Marriage is a Lot Like Pizza

Marriage is a lot like pizza. It needs firstly a good solid and well rounded base to put the toppings on. Marriages need to be on a solid base of commitment and love and well rounded with time together and time apart, of conversation and of silence. Then the base needs to be spread with tomato paste or tomatoes. A marriage needs a good spread of love. The next thing Mick and I put on when making pizza is oregano and chili to spice it up. All marriages need to be spiced up at times. Then the toppings go on. … Continue reading →

What Is at the Center of Your Life and Why It Matters

What is at the center of your life? That which is at the center of our lives determines the shape of our lives and the direction our lives take. Whether it is work, ambition, self interest, spouse and family, or some other obsession, it is a question for all of us to answer. This idea for a blog came after reading a novel called Summertime by Liz Rigbey. One of the characters, Lucy, in talking about a policeman said, ‘he talked of men who lost their family, how that was the price you paid if you couldn’t or wouldn’t put … Continue reading →

Do Men Want Servant Wives?

Thanks to my husband and some of my friends, I can now be seen quite a lot on Facebook. It has been a great way to find old friends and relatives, keep in touch with my new friends, and I think that I am positively addicted tot he casual game Bejeweled Blitz. One aspect if Facebook that seems to be popular are the quizzes, especially the “What kind of something are you?” quizzes. People are finding out everything from what kind of friend they are to what kind of horror movie character they are most like. I think I even … Continue reading →

Tips for Dealing with Stress in Marriage

We’d all like life to be great all the time but the reality is, at times, life is stressful. It’s how we deal with stress that matters. Yesterday, we looked at the effects excess alcohol can cause in a marriage. But the reason a spouse usually drinks to excess, could be because they are trying to find a way to deal with stress. Stress is something that affects all marriages at time, whether it is financial stress, illness, job related, death of a loved one, or family issues – the list is endless. Alcohol never solves problems but actually can … Continue reading →

Don’t Hate the Joneses

Do you know the Joneses, or the Smiths or Insert Family Name here? They are that family or that couple that always seems so perfect. The one where the wife is always tan and polished, the husband is handsome and attentive and the children are always winning all of the awards in school or sports. But beware of the Joneses. They could just ruin your marriage, even if they aren’t aware of it themselves. Sometimes when we look at other couples, a little bit of envy starts to sneak in. We may wonder why it is that they are the … Continue reading →

How Much Privacy in Marriage?

The Number 1 Attitude

The more I thought about that research and the claims that self control could be bad and have negative effects, the more it seemed to me it is just another excuse for selfishness. The simple fact is our society promotes selfishness. Advertising gurus have fed us the lie ‘it’s all about you,’ and society has swallowed it. The ads tell us, ‘you’re the most important person,’ or ‘you’re worth it.’ So is it any wonder people then go into marriage with the attitude of what they can get out of it rather than what they can give. I was talking … Continue reading →

Can Self-Control Be a Bad Thing?

Can self-control be a bad thing? According to a recent scientific study, apparently it can. Can empathizing with others be a bad thing? Again experts have decided it apparently can be. What do you think? Well, I’m going to have to disagree on this. It seems to me, that too often the problems in marriages are caused by selfishness and lack of self-control rather than by self control and empathizing with our spouse. If each of us stopped and thought before we spoke, we might decide not to say what we’d been going to, because we’d realize how much it … Continue reading →

Keys to a Lasting Marriage

Whether you’re famous as a prince or a queen or whether you’re just Mr., Mrs. or Ms Average, is love and passion the most important thing in a marriage? And just how important is it to be good friends with your spouse? I’d suggest no matter what your status in life being good friends with your spouse is critical. Prince Phillip, husband of Queen Elizabeth 2nd, is about to set a new record. He will become Britain’s longest serving consort. At 87, Prince Philip is already ‘the oldest serving partner of a reigning monarch.’ Now you might conclude that the … Continue reading →