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Mini Musing – A Change In Perspective
Recently my daughter, Laney, and I were discussing what she had achieved in a maze book she was working on. In the definite fashion of a 4-year-old, she informed me that she had completed 3 mazes but when she came to a wall in her way she had just gone over it onto the next-door path. It was evident that to her this was absolutely the most logical and obvious way around the issue she had come across. Later that day she was at the park and a couple of bigger boys were mucking around on the slide she wanted to go down. Rather than avoiding the slide or getting upset she…
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All Locked Up
All Locked Up – Unlocking the Grid on Perpetual Problems Does it sometimes feel like you are in the middle of a type of “Ground Hog Day”? Repeating the same argument over and over. The words, and specifics, may look different, but ultimately you are fighting about the same thing, again and again. So Many Problems! John & Julie Gottman, renowned leaders in relationship research, have found that 69% of a couples arguments are what they call “perpetual problems”. This means that the same type of issues will keep coming up. And to make matters worse, they believe that this type of problem is not truly solvable! They explain that this is…
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All the Small Things
All the Small Things – Little things that help move your marriage from good to great. As you fight the urge to sing Blink 182’s “All The Small Things” chorus with me, let’s take a look at how all those small things that we do or say in our marriages can impact our relationship. Small Things = Big Impact The small things in our marriage make a big difference. Just like a bit of salt or a pinch of spice add flavour, taking a meal from bland to exciting, the small things we do have the potential to add interest, build connection and take our marriages from boring or average to…
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Sorry – a not so simple word
Sorry – a not-so-simple word If you are anything like Mike and I then you have probably found yourself in the middle of a fight, or ten, and you aren’t really sure how you got there. All of a sudden one seemingly harmless comment or observation blew up in your face and now you are knee-deep in a big pile of angst, hurt, and aggression. But, now that you are here you have to find a way to wade your way through it, ideally without too much fallout. Here enters one of my husband’s favourite words – Sorry. They say it is one of the hardest words to say. However, in our house, Mike…
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Moneytalks
Money Talks - 4 Foundations for Financial Success Everybody has heard the old adage, “Money doesn’t grow on trees”. Your parents probably said it to you many times as a child and you likely rolled your eyes in response. But, the older you get, the more you realise how true the statement really is. It often feels like the more money you earn the more you need, and it can certainly be a difficult process figuring out how to balance providing for your family while not making money an idol in your life. Unfortunately, though, money is a “necessary evil” in today's society, and given the emotions and…
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Let’s talk about sex
Let’s talk about sex baby! 4 tips for discussing sex with your spouse Sex, an intimate and beautiful act designed by God, but often presented in today's culture in crass and graphic ways. It is regularly shied away from in the church arena and can even be talked about as dirty or bad. Given the many mixed messages we receive about sex, it is no wonder that most couples struggle to talk about it. Sex is an awkward topic. There is so much emotion attached to it and it’s something most of us have had very little healthy education about. It is likely your parents struggled to have the “Birds…
