There is some great conversation going on @ 31woman.com that speaks to the concerns that many wives and mothers face. As I read through the first comment, I could not help but ask myself, "are men selfish"? My wife and I have 3 very active kids that she deals with while I am away at work and with our young ones, it is very hard to keep our house clean. She also works overtime to keep track of and pay all of our bills, and while I work very hard during the day, I think I would be dead wrong to say that she is not just as tired as I am most of the time. With that being said, I do understand the need and desire for intimacy, but I think we as men need to practice some balance and understanding in this area.
One of the first things that I had to realize, is that my wife stays in a much better mood when she feels like we are working as a team. In other words, it is not a bad idea to bump shoulders in the kitchen or next to the washer from time to time. We must also learn to take interest in the things that our wives like to do. On top of all of the things that our wives are trying to do in order to keep the household running, they also have hobbies and interest. I did not know a thing about flowers, but my wife likes them and I learned. My wife did not know much about computers, but I am a technology fanatic and she learned. When our wives feel like we are team players, the attitude of the household is very different.
Men, our wives need us to help them, encourage them, and lead them. When we do that intimacy will not be an issue. I challenge you to think about what you have said to your wife to encourage her today - have you made her feel like your queen or your servant? We are to love our wives as Christ loves the church and gave his life for it, and when we do that the blessings of marriage will begin to flow!