Marriage Partnership articles from January 2005

Marriage Partnership archives from January 2005

Code Katrina.(getting ready for emergencies)(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... If you and your spouse are anything like my husband and me, you were glued to the television set watching the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina bash the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. In a way, Katrina's destruction brought back feelings...

Make a getaway!(couple minutes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Has "date night" become dreary? Try these suggestions to spice up your time together: House swap. Switch houses with a friend overnight. If you send your kids to the neighbor's house and the two of you stay home, you'll want to clean. So...

Beyond "I'm sorry".(couples devotional)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... "They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them.... But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love (Nehemiah 9:17). Greg and I couldn't resolve our...

You said it!
January 1, 2005... Ruth and I are happily incompatible.

"Couple" holiday tradition?.(What's Your Favorite)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... My husband, Richard, and I hold a "leftover party" the day after Thanksgiving to celebrate with family, neighbors, and friends we weren't able to see on the holiday. It's a great way to get rid of the leftovers too! We play board games,...

Candle caution.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Love snuggling with your mate in the soft glow of candlelight? Don't forget these basic safety rules from the National Candle Association: 1. To prevent tall flames and smoking, trim wicks to a quarter of an inch before every use. ...

A little healthy competition.(The Fitness Challenge board game for married couples )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Here's good news for getting healthy and dropping those dreaded holiday pounds--together. A new board game can actually help married couples get fit. Unlike traditional board games that involve sitting for hours at a time, The Fitness...

Laugh it up.(sense of humor and relationships)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The next time you feel like rolling your eyes at your mate's corny jokes, you may want just to laugh with him instead. A study from McMaster University in Canada reveals that men love women with a sense of humor and strongly crave...

Pulling together.(Fernando Ortega and his wife Margee talk about their failed adoption)(Interview)
January 1, 2005... Singer/songwriter Fernando Ortega's music and ministry have inspired Christians world-wide, and his recent album, "Fernando Ortega," is no exception. Much of the power behind the songs arises from his willing ness to dig deep, sharing from...

Taking the plunge.(skiing to learn how to make compromises)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... My husband, Jim, and I met at a ski retreat for our church's singles group. Even though I'd never skied before, I gave it a shot. Although Jim was already a seasoned skier, it was just a matter of time before I was right by his side, sloshing...

Can work pull you closer?(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Yes! Surprisingly, being a dual-income couple does your marriage good, says relationship expert Angela Watrous. Here's why: 1. Teamwork. You're both bringing home paychecks and contributing to your future together, which strengthens your...

The Intimate Mystery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... In this simple yet profoundly reflective book, Allender and Longman examine important biblical ideas about the nature of marriage, exploring the rich implications of leaving (all past loyalties), weaving (hearts through communion), and...

Child-proofing Your Marriage.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... Couples tend to think, After the kids are gone, we'll get to be a couple again. So they use that as an excuse to put the marriage on hold while they focus on parenting. But in many cases, that decision can backfire, and by the time the kids...

The Debt Diet.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... Need to lose a few pounds of debt? In her humorous and easy-to-understand style, financial expert and MP regular contributor Ellie Kay delivers a "debt diet" you can stick to. She not only offers realistic solutions to reduce what you owe,...

Another reason to kiss.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Smooching releases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals in your brain. The saliva also washes away bacteria that cause cavities, and one French kiss tones all 34 facial muscles to keep you looking young. Plus, you burn two calories per...

Hand in hand.
January 1, 2005... If you love strolling hand in hand with your mate, even when there's a chill in the air, here's the perfect solution: Slip on a Smitten. The heart-shaped red fleece mitten-for-two allows you all the romance without the discomfort of frozen...

Tell me no lies.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive." Shakespeare understood that human nature leans toward lies. But to your spouse? According to a survey of 1,010 households, 37 percent of couples admitted yes, they'd lied to each...

Power of two.(usefulness of power of attorney in case of incapacitativeness)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Suppose you or your spouse were in a car accident and hospitalized for weeks? Who would pay the bills? This isn't a problem if most of your assets are held in joint names or if either of you could easily pay the family's bills out of your own...

Spiritually lacking: our marriage was good, so we put God on the back burner. Big mistake.
January 1, 2005... When I was single, I began each morning on my couch, tea in hand, my journal, Bible, and Bible study piled onto my lap. I soaked up the peace and quiet of time alone with God. Responsible to no one but myself, it was easy to spend consistent...

Winter woes.(couple counsel)
January 1, 2005... Q. EVERY WINTER MY wife becomes extremely emotional and depressed. The only reason I can figure is that she's affected by the lack of sun and the dreary days and weather. Could that be true? A. It sounds as though your wife is suffering...

In-law overload: when visiting family, Carol and Kevin Heffernan had to redefine downtime.
January 1, 2005... Carol's side: I need more space! On December 23 Kevin and I arrived at his parents' house to celebrate our first holiday as a married couple. After a five-hour drive, a late arrival, and a hearty welcome, I was eager to catch more than a...

Making our own way: our childhood Christmas traditions didn't work for us. But why was finding new ones so difficult?
January 1, 2005... My wife, Donna, remembers only two things from her childhood Christmases--the year her older brother found Santa's stash in Mom's closet (which got all the kids in trouble), and the music ball. A round blue music box that hung from the...

Baby blues: when kids reveal problems in a marriage, it's time to make some changes.
January 1, 2005... I thought having a baby would draw my husband and me together and we'd be happy" the woman told me. "But since the baby came, our marriage has fallen apart. My husband doesn't understand why I'm so tired. He complains that I don't bake cherry...

2005 holiday gift guide.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... THE MESSAGE: NUMBERED EDITION Now, the most widely read paraphrase, The Message, comes with the most requested features, including: an exclusively designed verse numbering system, a new smaller size, handcrafted maps and charts, a bound...

The prayers that changed husbands: when Tami Chelew got serious about talking to God about her mate, she couldn't believe what happened.
January 1, 2005... Lord, please change Dan," Tami Chelew prayed--not once but many times during her 12-year marriage. Tami admits she was afraid her husband was slipping away from God. His life was filled with stress as he worked fulltime, attended graduate...

How sex points us to God: believe it or not, making love with your spouse is a spiritual--as well as a physical--exercise.
January 1, 2005... I was in junior high, walking toward a group of buddies, when my best friend came out of the circle and stopped me. "No," he said. "You don't want this." "What are you talking about?" I asked, hurt that this guy, of all people, would...

More than skin on skin: getting rid of the addictive distortion of sex.
January 1, 2005... What's the most disturbing thing we see our work as sex therapists? It's the addictive distortion of sex. Not just the pain of the husband who finds his wife is leaving him for a relationship she developed on chat lines, or a young wife who...

Sex without reservations: how to enjoy each other--completely.
January 1, 2005... What a sinking feeling when "buts" enter positive conversations. "Thanks for cleaning the bathroom, but..." "Great job with the kids, Hon, but..." As Christian sex therapists, we hear a lot of these "buts" attached to comments...

Clear and present danger: relational advisory for guys: giving these gifts can be hazardous.
January 1, 2005... Men, listen up. You may not know exactly what the little woman really wants for Christmas this year. In fact, we're pretty sure you have no clue. We don't, either. But we know 10 things she doesn't want. Before you buy anything on this list,...

Marriage in the Shadowlands: the marriage of C. S. Lewis to Joy Davidman took everyone by surprise. But what an intense and wonderful surprise their marriage became. An MP interview with Lewis's stepson Douglas Gresham.(Interview)
January 1, 2005... What an unlikely couple! C. S. ("Jack") Lewis was an Oxford professor and author who made a mark on Christianity that few have equaled. His classics include Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and Surprised by Joy, as well as the...

Catch-phrases: your secret code to defuse conflict.
January 1, 2005... Let's face it: opposites do attract--then annoy! That thing you first fell in love with really ticks you off after a while. That sexy, disheveled look now reminds you of a walking pigsty. The cute way she'd pout when she wanted you to do...

My husband's secret life: for 13 years of our marriage, John practiced a gay lifestyle. How could I ever trust or love him again?
January 1, 2005... On October 16, 1986, world turned upside down. I'd been my reared in a loving Christian home and had earned a teaching degree at a Christian college where I'd met John *, my husband of 13 years. I'd stayed home with our two children, Anne and...

Guilt from premarital sex.(real sex)
January 1, 2005... Q I'VE DEALT WITH GUILT that stems from years of premarital sex. Yet whether it's thoughts of former relationships or fears that I'll be hurt again, I find that my past still sometimes gets in the way of a healthy sex life with my spouse....

A new treatment: the way I responded to my wife's requests meant peace for both of us.
January 1, 2005... A few years ago, one of our sons Norma a gift certificate for her birthday. It entitled her to all-day beauty treatment at an expensive resort near our home. Norma filed it away for safe keeping and promptly forgot about it. More than a year...