I was recently watching a sitcom rerun in which the husband and wife were talking about something they wanted to do to get back at some friends of theirs. The wife tested the waters by saying something like, “We should not show up for their party – that would show them.” Not being sure how…
DetailsWho does the dishes in your house? It may be you, your spouse, the kids, or even the dog I suppose if you leave the dishes on floor. For lots of families this can be a point of contention. As kids I remember we would do anything we could to get out of doing the…
DetailsThere is hardly any subject that is potentially more contentious for couples than the topic of money. Often this is related to a difference in financial management styles. For example, it may be that you are a “saver” who plans ahead for purchases, while your spouse is more likely to be motivated by a “sale”…
DetailsI want you to imagine that you just won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes. Ok – before you decide how to spend it all, keep imagining with me. So the Sweepstakes people show up to your house in an armored truck and deliver your winnings to you not in a check but in $100 bills. …
DetailsMarriages struggle. Ok – not a profound statement in a world where marriages are falling apart all around us. But it is still a true statement. Whether I am at a Men’s Bible Study or running into friends at the store, a common question that I get asked is, “How can I make my marriage…
DetailsI once read about a women’s conference where the speaker asked the women, “How many of you love your husband?” Every one raised their hands. Then she asked, “When the last time was that they had told your husband that they loved him?” Some responded, “this morning,” others – “last week,” and still others –…
Details“We used to hide and sneak up on each other and say ‘Boo.” “I’ll never forget the time she accidently got me wet with the hose out in the backyard. I went and grabbed the super-soaker – and the battle was on.” “I loved it when he would call me each day at lunchtime and…
DetailsIn the beginning of our marriage, we probably said, as a part of our wedding vows, “For better for worse.” Very simply, we declare these words to our spouse because we will have “better” times and we will certainly have “worse” times as well. But when the more difficult times come, how do we respond?…
DetailsWhat are your anchors? Huh? What are your anchors? Now you may be thinking, “Hmm, what weighs me down? Well there are certainly the bills, the job, holiday dinners at the in-laws, and those annoying parent-teacher conferences at the kid’s school.” But I am not talking about heavy things from which you feel there is…
DetailsAmerican poet Jimmy Santiago Baca once wrote, “Being human without forgiveness is like being a guitarist without fingers.” Most of us think of forgiveness as optional – if I feel like it or if the other person has groveled enough to earn it. But if Baca is correct, then forgiveness is anything but optional –…
Details