Of Buckets, Mops, and Grace
Grace within the family involves giving of ourselves. Time, energy, and attentiveness represent the currency of the gift of self. As we give our time, energy, and attentiveness to our family members,...
View ArticleThe Lost Art of Sacrifice in the Family
William Doherty notes that family member’s made personal sacrifices to assure their family’s well-being, stability, and overall security in the past. During the 1900’s, this focus shifted away from...
View ArticleProtecting Your Child From Depression, Part 2
Children receive a series of immunizations to protect them from various diseases. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could immunize our children against depression? After all, a growing number of people...
View ArticlePromoting Greatness in the Family
Today is Martin Luther King Day. I love so much of what Martin Luther King said. I read this quote from MLK on the MLK Day of Service website: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are...
View ArticleChildren & Pressure: What’s a Parent To Do?
Our children face multiple pressures. They live in a world where significance is idolized, recognition (being number 1) is sought with great fervor, and self-worth is determined by performance. Those...
View ArticleToday’s Family Question Is…
Janet Jackson asked “What Have You Done For Me Lately?” (1986 version). In this song, she wondered out loud about why her lover was not honoring her the way he used to honor her. Did you ever ask that...
View ArticlePay It Forward…The Surprising “Rest of the Story” For Your Family
We all know and love the “pay it forward” stories. Just last Christmas (2013), a customer at Starbucks generously paid for the order of the next person in line, who also paid for the person in line...
View ArticleForget the Flowers & Do the Dishes
A recent study in the Journal of Family Psychology by Matthew Johnson and two other authors (Read abstract here) suggests an association between a husband’s willingness to serve and the couple’s sexual...
View ArticleIncrease Your Spouse’s Sexual Desire
A study recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (Read Article Abstract Here) revealed a simple way to increase your spouse’s sexual desire for you…and you can do it...
View ArticleHappy Wife, Happy Life…& The Rest of the Story!
A recent study of 1,981 middle age heterosexual couples supports the saying, “happy wife, happy life” plus more! What could be more? Well, it’s not just about wives. “Happy husband, happy life.”...
View ArticleTeach Your Children to Live Happy
I’m always on the lookout for ways to promote happiness in my family and teach my children how to live happy lives (Family Fun Night). Researchers from the University of Zurich just added another tool...
View ArticleA Paradoxical Way to Strong Family
In a previous post I mentioned that the best family advice I’ve ever heard wasn’t even family advice. It was discipleship advice. And, it was given by a man who was single and even alienated from His...
View ArticleFamily Happiness in 1938 AND Today
The year: 1938. The question posed by the Bolton Evening News: “What does happiness mean to you and yours?” Bolton is a town in northwest England. Bolton “reached it’s zenith in 1929” with over 200...
View ArticleDona Nobis Pacem: Grant Us Peace
My wife, my daughter, and I went to a choral concert presented by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh entitled PEACE. We heard several composers’ choral renditions of Dona Nobis Pacem: Grant Us Peace. We...
View ArticleGenerosity Can Save Your Marriage!!
Every now and again, I bring home flowers for my wife. (Now that I think about it, maybe I should do that today.) We put them in a vase with water and enjoy them…until they wilt. We also have flowers...
View ArticleSacrifice is Necessary in Marriage…BUT It’s Not All the Same
Marital happiness and stability require sacrifice. In fact, you have to Give It Up to Lift Up Your Marriage. An act of sacrifice communicates value to your spouse and commitment to your marriage. Acts...
View ArticleThe Power of “How Can I Help You?”
You have at your disposal a powerful question that can strengthen your family relationships. It’s a simple question: “How can I help you?” Of course, there are variations: “What can I do for you...
View ArticleA Radical Valentine’s Day Gift for Your Spouse
We use the word “love” so often and in so many contexts that it has lost its meaning. After all, I love cheesecake, I love sunny days, AND I love my wife. Hopefully, my love for cheesecake (which...
View ArticleWill You Take the 30-Day Clandestine Marriage Challenge?
You can support your spouse and your marriage in at least two ways. One, you can offer support in a very visible way. This way often involves receiving some acknowledgment or fanfare in return....
View ArticleGo Ahead, Sweat the Small Stuff
I know we’re told to not sweat the small stuff. And sometimes that is absolutely correct. But, when it comes to marriage, better start sweating the small stuff. In fact, sweating the small stuff might...
View Article