“What is phubbing?” you ask. Great question. Hold that thought. Now picture this. You are enjoying coffee with a friend and having a great conversation. Then you hear buzzing. And without saying a word your friend glances at their phone. Their expression changes and maybe they mumble “just a minute” and quickly type a text message. Then your friend sighs, …
Self-Care: Good for You and Your Marriage
When you hear the words self-care what comes to mind? Perhaps you envision an aromatherapy candle burning, soft music, and a massage. Maybe you think of an early morning run, a quiet walk in the park, or a Saturday afternoon curled up with a good book. Self-care is the idea of taking responsibility for your own physical, mental, and emotional …
Will You Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing in Your Marriage?
Where is spiritual growth on your to-do list? It’s no secret; you have a lot to do. You and everyone else in the world. There are so many demands on our time, in fact, that the time we have with our spouses is highly limited. Distractions don’t leave, either, just because you’re under the same roof with your spouse. Kids …
Declutter Your Marriage in Fifteen Minutes a Day
Decluttering your marriage is a little like decluttering your house. As you navigate the hustle and bustle of life, certain things tend to pile up around the house. It’s not that you don’t notice things are out of place. You’re just choosing to get everyone where they need to be. And you are making sure they have what they need when they …
Strengthen Your Marriage: Cut Overhead and Maximize Profits
There is a business principle that might ring true for your marriage: Overhead can eat right through profits. Think about what’s happened at Amazon.com. Because its streamlined structure cuts out a lot of normal business expense, the online giant is making massive profits. Customers shop from home, which reduces labor costs that come with staffing brick-and-mortar stores. Many experts think this is the …
Adding a Little Flavor to Your Marriage
Why is there pumpkin spice flavor in everything? From lattes to cereal, yogurt to rice cakes, this popular flavor, which actually has no pumpkin in it, seems to be everywhere this time of year. (If you don’t believe us, then check out this ranking of 124 pumpkin spice products.) Flavors and smells can evoke strong memories. Perhaps the popularity of …
Rake Often to Keep Your Marriage From “Fall”ing Apart
It’s the same goal every year. This Fall, you think to yourself, I am actually going to stay on top of keeping the leaves out of my yard. Good intentions are the road paved to…lots of leaves. They seem so harmless when the air begins to turn a bit more crisp and the foliage that’s most excited to leave the company of …
What My GPS Watch Has Taught Me about Marriage
Principles that keep your body well can do the same for your relationship. About a month ago I got a new GPS watch to help keep track of my runs. I waited for about a year, trying to find something that would do what I wanted without breaking the bank. I finally found the one I wanted and I have …
Contentment in Marriage: Managing Money and Time
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” …