Marriage Partnership articles from December 2006

Marriage Partnership archives from December 2006

A drift in sight.(from the editor)(Editorial)
December 22, 2006... The results were in, and I was stunned. On our website, www.marriagepartnership.com, we'd asked you to tell us if you ever felt neglected by your spouse. Of 885 respondents, 93 percent of you said yes. And 46 percent said you feel neglected...

On the rebound.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 22, 2006... I've been in a long-distance marriage for four years. Our separation is finally coming to an end, and reading "Bounce Back" (Fall 2006) has been an inspiration and an eye opener. I thought that once my husband and I are together we'll have no...

Romance reality.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 22, 2006... Your article "Baby, I Wouldn't Trade You for a Sow and Seven Pigs" reminded me of when my husband and I told my parents we were engaged. My dad made a joke about me being worth three pigs and a goat. The night before my wedding, my husband...

Happiness secrets.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 22, 2006... I wish I'd read "I Want to Be Happy" years ago. I'm a divorced woman who was married for 32 years. I, too, sought a change in my husband that would benefit us both. Although he was verbally abusive to me, if I'd known then what I've learned...

Be the best holiday guest.(couple minutes)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... 1. ALL HOSTS LOVE A SURPRISE GIFT--even your mother and sister-in-law. 2. BE WILLING TO PITCH IN, but instead of asking the harried host how you can help, volunteer to do a specific job such as loading the dishwasher or taking out the...

Praying heart to heart.(couples devotional)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... "We fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer."--Ezra 8:25 No amount of being religious can replace the time a couple spends in shared prayer. Research shows that COUPLES WHO FREQUENTLY PRAY TOGETHER ARE TWICE AS...

Spiritual connections.(couple minutes)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... One of the greatest gifts you can give your mate--and your marriage--is spiritual intimacy. Try these tips for sharing your inner selves: 1. TAKE THE RISK. Initiate a spiritual connection. Say, "I was reading the Bible today and saw...

Shoveling smart.(couple minutes)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... For many, winter means snow, and snow means shoveling. Before you and your spouse hit the driveway, consider these suggestions for comfort, efficiency-and safety. WAIT 1-2 HOURS AFTER EATING AND AVOID CAFFEINE to prevent overloading your...

Creative ways to get cozy.(couple minutes)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... You and your mate can feel extra-connected this winter with one of these heat-generating snuggle moves. THE SOFA SNUGGLE: Put a spin on spooning. Have your mate lie behind you. Bring your knees to your chest, curling your whole body up...

How do you and your spouse divide holiday time between your families?(couples times)
December 22, 2006... Growing up, my family had a tradition called "Home or Away." Each year if we had a "Home Thanksgiving" then we had an "Away Christmas." The next year was just the opposite, and so on. "Home" meant everyone was there-Grandma and Grandpa, 19...

Lose it-together!(couples times)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... You've tried pleading, begging, and nagging with no results. You can't motivate your spouse to lose weight, but you can set up a motivational and supportive environment using the following dos and don'ts. DO try to understand what's...

True success.(snapshot)(Patricia Heaton and David Hunt )(Interview)
December 22, 2006... Patricia Heaton, known for her role as Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, and her husband, actor/director David Hunt, are a Hollywood rarity-married 16 years in a culture where most change partners as frequently as they change roles. The...

The Invisible Bond.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2006... The Invisible Bond by Barbara Wilson (Multnomah). "It's just sex, what's the big deal?" That's a common response to the topic of premarital sex. But God created sex to be a bonding experience designed to bring a man and woman together as one:...

Married But Not Engaged.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2006... Married but Not Engaged by Paul and Sandy Coughlin (Bethany House). In this follow-up to Paul's first book, No More Christian Nice Guy, Sandy joins her husband to help couples understand not only why Christian men need to be "good" as opposed...

Tailor Made Marriage.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2006... Tailor-Made Marriage by Marita Littauer and Chuck Noon (Kregel). Your "children" are of the four-legged collar-wearing variety.... She brings home the bacon while you not only cook the dinner but clean up afterward.... Your marriage would be...

You said it!(between the covers)(Trent Dilfer)(Quotation)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... "People are often enamored with my Super Bowl ring. But it's my wedding ring that I'm most proud of. Having a good marriage takes even more work than winning a Super Bowl." --Trent Dilfer, Cleveland Browns quarterback

Creating beauty together.(that thing we do)(Heron Lake Studios)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... I First noticed Jerry Rabbitt when I saw him shaping beautiful pots on a potter's wheel at a street festival. His good looks and artistic talent caught my eye. After we married, I helped sell his crafts at art Fairs. Then our baby girl was born...

Short but sweet.(that thing we do)(compliments )(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... If you had only five minutes to talk to your mate, what would you say? TOO OFTEN WE TAKE EACH OTHER FOR GRANTED and assume our spouse will always be there. We go through our busy days leaving much unsaid that we'd really like to say. Why...

Finding more money: we were earning plenty. So why couldn't we pay the bills?(starting out)
December 22, 2006... "How much can I spend on groceries this week?" I asked Michael, my husband of one month. "I don't know," he answered casually. "Spend whatever you need to." I clenched my jaw. Having never been good with numbers, I always claimed I'd marry...

She puts me down.(couple counsel)
December 22, 2006... My wife puts me down all the time, especially in front of our kids and extended family. I've asked her to stop because it hurts and feels disrespectful, but she won't. What should I do? A. The Bible has a lot to say about love, honor, and...

Too much clutter! When our closets began to overflow, we had to make some tough choices.(work it out)
December 22, 2006... Kelly's side: He has too much junk Living in a small Cape Cod house without an attic or a garage doesn't leave us much storage space. Since the basement serves as a much needed workshop, everything finds its way into our closets upstairs....

A shelter from winter winds: when marriage moves into a cold season, there's still hope for spring.(twenty-four : seven)
December 22, 2006... It's discouraging," Marc said of his 24-year marriage. "We disagree on everything. We're both bull-headed, which has created conflicts and a coldness about our relationship." His wife, Marsha, chimed in, "Over the years we've both piled on the...

The hockey widower: my wife needed a teammate. And it was time for me to get in the game.(soul to soul)
December 22, 2006... I ran around the house doing 15 things at once, talking to myself as I did them. "Okay, don't forget to take out the garbage. Shovel the snow off the porch. You've got 10 minutes before the rinse cycle is done, then you can whip the load into...

The Christmas cold war: he liked lists; I liked surprises. Could we learn a new way to give?
December 22, 2006... It was the official beginning of another yuletide season, and preparing my list was the first step on the way to my annual shopping expedition. Although nothing makes me happier than combing every corner of the mall to select the perfect...

Marital drift: in pursuit of "the good life," busy couples can let everything take priority over the two most important things: God and marriage. Author David Goetz discusses how to make sure that doesn't happen.
December 22, 2006... In his small suburban office--the walls covered with photos of his wife of 15 years and crayon pictures, some framed, drawn by his three children--David Goetz's priorities are obvious. Yet Goetz claims that although it's easy to paste...

Keep sex fun with these 13 tips!
December 22, 2006... During an interview with Christian sex therapists Clifford and Joyce Penner, e-Harmony founder Neil Clark Warren asked, "What percentage of couples can attain a mutually satisfying sexual relationship?" The Penners responded, "100 percent...

Across the miles: with the right plan, distance couldn't keep us apart.
December 22, 2006... A year ago my husband, Bob, accepted a contract position half a continent from our home in Dallas. Mind you, grateful. Bob had been unemployed for a year, and our savings were exhausted. We'd been praying for a job, just not one that would keep...

With friends like these ... are your pals helping or hurting your marriage?
December 22, 2006... Just like many couples, Tom and Judith have three sets of friends--his, hers, and theirs. A few years ago, they had to face whether one of Tom's friends was also a friend of their marriage. Tom and his friend Jack had taken a camping trip...

Surviving holiday house guests.
December 22, 2006... Carolers are singing, the doorbell is ringing, and it's time for some holiday cheer. But wait! Before you open that door, are you absolutely sure of who is waiting for you on the other side? The holidays have a way of luring house guests, after...

A man and his tools: my wife and I define home improvement differently.
December 22, 2006... "A power I have, but of what strength and nature I am not yet instructed." --William Shakespeare Recently, I built a closet by sawing a hole in the wall between an upstairs hallway and our garage attic. To accomplish this, I borrowed...

Affairs of the mind: why romantic brain candy isn't all that sweet.(Viewpoint essay)
December 22, 2006... The tall, handsome man looks deeply into my eyes. My skin tingles as he pulls me toward him and gently lifts my chin. He leans down to kiss me... "Whoa, stop!" I tell myself, "This is a fantasy." After gaining so much ground in the...

Gotcha! A fun way to defuse conflict--and get something you want in the process.
December 22, 2006... I did it again. I made the mistake of asking my husband for help on some annoying glitch that came up one night while I was working on my computer. Wouldn't you know it, he made the mistake of being suckered into rescuing me. Considering our...

Ministry times two: for Eric and Jennifer Garcia, serving together and having a good marriage aren't accidental--they're intentional.(portrait of a marriage)(Association of Marriage and Family Ministries)
December 22, 2006... They were the two people least likely to end up a married couple. At least that's what Eric and Jennifer Garcia would have said when they were students in the same high school. Jennifer had frizzy red hair, braces, and sang with the...

Pressured to lose weight.(real sex)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... My husband has been withholding sex from me for the past two years to motivate me to lose the weight I gained from my pregnancy. I've tried to diet, but I feel so much pressure, I can't drop the pounds. What do I do? A. We wonder if he's...

Is he a sex addict?(real sex)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... Q. How do I know if my husband's a sex addict? We've been married a year and all he wants to do is have sex. Is this normal, or does he have a problem? A. Your husband is probably just a normal, horny male. Studies have found that men...

She reads trashy novels.(real sex)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... Q. My wife loves to read romance novels. Then she compares me to the men in those books. She makes comments about how unromantic I am or about how she wishes I'd do things like they do. Those men are fictional! How am I supposed to compete? ...

Make-up sex.(real sex)(Brief article)
December 22, 2006... Q. Every time my husband and I argue, he tries to initiate sex--as though making love will make our anger magically disappear. Why would he think that? And how can I get him to deal with the real issue at hand instead of jumping into bed for...

A perfect gift: it's now dog-eared, cracked, and faded, but it was ...(ever after)
December 22, 2006... The peaceful notes of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" drifted through my open window. Inside, the pine aroma from a sparkling Christmas tree filled the air. Warmth from a blazing fire should have added to the season's joy, but I glumly stared at...