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Relationships: Why Your Circle Matters
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn Whether we realize it or not, the people we spend time with are shaping our thoughts, habits, and even our values. When we spend time with positive, purpose-driven people, we find ourselves growing in that direction. But the opposite is also true: if we surround ourselves with people who are negative, cynical, or self-destructive, we’ll drift that way without even realizing it. The Influence of Friends on Marriage A Pew Research study found that people were 75% more likely to divorce if a close friend or family member divorced. Even having a friend of…
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Go Anywhere, Do Anything
Chris: Over Memorial Day weekend, Michelle and I went wheeling in Moab, Utah, earning some Jeep badges along the way. We realized that some of the best off-road advice can be applied to our marriage. Here is our top five. Michelle: Number Five-Things will get gnarly. Moab is known for some of the best and trickiest off-road trails. But things can go from a calm day in nature to gnarly, real quick. We have learned that the same is true in our relationship. We have had a lot of smooth adventures in our marriage. But the true test of us comes from how we pull together when life does not…
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3 Life Lessons From the Movie ‘Wicked’
Michelle: After the Thanksgiving dishes were cleaned and put away, my family and I headed to the movie theater to see the cinematic experience that is Wicked! And, while the film offers an impressive cast, beloved songs and amazing scenes, it was also a treasure chest full of life lessons that were laced throughout the magical world of Oz. If you are unfamiliar with the premise, allow us to briefly set the stage. Wicked is a musical told from the perspective of two witches, Elphaba and Galinda, before and after Dorthy’s arrival in Oz. The movie version of Wicked Part 1, which is essentially a prequel to the Wizard of…
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That’s What Friends Are For
John: We just returned from experiencing the incredible beauty of the Pacific coast. 2200 miles of mountains, beaches, rainforests, and vineyards in 12 days. It was wonderful to get away as a couple and do what we love most – exploring the great outdoors. While the scenery during the first 2000 miles was simply stunning, just as memorable and refreshing was the time spent with friends over the last 200 miles.
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Marriage Role Models
Who are your marriage role models? The number of couples choosing to get married is plummeting. Good solid marriages are less common than they used to be. Maybe YOUR marriage has been a role model for others – or maybe you would like to be. Role Models from Our Childhood Janine: As a kid I was surrounded by solid marriages – my parents, aunts and uncles, and grandparents were all in committed marriages. One solid memory that has stuck with me from my childhood was the feeling I had whenever I heard my dad call my mom “Lovey.” When Dad called Mom “Lovey” all was right with the world. His…
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We Get By With a Little Help From Our Friends
Michelle: When Chris and I met, I had my friends and he had his friends. After we got married, some of my friends became our friends as did some of his. Now, in our more than twenty years together, we have made new friends, most of which we refer to as our friends. Some of our friends have been initiated by him and some have been initiated by me, however, recently, we were hanging out with one of OUR friends. These are friends we met at the same time and just instantly clicked. Chris: We were walking to dinner together, myself by the husband and Michelle standing behind us with…
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Show Me Who Your Friends Are…
Mom frequently told me, “show me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are,” which usually meant, “I don’t like the people you are hanging around with.” Yet we have discovered much wisdom in her words and know firsthand the importance of deep friendships with other married couples. There is much written on the benefits of these friendships: The Benefits of Couple Friends – Prepare/Enrich (prepare-enrich.com). 7 Ways Couple Friends Can Make A Happier Marriage – (salteffect.com). We have come up with a few of our own.
