I’m so glad that we have a dog in our house, an American Cocker Spaniel, named Marco. He is a crazy dog, who falls off backwards from the couch and doesn’t even seem to mind. I can’t begin to count the number of times that we end up just sitting there and laughing together at the dog’s antics. Marco brings out the playfulness in us, and I am grateful.   We all need to play. Sometimes we forget that as adults, but play is a gift of God, a gift built into our systems to bring us rest and restoration. Deep...

Romance and attraction brings us into the marriage. But romance doesn’t last and it is not a full-time state for the marriage relationship forever and ever. So, what is marriage (meaning any committed partnership between any two people) – what is the purpose of marriage?   We are meant to be in relationship with other human beings. In the unfolding of nature, God has provided relationship as a gift where we can grow, mature and become all that we are meant to be in this world. Children grow and mature within the care of loving adults. And two adults who have...

“You always hurt the one you love The one you shouldn't hurt at all” -- so go the lyrics by an old Mill Brothers song.   It takes my breath away when I stop to realize how easily I could emotionally wound my husband and my children. It would only take a moment to pierce their hearts with words that I know would devastate them. I am so privileged to have them in my life. I love them and cherish them so dearly. Yet, I could so easily hurt them.   We’ve all seen it happen in relationships – our own...

It’s a busy morning! The kids’ lunches didn’t get made last night. We slept in. It is going to be a mad dash to get out of the door on time. Can’t be late for work – there is a meeting first thing. And then there is that appointment later on. Go! Go! Go! All hands on deck!   It is so easy on a morning where everything is happening at once and nothing seems to be organized the way we had planned to finally rush out the door without ever having said, “Good morning” to our partner or given them...

Prince Charming comes riding in on a stallion, kisses Sleeping Beauty, she awakes, a glamorous wedding is staged and they live happily ever after. This story of the pursuit of love and romance is told over and over with so many variations. It is the basic premise of romantic movies. Almost always the guy is pursing the gal. A challenging time or a test of the love may occur. And then they are in each other’s arms and all is well -- forever.   Unfortunately, that is the picture we are left with – the happily ever after. But anyone who...

Then there are the winters in our relationships, in our marriages. These are the times when we aren’t sure that we love the other person or even like them so much. There are times when we aren’t sure what our relationship is all about. Sometimes an incident has happened that has pulled us apart. Sometimes outside stress has been too much and we feel as if we are unable to hold the relationship together. These are difficult times, discerning times. But they don’t mean that the marriage is over. We won’t always feel “in love” with our partner. There are times...

“I think we’ve fallen out of love. Maybe our marriage is over.” We’ve all heard those words spoken, and maybe even spoken them ourselves. The statement points us to deeper questions. What does it mean to fall in love or out of love? And what really is marriage?   First of all, when I write about marriage, I’m including anyone in a committed relationship, two women, a man and a woman, two men, whether or not one has had an official wedding ceremony.   Let’s explore first what it means when we say, “I’ve fallen in love.” This is the first...

The words, “Happy New Year,” come so easily. My intent is good. I do really hope for much happiness for you or for whomever I’m greeting. Yet, there is a little catch that happens in my spirit as the words come out of my mouth. I know all too well that each year is filled with a mix of happy and sad, wonder and challenge. So what does it mean when I wish someone “Happy New Year,” and yet understand that no one has a perfectly happy year awaiting them?   Yes, my intention is good. I would love for people...

There is one thing, just one thing, that our children need and that we need for this new year, and that is relationship. If we are to make any New Year’s resolutions, we only really need to make one – and that is to spend time on our relationships. There is nothing we can buy, no achievement we can earn, no amount of money we can tuck away, and no job we can have that is as valuable to us as our relationships.   We all need a village of relationship around us. Children need more than their parents; they need...

“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be taxed….all went to their own towns to be registered.  Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place...