Our honeymoon had been perfect so far. My husband of four days had blown me away with his romantic surprises. We were giddy about being on the breathtaking Hawaiian island, Kauai, and it seemed like every minute we were relishing in our new love together. But suddenly as we walked along the shore near our…
Successful marriage consistently calls for both the humble admission of error when wrongdoing has occurred and the mutual commitment to grow in unfamiliar ways. Nothing destroys these two pillars of healthy relationships more quickly than persistent defensiveness and an unforgiving, critical spirit. These are the heart-hardening factors that eventually destroy the elasticity of creative conflict…
Before my husband and I got engaged we sought counseling. We read books. We asked each other numerous questions. We set the tone by taking the time to test our relationship emergency broadcast system, and how well we communicated. I seriously feel as a newlywed asking the tough questions before getting engaged saved our marriage…
Bob Dylan gave some pretty good advice when he said, I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.” But what happens when we take the responsibility part out? I would argue that we become less free. Living way beyond our financial means is an example…
QUESTION: “My husband will not apologize or take any responsibility for difficulties in our relationship with our son and daughter in law. I want to honor and respect my husband but I see how difficult he can be. How can I deal with this? Stemming from an incident last summer, they are not allowing any…
