Marriage Partnership articles from March 2004

Marriage Partnership archives from March 2004

Where's my present?(From the Editor)
March 22, 2004... Recently a friend of mine e-mailed me some fictitious greeting cards from men. One read, "For a very special lady on the day alter her birthday." The inside continued, "My love for you grows every day. So now that it's the day after your...

A spiritual mismatch.(Letters)
March 22, 2004... I never see articles or books about how to live with a spiritually disinterested spouse. I've been living with one for years! It's wonderful to find an article, finally, with some advice and encouragement like your article "Spiritually Alone"...

When silence is golden.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 22, 2004... "To Neglect Is Divine" is certainly one of the best articles I've read. If it didn't change how I look at my husband, it at least put a dent in my self-righteousness This article is a keeper--one I'll read many times. Debbie Johannsen, New...

Money changers.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 22, 2004... I enjoyed "Cash Crunch" and the helpful links. The most profound and convicting point of the article was about finding another couple to hold us accountable financially. I realized how afraid we are to be transparent and lean on others. This...

Entering the "O" zone.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 22, 2004... Your article "Anti-Climax" was an incredibly encouraging and well-written gift? It's helped increase intimacy between my husband and me. Thank you for your desire to grow couples closer--in all dimensions! Melody, California

Love's secrets.(Couple Minutes)
March 22, 2004... According to romance and marriage expert Dr. Pat Love, it takes these 8 tips to keep your marriage vibrant. 1. Play up the positive. 2. It's the relationship, stupid. It's about seeing "the relationship" as a third separate component...

Common decency.(Couple Devotional)
March 22, 2004... "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness,...

You said it!(Couple Minutes)
March 22, 2004... "We love God best when we love each other well." --Steven Curtis Chapman, singer/songwriter "Being married is kind of like being a missionary to a very tiny tribe of one. You share yourself, you pour out your soul, you bless someone...

Spiritually mismatched with your in-laws?(Couple Minutes)
March 22, 2004... Are you and your spouse Christ-followers, but your in-laws aren't? If so, here are 9 things to keep in mind: 1. Pray before visiting them. Ask God for opportunities--and the right words--to speak about Christ. 2. Set an example. Your...

A kiss is just a kiss?(Couple Minutes)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Women are better kissers than men. At least that's what a recent Harlequin Romance survey suggests. Researchers asked 4,000 adults in 18 countries about kissing and found that 72 percent of men rated women as great kissers, whereas only 62...

Marriage partnership.com surveys: conflict busters.(Couple Minutes)
March 22, 2004... How do you and your spouse resolve conflict? Thirty-four percent of MP readers say they sit down and discuss their disagreement, according to a recent MP online survey of 932 people. More than a quarter (28 percent) say they yell at each...

Church matters.(Couple Minutes)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Here's good news for church-goers: a national 15-year study found that couples who attend church once a month or more are less than half as likely to divorce than those who rarely or never attend. Source: Spirituality & Health, July/August...

Laughs last.(Snapshots)(Interview)
March 22, 2004... If Chonda Pierce is the queen of Christian comedy, then her husband, David, is the behind-the-scenes king. Chonda, whose CDs and videos, including her recent video Have I Got a Story for You!, have kept women in stitches for years, says David's...

Great year-round dates.(Couple Minutes)
March 22, 2004... Try these inexpensive (or free) dates for every season! Spring: Easter egg hunt, botanical gardens, camping, canoeing, picnic in the park Summer: Fireworks, minor league--or little league!--baseball, swimming, eating ice cream,...

Swing fever.(That Thing We Do)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... When my husband, Jeff, and I were dating, one thing that attracted us to each other was our hove for vintage music and time periods. We met in our local theater and enjoyed singing, dancing, and the arts. Years later, after our second child...

You count at MP.(Couple Minutes)
March 22, 2004... Would you like to have a voice in shaping MARRIAGE PARTNERSHIP'S editorial content? Are there topics you'd love to see us tackle? Well, here's your chance to get involved. MARRIAGE PARTNERSHIP magazine invites you to join our "e-panel," a...

Every woman's battle.(Between the Covers)(Interview)
March 22, 2004... "At one time, I was having extramarital affairs with five different men." So opens Shannon Ethridge's book Every Woman's Battle,: Discovering God's Plan for Sexual and Emotional Fulfillment (WaterBrook Press). Shannon confides that the...

Tortoise and hare: was I too fast or was he too slow?(Starting out: what I wish someone had told me)
March 22, 2004... During our engagement, I remember gushing to an older married couple that ours would be an idyllic marriage because "Jeremy and I are so similar!" They smiled at each other; and the husband said, "You have plenty of time to discover your...

Are opposite-sex friends okay?(Couple Counsel)
March 22, 2004... Q. Before we were married, my wife had a lot of guy friends. Now that we're married, she wants to keep her friends and sees no problem going out for lunch with them or meeting them for coffee to "catch up." I'm uncomfortable with this. Am I...

No time for "us".(Couple Counsel)
March 22, 2004... Q. My wife is a student--and when she isn't in class, she's either sleeping or doing her homework. I feel that she doesn't make any time for me or our marriage. While I've brought up my feelings before, it only leads to fights. What should I...

He's a workaholic.(Couple Counsel)
March 22, 2004... Q. My husband has trouble setting work-related boundaries. He's also sensitive to criticism. I know he's deeply committed to our marriage and family, yet he tends to get distracted by work. How can I help him set aside more time for me and our...

Checks and balances: money was never a problem for Jim and Lisa Preuett--or so they had thought.(Work it out: real couples, real solutions)
March 22, 2004... Lisa's Side: I Don't Have the Energy Financially, Jim and I were well off. We always had enough money to pay the bills and some left over for "extras." But our problem was with balancing our checking account! Jim traveled frequently...

Language lessons: to be a successful lover, you have to communicate with and without words.(24/7: doing marriage God's way)
March 22, 2004... I'm desperate," Mark told me when he entered my office. "My wire told me she doesn't love me, and she wants me out of her life. I don't understand. I've been a good husband. We have a nice house and wonderful children. I love Suzanne: I tell...

Fighting words: on the brink of battle, an Old Testament king turned to God. Here are the surprising marriage lessons I learned from his prayer.(Soul to soul: where faith and marriage meet)
March 22, 2004... I'm feeling battle weary," my friend Cindi told me the other day. "My husband and I are dealing with so many issues right now--family conflicts, health problems. I wake up every morning and just try to put one foot in front of the other." ...

Photographic memories: how to preserve your romantic history together.
March 22, 2004... No matter how long you've been married, couple has threads of shared experiences that weave them together. You no doubt remember your first date. How about the night you were engaged? My husband and I swore we would never forget a single minute...

Dynamic duo: live the adventure of serving side-by-side.
March 22, 2004... It was a simple blurb in our church bulletin: "Volunteers needed for youth ministry." As a newly married 20-something, I thought working with teenagers sounded like fun. And I wanted to get involved in our church's ministry. But the position...

A marriage revolution: by practicing what we believe, Christian marriages can transform our society.
March 22, 2004... Between the high number of divorces--particularly among Christians--and now the new furor over redefining the institution of marriage to include same-sex partners, it seems that traditional marriage as God designed it is under attack. ...

Gifts that give back: 10 surprising ways to affirm your mate--and reap the benefits!
March 22, 2004... Admit it. When someone appreciates you, it feels good. We're honored and valued, which makes our workplace woes, parenting perplexities, and everyday enigmas fade. And if carefully chosen words, deeds, or small tokens encourage and inspire us,...

Mad about you!: how to make anger work for your marriage.
March 22, 2004... Steve and Karen had been married two years, and both expressed love for each other and a commitment to their marriage. When they came to us for counseling, it didn't take long for one of their core concerns to emerge: Steve struggled with...

Just an act: I was ignoring my wife, except for sex--and it was destroying us.
March 22, 2004... Waking groggily, I felt Jane roll toward me and put An arm on my shoulder. Taking this as a cue, I started to kiss her. "Stop!" Jane said as she rolled away. "You look so cute in the morning," I said, hoping for a response. But she only...

Water, water everywhere: and nary a moment to think. How would my husband handle my latest remodeling disaster?
March 22, 2004... "Marsha," my husband, Tom, said, "you've ruined every place we've ever lived, and I'm tired of it." "I think 'ruin' is a bit strong," I said. "You don't call 72 nail holes in three walls of our first apartment ruining." "No, I call it...

Dangerous crossing: how to keep your marriage footings as your blended family becomes one.
March 22, 2004... If you were injured and trying to reach a safe place would you step onto a rickety, swinging bridge? That's a fair description of too many second marriages. When the remarriage creates a blended family--in Which at least one of the spouses...

I had an affair: my husband wasn't making me happy. So why not look elsewhere for intimacy?(Back from the brink: true story of how a marriage was saved)
March 22, 2004... I don't know exactly when my affair started. My marriage of eight years had brought me three wonderful children and a beautiful home. While I'd like to say it brought me happiness, too, I couldn't. I questioned the direction of my career, I...

How often is normal?(Real Sex)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Q. I think having sex once a week is fine; my wife thinks that's abnormal and that I have a problem. All her girlfriends tell her how annoying it is that their husbands want sex all the time. So she feels I don't want her, that there must he...

Are dirty words okay?(Real Sex)
March 22, 2004... Q. My husband and I use dirty words while we're making love. But we're not "cursing" at each other. While I'm aware the Bible says we should let no unclean thing come from our mouths, Jesus also said it isn't words alone that make a man...

Speeding up orgasm.(Real Sex)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Q. Whenever my husband and I have sex, it usually takes me 45 minutes or more to climax. Then I feel guilty because it takes me so long. Is there anything I can do to have an orgasm quicker? A. Forty-five minutes of sexual togetherness...

Emotions of the heart.(Real Sex)
March 22, 2004... Q. After the birth of our second child, my wife began to feel that she had no "romantic" love for me. She became more distant and our sex life dropped off We began counseling, and she revealed her lack of feelings along with her decision not to...

Lessons from on high: okay, so climbing on the roof was a bad idea. But I learned something from it.(Ever after: marriage for a lifetime)
March 22, 2004... It was 8:40 A.M. Sunday morning and I was on top of the roof of our new house wondering exactly how I was going to get down! Let me explain. As my wife, Amy, and I were leaving for church, Amy realized we'd forgotten something. While I don't...