Daly Focus Blog
The wear and tear of everyday life can take a toll on even the happiest couples. Which is why marriage and family counselor Dr. Randy Schroeder says seeking daily happiness is unrealistic. A better approach is to pursue consistent marital satisfaction.
How? Through good habits.
Dr. Schroeder offers “4 daily essentials” that will help create good habits in your relationship with your spouse:
“Goodbye, I love you.” Whoever leaves the house each day first should be the one to say this.
If you’re stuck in the wilderness and everything around you is thick with trees, true north is what gets you out. When you’re navigating the confusion of society, your spiritual and relational true north will guide you.
Jesus gave us His true north when he said that the two greatest things we can do are love God and love our neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40). He equated the two. Which means that when the world is spinning out of control, the way through is to cling to objective values that never change – like truth, love, and humble sacrifice.
The midterm elections are now less than fifty days away, and once again issues that Christians care about are front and center, reflected in the positions of candidates and their political parties.
History often rests in the hands of ordinary citizens, especially when it comes to electoral politics and the hard-fought privilege we have to cast our vote each election.
It was Plato who aptly said that “The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
Or to be even more candid, “Elections belong to the people,” said Abraham Lincoln.
A lot of moms say they’re stressed out. Is it any wonder why? They’re driving themselves into the ground, chasing a standard of perfection no one could possibly meet.
A lot of you know what I’m talking about. You’re a fulltime employee outside the home … a job you go to only once you’ve gotten your children up, fed, and off to school. And when you get home that night, you’re still on the clock. If you’re not cooking dinner or helping your children with homework, you’re probably driving somebody to their soccer practice or dental appointment.
I’ve raised two boys, so I understand how busy life can be for parents. Finding free time to spend with your children between responsibilities at work and responsibilities at home can be difficult.
I also know this: opportunities to engage with your children are in front of you right now, but you have to harness them. Instead of sitting back and watching your child’s life unfold in front of you … step into the painting.
That phrase – “step into the painting” – means instead of standing back and admiring life from a distance, step into it.
For a happy life, perspective is key.
After her older son’s football game one Friday night, author and speaker Chrystal Evans Hurst drove her younger kids to a fast-food place for dinner. On the way home, traffic was heavy, bumper to bumper for miles. When traffic finally thinned, the driver in front of Chrystal sped up, so she sped up, too. But just as quickly the driver in front of her hit his brakes, forcing Chrystal to hit hers.
Marriages succeed or fail for many reasons. An important factor that’s often overlooked is the company we keep.
Like every newlywed, Pam discovered just a short time into her marriage that she and her husband didn’t agree on everything. In particular, their expectations for how he would help around the house were different.
Hoping for a little support, Pam shared her concerns with a female co-worker. The woman responded with a few complaints of her own about her no-good husband.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Building Healthy Friendships Among Men,” we’re talking with popular comedic group, The Skit Guys, Eddie James and Tommy Woodward.
They’re sharing how God has worked through their friendship across 30 years to grow them as husbands, fathers, and men.
Their friendship wasn’t natural or likely. In the 9th grade, Eddie’s girlfriend, Jill, told him that she liked someone else. That someone else was Tommy Woodward. Eventually Eddie and Tommy became friends, and Eddie became a Christian through Tommy’s church.
Author Shauna Pilgreen tells her children, “A life of comfort is a win for the Enemy. When you’re comfortable, you’re usually leaning on your own strength, which means you’re leaning less on God’s strength.”
Shauna and her family have been through numerous experiences that have taught them to rely on God in uncomfortable circumstances. It started in earnest when God led the Pilgreens from their cozy suburban life in Missouri to plant a church in San Francisco, where their lives are anything but comfortable.
If your marriage isn’t all that it could be, maybe you’ve forgotten how valuable your spouse really is.
One Christmas, author Gary Thomas decided to help his wife Lisa decorate. As he set out a few knick-knacks, one of the ceramic reindeer slipped off the edge and shattered into pieces. Lisa barely blinked an eye. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I’ll just buy another one.”
Fast forward a couple of months and Gary was emptying the dishwasher when a teacup slipped through his fingers and broke.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
