We have all heard the phrase ‘recurring conflict;’ but, before I got married, I did not understand the drain they put on your relationships. Eric and I were both so excited about getting married. Like any engaged couple, we looked forward to the future and wondered where we would be in five, ten, twenty, and fifty years. We said our vows, exchanged rings, took our honeymoon, and then came home to.... life. It was not mystical. There were no magical forest animals around to help me with chores. The workday still came and went. Perhaps the Disney-lover in me was disappointed that my fairy … [Read more...]
Creating New Friendships Together
Eric and I have different methods to making friends. He is will take the initiative and get to know new people while I hang back and wait for life to bring me together with others. He will approach new couples at church and talk to them while I wait for a Bible Study or ministry opportunity to naturally pair me with new people. He’s proactive and I’m reactive. ~smile~ I’m aware that it takes all kinds of people to make the world go round. It would be rough if we were all leaders; we would all stand around and argue about who gets to be in charge and whose plan is better. If we were all … [Read more...]
How Connecting with Friends Prepares you for Marriage
“Marriage is for adults.” That seems like an obvious statement, but all too often couples dive into marriage before they are “fully grown” emotionally. There is a reason we don’t pop out of the womb and immediately get married. We have to grow, learn, develop, and prepare for marriage – and friends are some of the best marriage preparation agents we could hope to find. Years ago, before I left for college, I remember a rather intense day trip with two of my friends. One of the three of us was simply not seeing eye-to-eye with the other two. She was edgy, cantankerous, easily angered, and … [Read more...]
Connecting with your Sweetie’s Friends
Eric has some terrific friends – some solid, God-fearing, edifying friends. They are top-notch husbands and fathers and I am so glad they are not afraid to be honest with Eric (and vice versa, of course ~smile~). Eric was the first in his group of friends to get married; so, in the beginning, we were the “old married couple” and our single friends would come over for birthday parties and game nights. But a few short years later, they all got married and had children. So, our time together is not the same. We have to be intentional to make sure we all see each other. One of his friends lives … [Read more...]