Have you ever heard someone make the statement, “He/She just brings out the worst in me?” Usually, the statement is made by the person who has just reacted angrily, said something inappropriate, or done something foolish. But rather than own their misbehavior, they attempt to place the blame on the other person by making it…
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Last time I talked about what it takes to make a date night a reality (Which can be challenging). Intentionality becomes important at times in getting all of those necessary details coordinated. In discussing some of those strategies with a couple in my office this week, they raised a different but related question – What…
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It was not that long ago that a read an intriguing article, Which Generation Has The Best Marriages? by Haydin Shaw. For my purposes here I simply want to look at the strengths different generations have to offer one another when it comes to marriage. The Traditionalists (Born before 1946) This group of couples value…
DetailsWhen reading that question you may think, “I don’t have any unspoken rules,” and perhaps you don’t – now. But my suspicion is that you probably have a few, and when you were first married you had a ton of them. You see “unspoken rules” are those ways that we have of doing things that…
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I often get a variety of responses when I ask a question like this. Unfortunately, some may respond with, “I had dreams for my marriage when I was younger, but those are long gone.” Others might say, “I will deal with my dreams sometime in the future.” In talking with my financial advisor recently, he…
DetailsYou may have just read that question and thought, “This Ham guy has lost it this time. Shouldn’t he be asking about what I am most thankful for?” Well, yes, maybe I should. Actually, maybe I am. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that is guaranteed to upset the applecart when it comes to two…
DetailsWe frequently read those startling statistics regarding the number of hours that teens spend with their eyes glued to their computer screens, phones, or television. But a recent study reported that parents might have a lot more in common with their teens than you might imagine. “Common Sense Media,” a nonprofit organization, found that parents…
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I see far too many clients who are holding out for . . . any number of things that prevent them from engaging constructively in their marriage. For example, there may be an issue that is keeping you at odds with your spouse. You know that it needs to be brought up and discussed, but…
DetailsYou come in from work exhausted to the smell of freshly baked bread. Following the scent, you head for the kitchen but along with way you trip over a toy carelessly left in your path. Immediately your blood begins to boil. Arriving in the kitchen you find your spouse who is baking the bread along…
DetailsA couple of years ago, my wife and I were able to spend a few days in the Grand Canyon area. If you have never been there, you might think it is just a hole in the ground, which it is. But it is so much more. It is an incredible, beautiful, miraculous site that…
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