Real Marriage

A new book came across my desk this week by Mark and Grace Driscoll entitled, Real Marriage – The Truth About Sex, Friendship & Life Together.  Touted as the talk of Christian publishing circles months before its release, I had to take a look and provide my honest appraisal. One thing the Driscoll’s do well [...]

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Finding the Right Mate

For those who have been devoted followers of my blog in the past, I apologize for my long absence.  My intense focus in 2011 was to complete my undergrad and start my master’s program in counseling.   I’m happy to report I accomplished both goals and look forward to spending more time writing.   I appreciate your patience, [...]

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Immunity

This month there is a word that God keeps tossing my way -  immunity.  I keep asking, “What do you want me to do with immunity?”  I finally figured it out while working on a project, which required me to consider how I would counsel a friend or colleague who has fallen into sexual sin.   So, [...]

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Uninspired

From time-to-time, in every marriage, there are periods where inspiration to connect, have fun, and try new things has vanished.  The energy to move forward simply isn’t there, and a lackluster attitude permeates the heart of the marriage.   Everyday activities and weekend plans are vanilla flavored instead of chocolate inspired with bits of toffee or [...]

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Money Matters

Money issues will be a source of arguments in almost every marriage.  Money is often what we value for security, it’s what we survive on, and it has many emotional responses behind it.  There was a great article in the Chicago Tribune on June 12, 2010 that you can read here.   While I am not a [...]

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Al and Tipper Gore Separation

The airwaves and internet have been heating up with the recent announcement regarding the marriage   of  Al and Tipper Gore ending after 40 years of marriage.  Since I will be celebrating my 34th wedding anniversary this month, I am amazed that a couple would make this decision after this many years together.  Once the nest has emptied, [...]

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Love Your Enemy

  I, take you, to be my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well [...]

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A Love Story

Whenever I am in a public place, I like to watch how couples interact.  I watch for genuine affection,  attentiveness, conversation, touch, and respect.  There is a lot that can be learned about a relationship through observation.  One can quickly assess if a couple has had a good day together, a fair day,  a horrible [...]

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Do Not Kill

This has been a  soul-searching week that is only half over.  I have found that through the practice of learning and self-reflection that is part of the college program I am enrolled in — I have lived a very sheltered life when it comes to the depravity of the human soul.   Yesterday I observed the [...]

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Lifelines

The other evening, when I finally had some down time from the onslaught of typing papers and preparing a verbal presentation for my courses at school, I vegetated to the couch to catch up on a few programs I had TIVO’d.  Fast forwarding through the commercials (my favorite thing to do), I noticed that Who [...]

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Relationships

A young pastor at my church recently wrote an amazing post on his blog about the journey he has witnessed with his grandparents, and their recovery from an accident.  His words are an excellent reminder of how to love your spouse even when you think no one is watching.  The legacy of love we will leave behind [...]

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He’s BeenTaking Care of Me

Dear Blog Friends, I have been away from the computer for several weeks as I recuperate from surgery.  My typing skills and endurance are limited, but my sweet husband thought he would write a note about our experiences together over the past three weeks. Here’s his side of the story – On the drive home, [...]

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Love Extreme

On an average day, I receive 100-150 spam e-mails about my love life and my need to wear *BLING *  while enjoying romance with my husband.  The other day after deleting another barrage to my spam folder, I turned to my husband and said, “Honey, did you know we need so much help with things [...]

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A Beautiful Wedding

I had the opportunity to witness a beautiful wedding yesterday.  Some may say that all weddings are beautiful; I would have to disagree.  For me, the level of beauty becomes evident in how a couple invites God into the center of the ceremony.  As a marriage mentor, I’ve attended more than fifty weddings over the [...]

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