Men and women view extended time alone differently. Men see time alone as an opportunity to do the things they like. They will go hunting, fishing, or on any other outings that will allow them time to get away. Women have a different view on this. They see time alone as being absent from the ones they love. Some women even view it as a time of loneliness which is a negative state. The fear of loneliness is one of the reasons some women allow themselves to be with men who are unhealthy for them. They take the approach that a half of a man is better that no man at all.

With all the negative stereotype about men that already exist, why would it ever be a good thing to refer to men as dirt? I hear this and other similar comments whenever I am out sharing from my book. Unfortunately, whenever anyone hears that statement, men and women from all cultural ethnicity think of it primarily in its negative connotation. But I use this statement for two different purposes, first to serve as a replacement to the statement “All men are dogs,” and secondly to created dialogue about the true creative purpose of man.

Since last week’s article “Is he husband material” was published, I have received several requests asking that I follow up this week with an article on “Is she wife material?”

My mind immediately took me to the nursery rhyme quote, “sugar and spice and everything nice.” Although wives should be nice and sweet, they require real substance. For me personally, good wife material is made up of good company, meaningful communication, spiritual connection with God, mutual attraction, and common goals and interest. Because this is my personal list, it is most likely too narrow of a view of what is wife material to adequately address the needs of the diverse readers. After much research, here are my 6 key characteristic that make up wife material.

In my travels, I often encounter women who say they are looking for men who are good husband material. After those conversations, I often find my self asking the question, “What is good husband material?” During my 13 years in the Marines we were looking for men with the metal to become Marines. This “metal” is not the right substance. Although metal may make for good Marines, the material that goes into making a good husband must be more pliable. It must be able to transcend beyond the physical appearance of a man and be strong enough to build upon, and flexible enough to bend with the right pressure. Good husband material must be character based. Here is my list of the 5 essential items that make up “good husband” material.