If You Disagree on Spending… (Part 1)
They say the three hot topics for marriage are sex, money, and communication. We talked about sex in the last post and we’ll put off communication…
July 9, 2020 · 4 min read
If You’re Struggling with Your Sexual Relationship…
Sex can easily become an issue in marriage. Here are some of the things spouses tell me in my counseling office… “My spouse wants sex all the time!”…
July 2, 2020 · 4 min read
If You Want Your Spouse To Change…
Remember when when you were so in love with your spouse you couldn’t think of anything you wanted to change about them? Does that seem like a long…
June 26, 2020 · 6 min read
If Your Spouse is Critical…
Does any of the following sound familiar? That’s not the right way to load the dishwasher. They won’t get clean that way. Why are you going this way?…
June 19, 2020 · 6 min read
If You Feel Like Quitting…
Everyone feels like quitting sometimes. Stephen King is a prolific writer and probably one of the most well know and successful authors in modern…
June 12, 2020 · 4 min read
If You Don’t Want to Hurt your Kids…
Here’s the story of two couples… Couple #1 It was a Saturday afternoon when some friends of ours called in great distress. They asked if I could come…
June 5, 2020 · 5 min read
If There’s Something You Want Your Spouse To Know…
I’m going to let you in on one of my many failures in marriage. But, I warn you…it’s not pretty! In fact it’s quite embarrassing! (If my wife is…
May 29, 2020 · 5 min read
If You Want Your Marriage To Work…
Everyone wants their marriage to work. You never hear a couple getting married make vows to love one another “till it just doesn’t work anymore.”…
May 22, 2020 · 3 min read
If You Want A Fairytale Marriage…
I raised two daughters, and I have four grandchildren. So I’ve read my fair share of fairytales. You would think that people would eventually outgrow…
May 15, 2020 · 4 min read
The Quarantined Marriage
I typically talk about what it means to have a “normal marriage.” But in these days of social distancing, “normal“ has become a thing of the past. We…
April 10, 2020 · 5 min read
Before You Drive Your Marriage Off a Cliff, Drive it Down Memory Lane
During my Senior year of High School, I began to talk to a girl who really had no interest in me. (I mean really!) But the more I talked to her, the…
January 5, 2020 · 3 min read
News Flash! Ken and Barbie Aren’t Real!
I went to a wedding recently and I was struck by how perfect the bride and groom looked. They appeared to have it all together. Young, good looking…
November 13, 2019 · 3 min read
When You Fight, Point the Fire Extinguisher in the Right Direction
Fred and Alice (not their real names) came into my office because they had been fighting over Fred’s failure to let Alice know when he would be home…
November 6, 2019 · 4 min read
Things I Would Tell My Newly Married Self
I have done a lot of premarital counseling, and I’ve found it to be both enjoyable and frustrating. Enjoyable, because you get the opportunity to…
October 29, 2019 · 3 min read
If You Love Them, Prove It
When the couple walked into my counseling office, it was obvious things were not good between them. Their heads were down, there were very little…
October 15, 2019 · 4 min read
Has Your Marriage Lost the Magic?
It was late at night, and I was sick. It felt like someone had poured concrete in my head and chest. I had a sharp, hacking cough that sounded like a…
October 8, 2019 · 5 min read
Take A Stand In Your Marriage.
I was listening to a Willie Nelson CD on the way to work the other day. The CD is entitled “To All The Girls.” (I highly recommend it, if you’re a…
October 1, 2019 · 3 min read
Night Owls, Morning Glories, and Minding the Gap
I’m a morning glory. Apart from the bed-head and stiff joints, mornings are the best part of my day. In the morning, I’m rested, my mind is clear…
September 24, 2019 · 5 min read
What if Marriage Were Simpler?
Marriage starts off so simple. There’s you, your spouse, a place to live, a job to go to, and free time together. But as time goes on, marriage gets…
September 17, 2019 · 3 min read
The Crowded Marriage.
Let’s start by stating the obvious…it’s been a little over 8 months since I have posted to Normal Marriage. I realized this when, on a trip back…
September 10, 2019 · 4 min read
Is Your Marriage on the Calendar?
It’s New Year’s Day (2019) and this is a picture of our new calendar. I know, it’s old-school, but, every Christmas I create a new calendar featuring…
January 1, 2019 · 5 min read
The Jagged Journey of Markets and Marriage.
The Stock Market is not for the faint of heart, because it’s not a smooth ride. It’s a jagged journey of ups and downs. Likewise, marriage is not for…
December 13, 2018 · 4 min read
Happy Thanksgiving!
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…
November 22, 2018 · 1 min read
How Indifference Can Wreck a Dream and a Marriage
A Disturbing Dream The other night I had a disturbing dream. I don’t have many disturbing dreams, but this one shook me to my core. In my dream, my…
November 5, 2018 · 4 min read