Marriage Partnership articles from December 2001

Marriage Partnership archives from December 2001

The devil's in the details. (From The Editors).(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... In the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United States, one sentiment--spoken in many forms--resounds: "This really puts it all into perspective," "This really shuffles our priorities," and, "This shows how insignificant everything else is."...

A tribute to Godly husbands. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
December 22, 2001... I really appreciated your article by Cindy Baum, "For Better or For..." [Fall 2001]. I could very much relate to it as my experience has been similar. It's a blessing to know there are other godly husbands out there who are still committed for...

It's the little things that matter. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
December 22, 2001... I wanted to thank you for the "Home, Stylish Home" article [Fall 2001]. Since my husband and I have been married, we have noticed how different we are when it comes to decorating. Now we are financially ready to start decorating and I have been...

Comfort for marriages in crisis. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
December 22, 2001... Thank you for remembering marriages in crisis. This summer, my husband and I separated after ten years of marriage. I moved into an apartment while continuing to pray that my husband would want to join me in counseling. My subscription followed...

10 fun winter things to do with your spouse. (couple minutes).(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... 1. Make hot cocoa and look at picture albums. 2. Bundle up and take a short walk. 3. Go window shopping at a local mail or town. 4. Buy a plant. 5. Bake cookies together (clean up together, too). 6. Read Song of Solomon...

Truth and consequences. (Couples Devotional).(how truth-telling may help solidify the foundations of a marriage)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... "We've been having this same conversation for the past two years," my wife, Jana, said, having listened to my frustrations about my father who had turned down our request for a loan. "Every time you talk about your family, your face gets red...

Fighting hurts. (Couple Minutes).(study finds poorly-handled marital conflicts may negatively affect one's health)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... In more ways than one. Studies at Ohio State University College of Medicine show that poorly handled marital conflicts "have negative effects on the cardiovascular (heart), endocrine (hormones), and immune systems functioning" in both men and...

Lend him your left ear. (Couple Minutes).(study finds emotional words find better reception when heard through left ear)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... Want to get on her good side? Whisper sweet nothings into her left ear, suggests researcher Teow-Chong Sim of Sam Houston State University. His study found that emotional words get through to people better when spoken through the left ear, not...

Reach out and touch your spouse. (Couple Minutes).(study finds physical contact may alter brain chemistry to induce calmness)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... Need another reason to cuddle, massage, or hold hands? Rutgers University researcher, Helen E. Fisher, Ph.D., in her book, The First Sex (Balantine, 2000), says that as you touch, you alter your brain chemistry to make yourself feel calmer. She...

Money talks--do you? (Couple Minutes).(avoiding marital conflicts by discussing monetary concerns)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... Money is consistently one of the greatest causes of marital stress. Consider a serious talk with your mate about your views on money and how you spend it to reduce tension and build unity. Here are a few questions to get you going from Delores...

MarriagePartnership.com surveys. (Couple Minutes).(favourite place for vacation)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... MarriagePartnership.com Surveys: Where's your favorite place to vacation together? Here's what you said: the beach: 32% a theme park: 4% the mountains: 21% camping grounds: 8% a resort...

The sniff test. (Couple Minutes).(study finds that men are more attracted to women during ovulation)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... Your key to careful family planning may be right under your husband's nose. According to a new study from the University of Texas, Austin, his schnozz can tell you when you're fertile. Researchers gave men two T-shirts to sniff, and then asked...

Wonderful trends of the 20th century. (Couple Minutes).(social and economic developments)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... Wonderful Trends of the 20th Century Need some more blessings to count over coffee? Talk about the trends you're enjoying together. 1900-1920 1995-1998 Life expectancy...

You said it! (Couple Minutes).(proverbs and quotations on marriage)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... Love is blind, but marriage restores its sight. G. C. Lichtenberg Married couples who love each other tell each other a thousand things without talking. Chinese proverb Only two things fire necessary to keep one's wife happy....

Men are like waffles, women are like spaghetti. (Between the Covers).(psychological differences between men and women)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... By Bill and Pam Farrell We've all heard the various analogies for what men and women are like and where they're from--Mars and Venus being favorite answers. But you have to ask, "Who's ever been to those places to find out?" Bill and Pam...

Lean on your man to live longer. (Couple Minutes).(study finds life expectancy increases when wife relies emotionally on husband)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... Looking for a fountain of youth? Hubby's support may be the answer. A six-year Yale Medical School study suggests that marriage partners live longest when a wife has a strong man to lean on emotionally. But wives don't need to return the favor....

The good news about cheating. (Couple Minutes).(study finds number of people who have committed adultery is much less than previously reported)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... There's fewer people doing it than you may think! According to a 1998 University of Chicago report, 90 percent of women and 75 percent of men remain faithful throughout their marriages. But because of the results of poorly conducted surveys...

Snapshot: Erin and Brad O'Donnell. (Couple Minutes).(musicians)(Interview)
December 22, 2001... Musicians Erin and Brad O'Donnell worked side by side for years, sharing their passion for music. But after losing their jobs and learning they were expecting their first child, they had to make some adjustments. Transitioning into new...

We feel like phonies. (Early Years).(marital advice)
December 22, 2001... Q. My parents invited us to attend a marriage seminar with them when we first got married, and we were surprised by how much we enjoyed it. One of the things we learned was to reflect each other's feeling in our conversations, but when we do...

It's not about satisfaction: why marriage has a purpose even when it isn't working. (Soul To Soul).
December 22, 2001... On the verge of divorce, Stephanie entered counseling hoping to find some reason to stay in her marriage. "I just want to be in love with my husband. Is that too much to ask?" she exclaimed. After fourteen years of ups and downs, she was fed up...

Time warped. (Work It Out).(couples)
December 22, 2001... Laurene's Side: Why Can't I Take My Time? Ever since I was little, my concept of time has gotten me into trouble. I could spend hours trying on shoes, looking for just the right pair with the right feel that coordinated with my clothes. I...

`What's wrong with him?' How to know if mental illness is affecting your spouse.
December 22, 2001... LOOK AROUND YOU. At work, at church. Chances are very good you'll see someone who's battling mental illness. Maybe you only need to look as far as the other side of the bed... or the mirror. Many Christians don't figure that mental illness...

Holiday negotiations: how to divide the holidays so that both extended families are happy.
December 22, 2001... Our bags were packed and strategically wedged in the trunk of the car. The tank was full. Snacks and beverages at the ready. All that was missing was one elusive necessity--my positive attitude. I just didn't want to go. It wasn't that...

What every woman needs to know about sexual satisfaction.(sex and you)
December 22, 2001... SO YOU'VE NEVER HAD AN ORGASM. Or you're not sure if you've been orgasmic. Or you haven't been able to have an orgasm in some way that you wish you could. Or you used to be orgasmic but now you aren't. What can you do? What can your husband do?...

How to throw a dinner party: this holiday season, you and your spouse can host a memorable evening for your friends--and enjoy it, too.
December 22, 2001... Casual get-togethers are certainly fun, but there seem to be few opportunities for spouses to spruce up and enjoy an evening with those closest to them. Having a dinner party can be an opportunity to do just that. But from experience, most of...

`We were roommates, not lovers'. (Back from the brink: a real-life story of a marriage in recovery.
December 22, 2001... I WAS A VERY DISAPPOINTED bride on our honeymoon and throughout our first years of marriage. I had a "soap opera" idea of what my wedding night was going to be like. It turned out to be a disappointment. My husband didn't seem comfortable...

Bless for less: debt-free Christmas shopping strategies.
December 22, 2001... The thoroughbreds were getting anxious behind the starting gates as they waited for the sound of the bell. Despite warm coats, their foreheads glistened with sweat even as their breath created small, frosty clouds in the cold morning air. They...

Adding spice: expressing love to your sweetheart never tasted so good.(cookery as a way to improve marriage)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... WE'VE ALL HEARD IT: "The way to a man's heart is, through his stomach." Watching my husband's actions in the kitchen confirm that this adage is true. Allured to the stove by the aroma of whatever is simmering, he will lift the steamy lid, close...

The limits of fantasizing. (Real Sex).
December 22, 2001... Q. My husband and I have been married for twenty-four years. We are both Christians. We have a great sex life as well as a good relationship outside the bedroom. He enjoys talking to me during sex, and it is what he talks about that concerns...

He seems to hate me. (Couple Counsel).
December 22, 2001... Q. How much verbal abuse is a woman supposed to take from her husband? We have been married for ten years, and even before the marriage my friends and family would tell me about the horrible way he spoke to me, but I was deaf to it. Now I am...

This Isn't for quitters: why couples need stamina and courage for marriage. (View Point).(Brief Article)
December 22, 2001... Last summer when it got hot and steamy and I discovered that our air conditioning was on the blink, I made it only a couple of hours before I dragged my kids and the stroller off to the cool of the mall. I also take Tylenol at the first hint of...