“Give thanks in all things,” the Bible tells us. Well, I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty hard to do in the midst of pain, either physical or emotional pain. In my case, when I’m in emotional pain, I’m often in physical pain, too. And visa versa. That’s hard! Read more
Do you know that expressing appreciation is one of the essential ingredients of a happy marriage? That’s right. According to Dr. John Gottman’s research, we must express at least five positive interactions to neutralize the impact of one negative interaction. In really happy marriages, couples express 20 positives to every one negative. The mostly destructive interactions contain criticism, defensiveness, contempt or stonewalling. When we express ourselves in this way without effective repair attempts, Gottman predicts divorce with 94% accuracy. Read more
The Only Time I Saw My Father Cry
A Short Story About the Struggle to Forgive
Last Sunday, our pastor reminded us of Jesus’ message, “Before you pray, you must forgive.” A memory flashed across my mind of the only time I saw my father cry. Read more
