Tag Archives: love

Debt and Marriage: How It is Tough to Love When You Owe

Many couples enter into a marriage with debt already in hand. Others accumulate debt together. Either way, nurturing a loving relationship can be hard when debt is hanging over your head. In fact, according to a study by Jeffrey Dew at Utah State University, couples who reported disagreeing about finance once a week were over 30 percent more likely to get divorced than couples who reported disagreeing about finances only a few times a month. Another inference can be made from this study: there is a whole lot of disagreement about money out there. Debt is a source of contention. … Continue reading →

Molding Future Adults

Amid the chaos of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture of parenting. Very easy. When you’re in the trenches dealing with your baby’s dirty diapers, your tween’s potty mouth and the host of other excrement that comes with raising children, it’s hard to focus on the fact that you are molding future adults. Well-adjusted, responsible, thoughtful, charitable, productive adults. That’s the goal. The challenge is looking beyond the moment. These moments. The times when it seems easier to give up, give in, or frankly, not give a damn, rather than digging deep to teach your … Continue reading →

Thoughts on Loving Toddlers

Since it is Valentine’s Day, love is at the forefront of many people’s thoughts. For parents of young children, love is something that we learn more and more about each day. From the moment that we hold each of our children for the first time, we are learning what it means to love them. Sometimes, loving our little ones is effortless. Other times, it requires strength and courage that we did not even know that we had. Toddlers are interesting little people, and each day with a toddler holds the potential for both moments of exhilaration and moments of despair. … Continue reading →

Loving Ourselves

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to write a post about Love. If we look around us, we can see evidence all around of love. As a Mom, it is easy for me to think of how much I love my children. It is easy to think of loving my husband. But, one thing I don’t think that often about is how much happier I would be if I would take more time to love myself. To love ourselves, I think we first must recognize our divine nature. We are all sons and daughters of God. He loves … Continue reading →

We Believe in Grace, Too.

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Grace is a beautiful word. It has many meanings. However, the type of grace I am talking about is the grace of God. Many religions believe that they are saved by grace. Some believe by simply accepting Christ into your heart, you are saved. Do Mormons believe in grace? The simple answer is, yes. But, maybe not in the same way that others believe in grace. However, I feel like grace is something that us Mormons forget about. So much so that sometimes, I think we forget that we also are saved by God’s grace. A book that changed the … Continue reading →

What If We All Showed Love for God and Neighbor?

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Another question that was posed in our relief society lesson on Sunday that really stuck with me was, “What would the world be like if everyone showed love for God and Neighbor?” One mom raised her hand and said something along the lines of, “I would not live in fear anymore. I wouldn’t be scared to drop my kids off at school everyday. There would be no fear.” As I sat there thinking about that, I couldn’t help but think, “What would MY life be like without fear?” It was an interesting thought. As a parent, we can’t help but … Continue reading →

Love Makes a Family

Logan got a little spoiled with books this Christmas, thanks to Mommy’s thrift shop rummaging. I was tempted to be an indian giver when I fell in love with one of them, but luckily he is a good sharer. As we read the book I felt as if it was written just for us, so much so that it brought me to tears. It is about a single mother who is raising a little girl on her own. One day the little girl comes home from school and decides she wants a “real family,” and storms off next door. They … Continue reading →

Do You Speak Your Husband’s Love Language?

We all have our own love language. In other words, what speaks love to one person might not be the same thing as another person. This is best explained in the book, “The 5 Love Languages” by Gary Chapman. If you don’t already know what your love language is, you can find out by visiting their website. But I would also strongly encourage you to find out what your spouse’s love language is. This could make a significant difference in the way you interact with one another. It could even lead to a stronger marriage. Think of it this way. … Continue reading →

Do You Know Your Spouse’s Greatest Needs?

I recently got together with a friend who was sharing a secret to her happy marriage. She divulged to me the frequency of her intimate relations with her husband and how in return he met so many of her needs. Those needs weren’t physical, nor were they emotional. They were doing chores around the house. Well I can definitely attest to the fact that I would love to see the dishes emptied, the laundry thrown in or the bathroom cleaned. But does my husband know this? Or do I just assume that he knows? You see, my friend and her … Continue reading →

Can You Really Put Your Spouse Before Your Children?

Have you ever been told that your spouse should be put before your children? Do you think that is even possible? I used to believe that was impossible. I looked at my relationship with my children as being so much more connected because they had come from me. Yet I had forgotten that I wasn’t alone in the process of creating life. My husband is just as much connected to them. I also thought that because they were so little for so long, what they needed from me couldn’t possibly be less than what I would give to my husband. … Continue reading →