• Date Night,  Relationship Advice

    Give Experiences Instead of Gifts This Valentine’s Day

    The results are in. Many of us, especially millennials, are choosing experiences over things. I’m no millennial, and I do like my things. But my husband and I have often commented that those things we own, if not careful, can sometimes hold us. They take our time, make us anxious, and can be taken away. I think my millennial friends might be onto something. My husband and I love to reminisce; when we do, it’s about our experiences. So, I thought I’d explore ways to give experiences instead of gifts this Valentine’s Day. Get ready to fall in love with these fun date ideas.   1. Take a class together.…

  • Relationship Advice,  Relationship Preparation

    Until Death Do Us Part

    My Dad died since we spoke last. It’s been two weeks, two days, and nine hours since I received the call. I’ve spent a lot of time pondering my Dad’s life and what it meant. It’s funny how you don’t think about those things in everyday life. Well, until death do us part. It’s a victorious story, and particularly relevant with Valentine’s Day upon us. I’ve written about the moment when I met my husband’s parents at age eighteen. I’ve explained how it marked me forever because it showed me what a healthy marriage looked like for the very first time, and it set me on a path toward achieving…

  • Life Advice,  Relationship Advice

    Turn Down the Noise for a Happy New Year

    This is an article from last year, with a few revisions. I think it’s worth re-sharing. The United Nations declared 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust. How do you think we did? I think we can do better. It’s up to us, really. I’d like to suggest that in order to do that, we turn down the noise and have a truly happy new year. I have learned that the things to which we give our attention set our direction. And our direction determines our destination. I Learned This Lesson Early My husband, Bobby Martin, is a professional drag racer. He drives the race car, and one…

  • Christian relationship advice,  Relationship Advice

    A Season of Giving Grace to Others

    This is an article from last year I think is worth re-sharing. An acquaintance of ours started a non-profit movement offering free yard signs reminding us to love one another. He posted it on our county’s social media page…and the war began. Within a short time, I counted 102 comments. Ninety-eight of the remarks were fighting with him or with each other.  Ironic? Yes. Surprising? Big sigh. No. As I read these ugly comments on social media, I was insulted on behalf of this good man. Why the anger? Why aren’t we extending grace to others?  At the same time, his responses – both measured and kind – filled me with…