If you had to grade your significant other based on the way he or she talks to you, what grade would you give? How would he or she score you? As we become comfortable in our relationships, the true content of our hearts shines through more readily. If we have the Holy Spirit living in us, our words and actions should reflect our Savior. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV) To hopefully save you and your honey much grief, here are ten phrases we … [Read more...]

Tomorrow is my special man’s birthday! This time two years ago, we were freshly home from the hospital just in time for his birthday party – a party I stressed about for a whole year. A party I almost had to cancel due to an initially small medical issue which turned into an eleven-day, three-surgery hospital stay. After that experience, any birthday without tubes, wires, and a husband writhing in pain is a happy birthday. Because his unexpected hospital stay pushed up dangerously close to his birthday party date – a party I was trying to keep a surprise as much as possible – I did not have … [Read more...]

Looking back over our thirteen years together, I can say without hesitation that miscommunication has been one of the greatest hindrances in our marriage. Sometimes, we have a long disagreement only to finally discover... we completely misunderstood each other. Other times, we leave a conversation thinking we are on the same page only to discover later... we are not! I guess that makes us a normal, married couple. ~smile~ The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. – George Bernard Shaw Communication, especially between men and women, takes learning … [Read more...]

If there is one aspect of marriage which caught Eric and me completely off guard, it was the dynamic our different drives would play in our relationship. Before we got married, I knew Eric loved to learn and had a driven personality, but I had no idea how that would influence our communication and ability to work together. We were in graduate school at the time; so, Eric did not have an accurate picture of my full personality. After marriage, he found out I am laid back, tend to procrastinate, and prioritize relationships rather than avenues typically associated with success (e.g., higher … [Read more...]