Archive for ‘For Every Marriage Feature Story’
Stages of Growth in Marriage
Social scientists have observed that marriages typically move through a series of at least four stages. Each stage presents unique learning opportunities and blessings, along with challenges and obstacles.
Not Tonight, Honey: Dealing With Desire Discrepancy
Are husbands and wives doomed to frustration if one spouse wants to make love more frequently than the other? As with most things in marriage, it’s a matter of loving effort and compromise.
Just Because You’re Quiet Doesn’t Mean You’re Listening
While listening takes as much skill as talking and it’s just as big a part of communicating, it’s something most of us have not been well schooled to do. We were taught something about trying to make ourselves understood when communicating, but nothing about opening ourselves to receiving messages from others with as little judgment as possible.
The Heart of the Message
With seven children and 27 grandchildren, Ed and I had traveled a long road in our marriage–the wonderful times, the struggling times and the difficult times. We even had the good fortune to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. In recent years, however, several diseases had left Ed in much pain and confined to a wheelchair.
Not What We Planned
Michael’s alcoholism didn’t exhibit the usual signs. He didn’t lose his job or get arrested for driving under the influence. When Michael entered treatment in 1995, however, he knew that his marriage and family hung in the balance.
