Search Results for: blog what works on the court and in marriage

Keeping Your Marriage License Safe

Let’s play a game. How many of you know exactly where your marriage license is at this exact moment? No, don’t raise your hands – I can’t see you! Just think about it. Is it framed and hanging on your wall? Behind a plastic page protector in your scrapbook, right across from that glamour shot of you in your bridal gown? Or did it get put in that one drawer where everything ends up when you aren’t sure where to put it? Yes, you do too have one of those drawers. Everyone does, and there’s no point in denying it. … Continue reading →

Positive About Marriage

Since the last few articles have been about negatives and divorce statistics, I thought it was time we had a couple of positive stories of marriages that have stood the test of time. The first is a couple who recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. If 64 sounds like an odd number of married years to celebrate it could be because Bruce and Isabel are 88 and 84 respectively and maybe they figure one you get to that age you never know how long you’ll be round so you may as well as celebrate each milestone along the way. It … Continue reading →

Short Term Contract Marriages?

Will we soon see short term contract marriages? Will we see couples contracting to marry for three years or five years, and then with an option to renew, instead of till death us do part? That’s the question Mick raised recently. And no, I don’t for a moment think he’s ready to trade me in or regretting ours is a life contract. It’s more a reflection of the way society is going. We live in a disposable society. Most major appliance manufacturers tell you they have a life of around 5-8 years – a situation I find laughable. Who can … Continue reading →

Marriage Quiz

Do you want to get a clearer picture of your marriage and your spouse? Try this quiz. Better still, both you and your spouse do the quiz. Separately of course, and then compare answers later. 1. What is your spouse’s favorite color? 2. What is your spouse’s favorite movie? 3. What is your spouse’s favorite song? Is it your song? 4. Would your spouse be able to buy you something you like in the way of jewelry or clothes? a. always, b. mostly c. sometimes d. occasionally e. never 5. Would you be able to buy your spouse something they’d … Continue reading →

The Creator and the Created

This week I’m going to tell you about a book I’ve recently read. It has been published since 2006 but I only just now caught up with it courtesy of the library. The author wasn’t one I was familiar with but having read this book I am likely to read more of her work. The Novelist by Angela Hunt is about Jordan Casey who has written a number of Rex Tower novels. While teaching a writing course at a local community college she is challenged by one of her students that she is not investing enough of herself into her … Continue reading →

Secret of a Lasting Marriage

Want to know the secret of a lasting marriage? I’m guessing you do if you’re here. Sydney and Betty Cooper, an Australian couple who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary recently had differing views about how to achieve this milestone. Sydney Cooper said, ‘the secret was more on Betty’s part than mine.’ But then he went on to add these wise words, ‘talk things over before making decisions, try a little tenderness and work as a team.’ The thing that struck Betty initially, from the time she first met Sydney, was his ‘thoughtfulness,’ and ‘courtesy. Thoughtfulness and courtesy carry over into … Continue reading →

Spotlight on Two Families.com Wives: Dale Harcombe and Jade Walker

I’ve had some news regarding both ladies that I’ve wanted to share, but I wasn’t sure how to frame it in a blog until this morning. I hope once you read the following, you’ll join me in extending well wishes to them both. Dale If you follow Dale’s work over in the Christian Blog, you might have seen Valorie’s post “Our Prayers are with Dale.” It pretty much sums up what Valorie had written to me in a private email when she explained why I’d be flying solo the next month or so here in Marriage. Dale had broken her … Continue reading →

A Short Summary of Life and Marriage

Ther is a legend that Ernest Hemingway, once wrote a whole story in six words. This sparked an idea where online magazine Smith decided to run a six-word memoir contest. Entries poured in by the thousands, some from established writers like Joyce Carol Oates, and others from writers who had never been published. It resulted in the Not Quite What I Was Planning Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure which I reviewed. As I read, some made me cry. Others made me laugh. Some left me confused. In an article by Mem Fox about writing a picture book, she … Continue reading →

What Works on the Court and in Marriage

Playing tennis can teach us something about marriage. When Mick and I partner each other at tennis and the opposition drops a short ball I tend to say ‘up, up, up’. He always found it helpful when we played competition tennis. The number of ‘ups’ was indicative of how fast he needed to move on the court. Even though we’re playing social tennis now and enjoy it, we’re still out there to try and win. Throughout the game we encourage each one when one of us hits a good shot and encourage each other to keep going when either of … Continue reading →

Marriage and Spiritual Quests

Are you and your spouse of the same faith? Did you convert to his religion in order to marry, or did she convert to yours? (If you came from different ones.) Or maybe neither of you had one before marriage and adopted one together. Or maybe you didn’t. Right after Wayne and I first got married I’d pass churches and feel guilty I didn’t have a religion. “Maybe we should see about finding a church?” I once ventured. “Maybe we shouldn’t. Why start going now anyway? You never wanted to before.” I couldn’t put my finger on what was happening … Continue reading →