(1) What thoughts came to mind after reading this? (2) Were any ideas new to you? If so, what? (3) Was the article helpful? Why or why not? Explain. (4) Was there anything you disagreed with? If so, what and why? Application: (a) How might you apply this in your life? What would you do...
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Does Your Spouse Know How You Feel?
In sharing an idea, have you ever made the mistake of not telling your spouse how you felt about the idea? I have. One day, when our children were in elementary school, our church announced at a women's Bible study that there were children in Russia who needed homes. I had no interest in adopting...
Why Serve And Give As A Family?
Would you like your children to become responsible citizens and caring people? One way to foster that is to get them involved in giving of their time and resources. Our family kept a jar that we all put money into during the year and then we'd decide how to use it to help someone at Christmas. We...
Keep Quiet Or Speak Up?
Have you ever wondered when to share your feelings and when to keep quiet? My husband, Tom, and I had to learn to lovingly and respectfully speak up when the other person did something that hurt our feelings. We're both very non-confrontational people, so we'd tend to say nothing. The problem is,...
Couples: Should You Keep Your Decisions Private?
Have you ever been excited about an idea and shared it with your children before you consulted your spouse? I have. When our daughter, Kristy, was about six years old, Tom and I had discussed the possibility of hiring a clown for Kristy's birthday, but I told her before Tom and I had finalized our...
Ask Or Tell?
Have you ever made a suggestion to your husband and he resisted because he felt you were making a demand? This has happened at times in our marriage. I learned that I could often avoid this problem by changing a statement to a question. For example, instead of saying, "We should call your...
Are You “Showing Off” Your Children?
It's great to think our children are wonderful, but we need to be careful not to try to show them off. I'll share two mistakes I made in this area when our children were in elementary school. When our daughter, Kristy, was in kindergarten, she played a piano piece in a try out for the school...
How Are You Handling Your Child’s Complaints?
What do you do when your child complains to you about your spouse? I will not be addressing serious issues, like abuse. I'm referring to more ordinary complaints. For example, my son Shon and my husband have always enjoyed listening to a variety of music together. When Shon was about 11 years old,...
Are You Careful With Your Words?
A friend of mine once told me that I had typed the word "sex" instead of "six" in one of my blog posts. I had a good laugh over his comment about keeping my posts G rated, but it got me thinking. Both my husband and I had proofread the blog post, but we failed to catch that mistake. I've heard...
Do You Speak Your Spouse’s Language?
Do you ever feel like you and your spouse are speaking different languages when you try to communicate? I do. Communication breakdowns can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. First, we must be careful not to make assumptions. For example, my husband often reminds me of things and I just...