Archive for June, 2012
(Reader’s Tip) Spend time every day thinking of reasons you love your spouse. You’ll never struggle to remember why you married him or her.
It’s well known that a marriage can suffer, at least for a while, when the first child is born. But marital dissatisfaction is not a given. A respected researcher says that couples can take a few simple steps to minimize the problem.
Every couple has at least one issue, seemingly minor, that they simply can’t seem to agree about. For Sara and Justin it’s what color to paint the walls in their new home. Read how they resolve their differences.
(Reader’s Tip) Choose your battles. Every little thing isn’t worth an argument.
(Reader’s Tip) Try to attend a weekday Mass together once in a while, perhaps on a special day such as your anniversary. It that’s not possible, take time to pray together.
Stacey and Josh are finding that extra pounds don’t disappear as fast as they once did. It’s time to be more intentional about watching what they eat.
(Reader’s Tip) Speak to your spouse the way you would to a stranger or a co-worker. Be kind.
Are you sending a card to a new bride and groom? Include your favorite tip for a happy marriage—it can be serious, humorous or thought-provoking
“(T)his is my body…This is my blood.” (Mk. 14:23-24) The marriage covenant calls us to give our body to our spouse and endure suffering on our beloved’s behalf – just as Christ did for us. Bless and caress each other’s bodies today. They are holy.
How big is your family? Who lives farthest away? Who haven’t you heard from in a while? Reconnect with a family member this week. In-laws count.
Pope Benedict XVI answered questions and offered advice to five couples at the recent World Meeting of Families in Milan. He touched on such topics as balancing home and work; growing in love through the stages of marriage; and the Church’s duty to support couples who have divorced and remarried.
Couples who wish to marry in the Catholic Church are advised to contact the parish priest of the bride or groom to get the process started. But couples move around and they may not know what parish they’re in. Fr. Rice explains how everyone is part of a parish.
Do you tend to talk more than listen? Just for today, try to listen to your spouse as much as you talk to them.
(Reader’s Tip) Praise your spouse for something today, even if it’s something small.
Sara and Justin attend their first birthing class, and Sara finds there’s such a thing as too much information.
Scripture tells us to “humbly regard others as more important than yourselves” (Phil 2:3). What act of humility can you practice in your marriage today?
Six months after the big move from Oregon to Indiana, Josh looks back on the risks he and Stacey took in order to do what they believed to be God’s will for their family.
At times, we all need our space. Do you and your spouse have a place where you can each go for some alone time?
(Reader’s Tip) We serve each other when we least feel like it. It is the small sacrifices like running to the store to get a treat for your spouse when you’d rather stay home.
“(B)ehold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20) No matter how old you are, ponder what it might be like to grow older with your beloved. None of us know the number of days we have. Cherish each other now.
Parenting can be all-consuming. Periodically take time for activities that have nothing to do with your child – visit a friend, renew a hobby and, especially, reconnect with your spouse. You will feel refreshed and more responsive to your children
Can spouses’ sense of general satisfaction with life predict what sort of marriage they have? How does one’s satisfaction with life interrelate with one’s relationships? These are questions Denver University researchers are seeking to explore.
Elders enrich the life of their families. They should be cherished, not merely tolerated (Follow the Way of Love). What have you learned about marriage from an older family member?