Christmas is one of the most romantic times of year. At least that’s how it appears on Hallmark holiday movies and all the recent knock-offs. The plots are similar. Key characters are lonely. But there is a prospect for romance, either new or rekindled. Then some great challenge threatens to end the would-be couple’s relationship. But in the course of …
My husband and I were taking our evening stroll. We like to walk and talk and hold hands. Because we are relatively new to the neighborhood, these daily walks provide opportunities to chat and get to know people better. And since Ken is in the process of tidying up the landscaping around our home, so he enjoys discovering which varieties …
It was Thanksgiving weekend many years ago, and my sisters and I were at mom and dad’s house for the holiday. We were sitting around talking and my dad said, “I know what gift I want for Christmas this year.” That stopped the conversation. Dad rarely asked for anything. And selecting a gift for him was always a challenge. “I …
When you decide to get married, you start making plans. And after you marry, you keep making plans. But you know what they say. Life is what happens while you are making plans. My husband and I had a five year plan when we married. We knew what we wanted to do and where we wanted to be. And we …
Recently I flew to visit my mother and took advantage of free on board wi-fi to catch up on emails. My husband was traveling in Africa, and we connected by Face Time just long enough for me to tell him I was on a plane and would try to reach him later. I looked at my phone, and felt incredibly …
Almost 20 years ago, my husband and I moved to a country in Eastern Europe that had just gone through a war. Orientation to our adopted home included land mine recognition training. So the first time I heard singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson’s “Dancing in the Minefields” I had a weird flashback. The song is about marriage. And while the first line of the …
When we marry, the Bible says that two become one. That oneness is one of the many beautiful blessings of marriage. Yet it is not always easy to maintain as we contend with our individual wants and needs…. Early spring in Chicago is usually quite chilly, especially when the wind is brisk. My husband and I had been married for …
Managing Money We have been attending Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University in recent weeks. Even though my husband and I have been married for 31 years, we are still working at refining this whole money management thing in our marriage. Apparently we are not alone. If this is a challenge for you, keep reading. If not, skip down to “Managing Time” …
