Articles

  • Two Important Gifts

    Several years ago, Leslie Parrott was headed out of the house to do some shopping.

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  • Before You Say "I do"

    Do you believe you have found that special someone to spend the rest of your life? Are you wondering how you can be certain that this is the right person for you?

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  • Starter Marriage???

    'Tis the season for starry-eyed couples, to look at wedding rings, leaf through travel brochures for honeymoon locations and plan the wedding of a lifetime, with costs often exceeding $30,000. These couples are looking forward to spending a lifetime together in wedded bliss. Lurking in the shadows of all this planning is the fact that many of these marriages meant for a lifetime will break up before their fifth year.

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  • Opposite Sex Friendships and Marriage

    As people marry later in life, many are bringing long-term opposite-sex friendships into their marriage relationship. While the friendships were great during singlehood, in marriage, these relationships may prove problematic.

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  • Surviving the Wedding Preparation

    "I had no idea how much planning was involved in getting married," said Amy Carter, a recent bride. "On top of wedding plans, my finance and I were trying to sell my condo so I could move to Nashville. Fortunately, both of our families were very supportive of us as we planned for our big day. I was surprised how much my mother and I agreed on details of the wedding."

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  • Forgiveness in Marriage

    "Every time Mark and I would fight we would always say we were sorry," said Mrs. Lori Kuebler. "Not that we really meant it. A lot of times I think we would say we forgive, but whatever happened was still in the back of our minds."

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  • The Essential Humility of Marriage

    Even though Terry Hargrave is a professor of counseling at West Texas A& M and has a private counseling practice, he was not prepared for his own feelings and reactions to the needs of his wife's aging mother and how that would impact his long-term marriage.

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  • What's the Point of Marriage?

    The popularity of shows on television about marriage such as Married by America or The Batchelor might lead us to believe that the institution of marriage, which has taken a nosedive for the past 30 years, is making a comeback. But if you look closely at these shows it appears that they focus on romantic relationships and lavish weddings. But is the whole point of marriage fulfilling the emotional needs two individuals or it is something more?

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  • Perfect or Healthy

    A spouse struggling in her marriage turns on the television and sees a couple who communicates well, never does anything to get on each other's nerves and are obviously soul mates. In her mind she is thinking, "That is what I want and deserve in my marriage." The only problem is - what she believes is an ideal relationship is really a fictional script being played out by two actors.

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  • How Do You Say "I'm Sorry?"

    Have you ever had someone apologize in front of a group of people and one person thought the apology was sincere while you thought it was not? If you answered yes to this question, you are not alone. According to Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages and The Five Languages of Apology, just as people speak different love languages so do people speak different languages of apology. In many instances even when someone has said they are sorry, the other person does not hear it as a sincere apology for any number of reasons.

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  • Marriage and Children

    Last weekend the Style Editor from US Weekly was being interviewed about the latest news that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are expecting a baby. The interviewer asked her if this was just a sign of the times, that couples are choosing to have babies out of wedlock because marriage really doesn't matter anymore?

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  • Bride or Bridezilla?

    When you dreamed about your wedding did you ever think so many people would be involved in the process? Your mother is hurt because you won't be wearing her wedding dress. Your maid of honor has forgotten it is your wedding not hers. Your fiance's family thinks the wedding plans are looking too formal. How will you choose the flower girls when you have 6 cousins who are the right age, but you only need two?

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  • Are You Prepared?

    Scott and Elizabeth Graham celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary this past Thursday. Your first thought might be so what? Earlier this year, Mr. Graham left Chattanooga on the adventure of a lifetime - climbing Mount Everest. A year and a half ago when Mr. Graham told his wife this was something he wanted to do, they both knew there were risks involved with such a difficult climb, not the least of which was death. So reaching the 15-year milestone gave the Grahams lots of reasons to celebrate.

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  • Bringing Out the Best in Relationships

    How many times have you as a spouse, parent, in-law or friend thought, "If he/she would recognize that I am right and change, our lives would be much better?"

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  • In-laws don't have to be out-laws

    We have all heard the jokes: "What's the definition of mixed emotions? Watching your mother-in-law back off a cliff in your brand-new Mercedes."

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