Fast Free Immediate Help For Marriages: Read

Yep, that’s my profound advice today for husbands and wives wanting a better marriage; start reading. In fact, schedule once a week to read for 15 minutes on the topic of successful marriages.  By taking in some information about marriage, just a few minutes a week, what works, what doesn’t’, what others are struggling with, what seems to be helpful...etc. this can make a positive difference in your own marriage. 

Make reading a habit when things are going well in your relationship and you will have stored great information in your head or favorites list on your computer for when things are not going so well.

When we face challenges in our marriages we can get anxious and want answers.  I have found immediate ideas that may help me solve my relationship issue when reviewing what others have say about it. These ideas are only a mouse click away. (But, duh… remember that you can’t trust everything you read on the Internet)

An excellent website to start with: http://www.smartmarriages.com it is full of great articles and good information.

Dads!

So thankful that father’s day causes me to pause and reflect on the great dad I have.  Dads are so important in a girl’s life.  It is no secret that our early relationship with our fathers has a strong influence on how we perceive God and what kind of husbands we choose.

My dad was fun; he was a preacher but never stuffy, pious or arrogant.  He played with us, laughed with us, and allowed us to be ourselves.  I remember at five years old he rode the Ferris wheel with us and when we reached the top, he convinced us to take off our shoes and throw them down towards our mom sitting on the park bench below.

One of his best traits was teasing us and then, as we got older, allowing us to tease him, one of my very favorite things.  For example, my dad pronounces bagel as baggle, and we laugh every time. (Oh, the examples are endless)

Thanks Dad for your influence in my life.

Too Cheerful

In the past couple months I have been told twice that I am too cheerful.  (And no, I’m not on drugs.) “Yeah, you kinda need to bring it down a notch,” said one woman.  Okay that hurt, I instantly became defensive thinking, what’s so bad about being cheerful? (I wanted to say in my meanest voice, “oh yeah, at least I’m not ugly.”  Then stick out my tongue, not very nice.)  I would take cheerful over cranky any day.  I did not like hearing someone criticize my personality.  These encounters made me feel small, and flung open the door to my insecurities.

                                                    

This makes me consider how to deal with the disapproval of others.  I must confess, I still want everyone to like me.  But that isn’t the reality of life.  There will always be people that don’t like me, don’t get me, don’t approve of me…. Sigh.

That’s why it’s important to know how to embrace my value.  Once in awhile I have to be my biggest fan.  I must remember my worth comes from God.  He made me and loves me regardless.

Passing on the Left!

I commute to work and I love finding safe and legal ways to pass the slower drivers so I can get ahead in order to get to my destination quicker.  I often hear myself say out loud to other drivers, “come on let’s get there already!”  It reminds me that I am not a fan of the cliche, “Enjoy the journey.”   

Very often we grow impatient, irritated at the time it takes to reach whatever our goal or destination is.  We look for short cuts to just get us there.  This can be troublesome when it comes to our relationships. 

Good relationships take time, they don’t develop instantaneously.  Good relationships get good by individuals experiencing life together, facing difficulties, triumphs, disasters, and occasional boredom.  Life over time provides us with the ingredients needed to figure out what works and more importantly, what doesn’t. 

So stop insisting you have to have the perfect relationship NOW. Settle in, keep your heart and mind open to learn as you go along, watch, listen and look for the gifts along the way.