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Marriage, Inc.
Before we got married, we thought we were a normal couple. We spoke about our values. We shared our expectations. We went to the required premarital class. But none of that prepared us to have an argument over a glass, a sink, a sock… If you think about it, marriage is less like a fairy tale and more like launching a company. Research says that starting a company is one of the hardest things to do. What they don’t tell you is that getting married is basically the same thing. But for this start-up, your co-founder sleeps in your bed, eats your snacks, and takes feedback very personally. Both parties…
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For Richer or Poorer
Matt So those of you who have seen our past two posts have noticed that we have focused on the part of a traditional wedding vow where a couple promises to love each other “in sickness and in health.” As we reflected on that promise and all the promises that we made on our wedding day, we were struck by the awesome wisdom of whoever authored those words so if you’ll indulge us, we’d like to explore another one of those wedding day promises – “for richer or poorer.” Gail “For richer or poorer”? I am not sure even to this day we actually understand what “richer” means, but oh…
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Prioritizing US
Julie: Grandkids, family activities, visiting sick relatives and friends, volunteer work, visiting our kids, jobs, the house, the bills – life has a million distractions. It’s so easy to let our lenses of love get out of focus and prioritize these other things over our sexual relationship. Our sexual flame flickers as we behave more like roommates than lovers.
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In Sickness and In Health – Part 2
Matt When we left off in our last blog, we were looking at our changing roles when one or the other of us may get sick….As our journey continues, we will continue to look at the changing dynamics of our relationship. Gail At the beginning of the summer Matt had open heart surgery. Talk about a lifestyle and relationship change. With lots of love, understanding and prayer Matt (and I) made it through. After a few sessions of Cardiac rehab Matt came home all excited “I graduated to being able to lift up to 25Lbs!” We celebrated and gave thanks for Matt’s continued healing. Which brings us to our first…
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Listen, Linda!!! Active Listening In Marriage
Did you ever watch the viral YouTube video called Listen, Linda? (Watch video) It’s pretty funny, but also good food for thought. Really, what we all want is to be heard and understood, which is part of being loved. But this is sometimes easier said than done. Easily Distracted & Uninclined: My Default Setting KEN: I’m easily distracted and not inclined to listen to things that don’t interest me. This naturally creates a challenge for good communication in our marriage. JANINE: I like quiet time at home. When I’m chipping away at my to-do list, or even when I’m doing dishes, I like to spend time with my own thoughts…
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In Sickness and In Health
Matt: When we got married, like many who may be reading this, we recited a vow of commitment and faithfulness to each other. And it is also a safe bet that all our vows included something like “For richer or poorer” and “In sickness and in health.” Trust us when we say that we could fill more space than we have here on the “for richer or poorer” topic and likely will try to tackle that one later. But today we are going to explore what “in sickness and in health” means to us, especially lately. Gail: On our wedding day, when I uttered the words “I take you Matt,…
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What’s Your Spouse’s Love Language?
Is The 5 Love Languages outdated? Not a chance. See how this practical tool is still saving, changing, and boosting marriages today—plus, resources to find your own language.
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Sacrificing vs. Generosity in Marriage: A Paradigm Shift
Sacrificing in marriage can lead to resentment. A paradigm shift to reciprocal acts of generosity can help to heal resentment.
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Running Up A Downward Escalator
Ken: Last week we were making our way through the airport with our carry-on bags. As we started down an escalator, I suddenly remembered I left my phone lying in the bathroom at the top of the escalator. In that split second, my only thought was that someone would find it and snatch it. Not today! I turned around with my suitcase, pushed Janine aside as I started trying to run up those steps that were propelling us downward. I fell near the top step but bounced up quickly. With a heroic leap, like a running back jumping into the end-zone, I made it to the top bruised but victorious. The wide-eyed onlookers asked if I was okay, wondering “what’s up with this guy”? Janine: One minute we were casually riding down the…
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The BEST of Your Life
John: “Today is the first day of the BEST of your life.” I retired last Friday after 41 years of working in the IT field. That quote was on the card I received from the team I led. While it is certainly appropriate for retirement, it also rings true in our everyday life. Every day, we can choose to live our best life, regardless of the changes, circumstances, and chaos around us.
