A recent Associated Press article reported on the need to change the “smartphone habit.” It appears that smartphone addiction is by design. The constant stream of notifications, color scheme in apps, and all of the “likes” followers and in-game trophies are intentionally designed to distract you from the “real” world to focus on your “virtual”…
DetailsHave you ever run a three-legged race? I remember doing so (or rather, trying to do so) when I was a kid. It may have been at a school carnival or a church youth group function. It sounded pretty simple. So, you would pair up with your best friend or perhaps you saw it as…
DetailsRegardless of what Brandon’s parents told him, he continued to stay up until all hours of the night playing video games, watching You Tube videos, and communicating with friends. His mom soon realized that her son was experiencing an online addiction. The American Psychiatric Association studies have compared the neurological effects of online addictions to…
DetailsIn January of 2018, Sony released to the Japanese market “Aibo” – a robotic puppy. Already, over 20,000 of them have been sold, with plans to bring this product to the U.S. The retail price for this “puppy” in this country, with accessories, will be $2,899. Michael Fasulo, president and CEO of Sony Electronics North…
DetailsNow your first thought maybe – “Uh, we are both from the U.S., so what are you talking about?” Believe it or not, the communication between you and your spouse is actually impacted by your different homelands or your different families of origin. As I once heard Pastor Doug Olson explain, much like learning a…
DetailsIf you are a guy reading this title, it may have struck instant fear in your heart as you think, “I don’t dance with my mate. I am not good at dancing and I don’t want to do it.” While most females read this and only wish they could get their husbands to dance. But…
DetailsI recently came across a long list of behavioral choices that can contribute to a healthy marriage. There were five that jumped off the page at me that I would consider essential. Reserve time for each other at all costs. With the demands of work, kids, parents, friends, and so on, it easy to push…
DetailsI recently came across a thoughtful article written by psychotherapist Winifred M. Reilly. While she discussed the naïve optimism that most of us enter marriage with, she went on to list 35 lessons that she had learned in her 35 years of marriage. I have selected my top ten favorites to share with you here. …
Details“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” – Cicero I recently read an article in which the writer discussed the benefits of keep a “Gratitude Journal.” The idea had come to him that he really had much to be grateful for and that it was something he wanted…
DetailsI have two dogs and I love them dearly. They are part of our family, which is what 75% of pet owners report. Over half of the 90 million dog owners allow their dogs to sleep in bed with them. Some people throw their dogs birthday parties, complete with cake, balloons, and doggie party guests. …
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