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It Don’t Come Easy
“It don’t come easy” has been an ear-worm for us this year. It has become a positive force for reflection in our lives and journey. Sometimes it is the curve balls from left field that awaken us to the beauty that has been given to us. We only need to reframe the picture.
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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.
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Marriage Role Models
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Our Anti-Resolution List
This post originally appeared on The Couples Post in Jan. 2022. We decided to re-post it this week as it offers some great ideas to ponder. Everyone at The Couples Post would like to wish our readers a Happy and Healthy 2024. Every New Year, articles pop up about making resolutions. This year, we have taken some common resolutions and would like to propose our own list. We are calling it Our Anti-Resolutions List 5. New vs. Old One of the most popular resolutions is to travel to NEW places. While we are a big supporter of seeking new adventures, in our anti-resolutions list, we offer, rediscovering the OLD places you have traveled to. Who cares that…
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Married Singles
Why do married couples gradually (and unknowingly) drift toward finding fulfillment outside our marriage, rather than within our marriage? In one of his popular YouTube videos, entitled, “Wanting to Fix People,” Fr. Mike Schmitz talks about how husbands or wives might see something in their spouse that they dislike. Gradually this annoying behavior or characteristic can lead a spouse to look for fulfillment from someTHING else. Instead of my spouse being my one legitimate source of fulfillment, I’m going to replace them with ___________. You might fill in that blank with any number of things, such as: romance novels, TV binging, spending time with the kids, hunting, sports, emotional intimacy with a…
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A Toast
John: Well, it finally happened! The wedding of the century (at least OUR century so far) arrived and now our nuclear family of 5 has become 6! The look on our son’s face was priceless as his beautiful beaming bride turned the corner, walking down the aisle toward him and their future together. A hint of the boy he once was shone through the giant smile of the incredible man he’d become, We knew this would be an emotional day, one filled with joy as our son pledged a lifetime of love and commitment to his beloved and she to him. We weren’t prepared for how deep those emotions would…
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Little Moments in Time
The word summer brings to mind images of relaxing on the beach, swimming in the pool, hiking, picnicking and the like. Every summer we have high hopes that we will get to enjoy some lazy days and lolly-gagging, taking life at a slower pace and relaxing.
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The Thief
You may not realize it, but you’re being robbed. Right now. The thief comes in many forms. It comes in the form of stress, anxiety, fear of failure, addiction, self-centeredness, or letting ourselves get too busy. No matter what form the thief comes in, it does the same thing every time. It robs us of the joy, peace and closeness with each other. Finances, in-laws, problems with sex, lack of communication, work, “busyness,” hobbies… Whatever our “thief” is… Why do we let this thief take over? And what could be more important than re-evaluating, re-prioritizing and NOT letting any thief rob us of joy? Ken: The thief strikes most…
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Lost that Lovin’ feeling?
Has your marriage turned out like you hoped it would? We all come into marriage with expectations, many of which don’t pan out. Janine: I grew up surrounded by my parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents who were all in solid, committed marriages. My Mom and Dad worked side by side, and I admired how they had long conversations about the day’s events and their plans for the future. I expected that someday, my husband and I would also work side by side and enjoy long talks. Ken: Many of the marriages I witnessed as a child were less than ideal. My parents were divorced. I was determined things would be…
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Smiling is a Superpower
Michelle: I think that at some point in every person’s life, they dream about what kind of superhero they might be and what powers they might have. When I was a child, I wasn’t sure what my costume would look like or my catchphrase might be, but when I envisioned myself striking that superhero pose, I was there to turn frowns upside-down! A few years ago, I went to a laughter therapy seminar. During this seminar, the presenter shared that there have been multiple studies regarding smiling and success. In one such study, scientists conducted research over a thirty-year period. They reviewed five hundred student’s yearbook photos and, measuring just the student’s smile, were able…
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Time with Friends
Julie I just got back from spending time with friends on a long “girls’ weekend.” I’ve known these amazing women for almost 40 years, significantly longer than I’ve known John. We had a fantastic time together in Florida reminiscing about those early years together in college as well as catching up with what’s currently happening in our lives. There is something so indescribably comforting about being with people who knew you when, who suspend all judgment, and who are more like sisters than friends. We really enjoyed being able to rekindle and renew our friendships in person, especially after these past few pandemic-dominated years.
