spouse that you
love him or her? Daily? Once a week? When you want
something in return? Make it a practice to reaffirm
what he or she knows by expressing your love verbally
and by so doing, keep the fire of love alive.

• If you grew up in a culture where the verbal expression
of love was not common or you are just uncomfortable with
a verbal expression of love, try to show your love for
your spouse each day. And although you don’t have to
verbalize it to demonstrate your love for someone,
you may well choose to break with your past and discover
how important and fulfilling it can be to make it a habit.

• Resource Reading: 1John 3

Not Just a Kiss

The lyrics from that old song are wrong—a kiss is definitely more than just a kiss. Here are a few facts about smooching:
A one-minute kiss works off 26 calories.

Our brains have special neurons that help us find our mate’s mouth in the dark. (No wonder making out at the movies is so much fun!)

A passionate kiss quickens your heart rate to 100 beats per minute.

Kissing reduces tooth decay because the extra saliva generated by a lip-lock cleans your teeth.

Nine out of ten couples in happy relationships kiss before bed.

—Redbook (January 2006)