It is your child’s birthday. You have purchased a new bike that he has been talking and dreaming about non-stop. But first you bring out his favorite cake with candles lit and ready for him to blow out. He proclaims, “I love this kind of cake. Thank you. This is great!” You respond with, “You’re…
DetailsI learned an important lesson last week. We were cleaning out some things from our downstairs and had put in a pick-up call to Goodwill. As my wife was giving them a list regarding any larger items, which included two TVs, she discovered that they don’t accept TVs anymore. She assured them that they are…
DetailsThere is a tribe in South America that has discovered a creative way to catch monkeys. Taking a large gourd with a long narrow neck, they put fruit inside it and place it in an area frequented by monkeys. When a monkey smells the fruit, they instinctively go the gourd, look inside and, seeing the…
DetailsI once read about a women’s conference where the speaker asked the women, “How many of you love your husband?” Every one raised their hands. Then she asked, “When the last time was that they had told your husband that they loved him?” Some responded, “this morning,” others – “last week,” and still others –…
DetailsWhat are your anchors? Huh? What are your anchors? Now you may be thinking, “Hmm, what weighs me down? Well there are certainly the bills, the job, holiday dinners at the in-laws, and those annoying parent-teacher conferences at the kid’s school.” But I am not talking about heavy things from which you feel there is…
DetailsI want you to imagine that you just won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes. Ok – before you decide how to spend it all, keep imagining with me. So the Sweepstakes people show up to your house in an armored truck and deliver your winnings to you not in a check but in $100 bills. …
DetailsThere is hardly any subject that is potentially more contentious for couples than the topic of money. Often this is related to a difference in financial management styles. For example, it may be that you are a “saver” who plans ahead for purchases, while your spouse is more likely to be motivated by a “sale”…
DetailsIn the beginning of our marriage, we probably said, as a part of our wedding vows, “For better for worse.” Very simply, we declare these words to our spouse because we will have “better” times and we will certainly have “worse” times as well. But when the more difficult times come, how do we respond?…
Details“We used to hide and sneak up on each other and say ‘Boo.” “I’ll never forget the time she accidently got me wet with the hose out in the backyard. I went and grabbed the super-soaker – and the battle was on.” “I loved it when he would call me each day at lunchtime and…
DetailsWho does the dishes in your house? It may be you, your spouse, the kids, or even the dog I suppose if you leave the dishes on floor. For lots of families this can be a point of contention. As kids I remember we would do anything we could to get out of doing the…
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