A while back my husband, Gary, and I were discussing something very important. At one point, Gary said something that made me feel like he disagreed with my viewpoint. Ordinarily this wouldn’t have bothered me very much. But because this issue was such a raw issue—one that carried a lot of “baggage”—our discussion immediately escalated [...]
Have you ever had an infestation of ants or roaches or . . . what about those dreaded bed bugs? Yuck! I hope not! But if you have, then you know that those little buggers can find the smallest places to hide or invade. And you wouldn’t try to get rid of them by locking [...]
Have you ever heard or said those words? I know I’ve felt like venting at times, but I’m not sure I always describe it in such graphic terms. I’d rather say it in a more palatable way like, “I really need to talk” or “I need to let off some steam.” I’ve been thinking about [...]
Have you ever tried to tend a garden? If you don’t have the plastic weed barrier firmly in place, then you might as well resign yourself to a long-term battle with your finger on the trigger of Round-Up—aiming to kill. In the same way that weeds can take over a flower garden, I allowed “weeds” [...]
I grew up in a family that didn’t really know how to resolve conflicts. My parents played opposite positions in times of conflict, but neither position was healthy. They were living examples of the extremes in communication. My mother would aggressively confront my dad regarding a problem and my dad would passively run the other [...]
Is there someone in your life who drives you crazy? If so, I can relate. Here are 10 tips that I hope are helpful to dealing with that crazy-maker in your life. 1. Pray about your attitude. Tell God exactly how you feel about this crazy-maker. He already knows, so you might as well be [...]
We all have a bad habit from our childhood. I’m sure you remember it. And if it’s hazy, just watch your kids for a minute or two and I’m sure they’ll provide a much needed trip down memory lane! Some kid slaps, pinches, or simply touches another kid and the victim feels compelled, even duty-bound, [...]
I realize that many of you reading this may feel that you are experts in this area. And in that case, I would love to hear from you. But until then, I’m going to get the ball rolling . . . My first suggestion would be to pretend that you are not angry anytime someone [...]
You don’t care about me! You make me so mad! You did that on purpose, didn’t you?! Does this sound familiar? When the heat is on, we often throw these conversational hot potatoes back and forth with our sparing partner. And all that usually surfaces from the heated conversation are some searing, tender blisters on [...]
