Marital Intimacy

This week we read some great articles, as well as a great chapter from Dr. Goddard's book, regarding physical intimacy between a married couple.  I grew up in a home where we pretty much avoided the topic.  Neither parent was very comfortable talking about sex and I can't say that I ever heard that sex is meant to be a sacred relationship between a husband and wife, not only to strengthen the bond between the two, but also for the purpose of bringing children into this world.  If they did, I must not have been listening, because, well, I was taught that it was something that we just don't talk about.  I wish it had been different.  I am trying to be much more open with my own kids, while at the same time conveying the fact that it is a sacred thing, and we should discuss it at appropriate times (i.e., not in front of little kids who will go repeat everything to their little friends.)  So far, it's been great to be able to talk to my 2 oldest kids, and to help them to understand why we don't give ourselves before marriage.  
We also read about fidelity (and avoiding infidelity) in a marriage.  I loved the quote that Dr. Goddard shared in his book, which said,  ""The grass is greener on the side of the fence you water."  If we tend our own little patch, even with all its weeds and rocks, we will find a joy that passes understanding.  If we sit on the fence and dream, we will lose even our allotted garden spot.  And the devil knows that." He gave great guidelines for ways that we can avoid trouble with fidelity in our marriages and said that when we're alert to danger signs, we can prevent the problems that begin so innocently but end so disastrously.  I also really liked that he quoted Joseph Smith - "As we should have "an eye single to the glory of God," so should we have an eye, an ear, a heart single to the marriage and the spouse and family."  Satan is the great deceiver.  By making 2 people think that they're "just friends", he can lead them down a path that can quickly become dangerous and completely inappropriate.  It always seems so innocent and harmless at first.  Nobody goes into a relationship thinking that it will end in an affair, or anything even close to an affair.  But that's how the adversary gets you.  "And thus the devil cheateth their souls and leadeth them away carefully down to hell" (2 Nephi 28:21)   It's just not worth it to even take a chance.  Though at times it may seem awkward to turn someone down for a lunch date or whatever, I would hope that any good person would understand the reasoning as respect that.  I completely agree, that the grass is always greener on the side that gets the water.  When we're taking care of our own marriages, and watching out for signs of danger, when we're putting our spouses first and doing our best to see them as the Lord sees them, I believe that we can prevent infidelity in our marriages.