Just a brief reminder on this Thanksgiving Day that giving thanks should be more than just a day on the calendar. It should be the practice of our life.
It’s true that some people seem more naturally thankful than others. But giving thanks is something at which you can practice and get better.
I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon, but I’ve talked to people who have and they tell me it’s breathtaking. They say you’ll stand in awe of the beauty of this masterpiece of creation.
Yet if you lived there all your life, the familiarity would probably cause it to seem less breathtaking. You would probably focus more on jagged rocks, dust and dirt, lack of greenery, over abundance of tourists…you get the idea.
We do the same thing in marriage.
These are days of rapid and amazing change. Drones in the skies. Microcomputers in our pockets. The private sector in space. Social media in revolutions. There are brand new ways of looking at and living in the world, many of which are very beneficial.
But there can be times when we need to go back to the way it used to be. I was reminded of this not long ago by a request from my daughter.
I heard an interview the other day with a doctor who had gone to Syria to take care of children caught in the war there. The doctor spoke of children and families being torn apart, physically, emotionally and relationally by the on-going war. There may be times when war is unavoidable, but it’s never good.
The same is true when marriages “got to war.”
Ever have one of those days? The other day, I had gone out for a walk. It was a great walk. The morning was beautiful, my heart was peaceful, and I was able to prepare my mind for the day ahead.
When I got back home, I took off my shoes and socks and headed for the shower. Then it happened…
I stepped in cat puke. In my bare feet! I was stunned. I remember thinking, “This can’t be what I think it is!” I stood there like a statute with one foot in the air, wondering, “How do I get to the paper towels in the kitchen without tracking this from room to room?” Then I thought, “This isn’t even my cat!” (We were cat sitting at the time.)
Have you ever been listening to someone talk about something and thought to yourself, “Come on! Just get to the point! What’s the bottom line?!” Well, for the last 3 posts we’ve been talking about how to better live with your in-laws and now it’s time to get to the point. What’s the bottom line on how to better live with your in-laws? Believe it or not, it really all boils down to one principle, one practice, and one parting thought.
In our laundry room, we have a door on which there are several hooks. On these hooks, we hang things like coats and scarves; anything we might need to grab on our way out the door.
Maybe you have some hooks in your home. They may be on a door or on a wall. They may be in a bathroom or a utility room. But wherever they are, they’re a place to hang things that you don’t want to put away, because you’re going to need them.
In the last post, we talked about the tug-of-war that comes with learning to live with your in-laws. In this post, we’ll look at 5 steps to improve your relationship with your in-laws. You may be thinking, “It can’t be that easy!” Well, notice that I said 5 steps to improve the relationship, not 5 steps to make the relationship the way you want it to be. So, let’s look at the 5 steps.