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Parenting as a Team
Photo by John Mark-Smith Becoming parents is such an amazing blessing. From the moment we first hold our newborn child, our world is changed. Whether navigating the terrible two’s or adjusting to parenting young adults, we learned something that is crucial about parenting – we are much stronger together than we are as individuals.
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Love’s Sweet Spot
Photo Credit: Jose Mizrahi on Unsplash Many of you are familiar with theYin-Yang symbol or the phrase “opposites attract.” You know, the eternal optimist vs. the pessimist, the spontaneous adventurer vs. the live by the calendar person. Let’s call them complementary, not opposite. Think: You are the peanut butter to my jelly or the music to my dancing shoes.
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A Love That Surprises and Remembers
Photo Credit: Denise Johnson Valentines Day is for Romance and Lovers. Who doesn’t enjoy reminiscing about romance, memorable proposals and your wedding day? These memories can often put us in the mood for romance even if we are not feeling particularly romantic.
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Getting Teens to Talk
Do you have teenagers? Maybe this sounds familiar: Interested Parent: “How was school today sweetheart?” Moping teenager, “Fine.” “Is everything OK?” “Yup.” “Anything you want to talk about?” “Nope.” Good talk.
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What Happened to the Person I Married?
After starting out so in love with my spouse, how is it that I sometimes find him/her so annoying and hard to live with? What happened to the person I married?
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Marriage Magic
Photo Credit: Jared Lind on Unsplash As we become immersed in this holiday season we are drawn to the magic. Recall the wonder and awe of your childhood, reindeers that fly and a Santa who made dreams come true. Fast-forward several decades. Remember the rush of feelings when you knew your spouse was ‘the one‘. You reveled in discovering this person who showered you with love and support.
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Scorekeeping in Marriage
“Scorekeeping” in our marriage can lead to resentment. It starts with an attitude of “I deserve more” where we keep a tally of all the things we do for our spouse. “I did the laundry so he should do the dishes.” This is compounded by the fact that men and women keep score differently.
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Got Money Arguments?
When couples have conversations about money, it often leads to disagreements, defensiveness, and arguments. Why is it so difficult to talk about finances? Conversations about money usually aren’t JUST about money. We all have underlying feelings (some very strong) about money. Fear. Insecurity. Resentment. Our past experiences affect how we deal with money. When we talk with our spouse about how to spend or save, all those memories and feelings start to surface.
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What are you passionate about?
Jen: Passion is defined as an intense desire or enthusiasm for something. In my life, I’m passionate about our children – making sure they are loved and supported, helping them become responsible adults. I’m passionate about my work, helping kids develop a love of reading. I’m also passionate about my hobby of quilting, trying to create art through fabric. All of these things fill me with an intense desire and enthusiasm in varying degrees.
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Affirmations That Will Make Your Heart Soar!
Photo Credit: Peter Boccia on Unsplash In our last post, we shared with you 50 ways to live an Intentional Marriage. This week we want to focus on one — the Power of Affirmation. The effects of self-affirmation and the power of positive thinking are well know in self-help literature. Being affirmed by your spouse elevates this power exponentially. In this post we will talk about what constitutes a good affirmation and why it is so effective, especially in the presence of others.
