My Blog

The Key to a Happy Marriage

7/13/2023

I am 64 years old and I have been in love with the same man for the past 50 years. We got through those messy years one day at a time and I am so glad we did. We now have the privilege of having what I refer to as old love. We have a history together. A history and familiarity that brings comfort. A comfort that comes from knowing that this person has stood beside you in spite of the messy years; in spite of those times when you know you weren’t the best version of yourself. Comfort in knowing you are truly loved for who you are. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Old love is the reward for getting through those messy years and I am here to tell you that it is worth it. Old love isn’t something you should take for granted, it is something you should acknowledge and be thankful for. Something you should cherish.

So how do you get through the messy years? I have a couple tips that were handed down to me and I believe they can make all the difference in a relationship.

Never fight in front of someone else, including the kids, no matter how young or old they are. Being a bystander to a fight is never comfortable. If you commit, as a couple, to wait until you are by yourselves to fight then that puts you on a natural pause. Pauses can often give us a chance to understand that what we were fighting about was not worth it. Or it can at least help us to come to the table and talk reasonably about what is going on so a solution can be found to the problem.
Be each other's cheerleader. The world has a way of beating us up. Home needs to be a safe place to get charged up to go back out again. No one should ever dread going home. People become who they are told they are. Not seeing much to compliment your spouse about right now? Keep it simple. There is always something.
Find a friend that you can vent with, but to everyone else only point out your spouse's good qualities. It is easy to jump on the bandwagon when everyone else is complaining but bite your tongue. Do not let discontent get a foothold in your marriage.

My mother told me once that, "If we worked half as hard on the marriage that we have, as we would have to work to find a different spouse, we wouldn’t have to.”

Everything that is worth having is worth working for. Trust me, old love is worth the work.

0 Comments

My Dad

6/19/2023

0 Comments

This week, like many people, I find myself reflecting back on times with my dad. I am reminded of the time when he was teaching me how to ride my bike. I was so scared, and yet there he was right beside me the whole time; not just keeping me safe but encouraging me all along the way. Even though at that particular moment, I didn’t think I could, Dad wanted me to understand that I can do this without him. I remember screaming at him to not let go.
Fast forward many years later when the moment came that he was to take his last breath. Every ounce of my being was screaming, “Don’t let go Dad. I can’t do this without you!” Fear consumed every part of my being as I watched him drift away.
Suddenly I realize that on that day, oh so long ago, it wasn't just about me learning to ride my bike. It was about me seeing that he has taught me how to move forward on my own. Thanks, Dad, for preparing me for the days ahead... but I still miss having you at my side.

0 Comments

We all have a story to tell

6/7/2023

0 Comments

I wrote a book! It’s all about overcoming the fear deep inside of us, yet as we announced the book's release, I found myself once again paralyzed with fear. Every part of me wanted to yell. "JUST KIDDING!"

It’s funny how you can think that you have wiped fear from your life and then something happens, and you once again find yourself consumed with it. I don’t believe that we can ever wipe fear completely out of our lives, but we can learn tools to overcome it and move forward.

I had to remind myself why I wrote the book in the first place. The reason? Because God told me to. I didn’t write it because I imagined myself being a great author with great insight that the world needed to hear. I wrote it because of one simple song. Blessed Assurance.

I remember my mother singing this song and the words…
"This is my story, this is my song. Praising my Savior, all the day long."

God has given me a story. He gives each of us a story. Our story is for a reason. It’s to share and encourage others. I think that is the one message that we often overlook in the Bible. It is the story of ordinary people sharing their story. Stories that have encouraged generations.

Years ago, I set out to meet up with Facebook friends that I have never had a one on one with before. Each one that I met I asked one simple question. What is your story? I found it interesting that not one of them hesitated. They knew what I meant, and they proceeded to share it with me. Stories of pain, joy and hope.

Do you know your story? Have you shared it with someone? You don’t have to write a book, but your story is for a reason. It is our job to find that reason and then to act accordingly.

0 Comments

Dianne Weed

The Key to a Happy Marriage

My Dad

We all have a story to tell

Author

Archives

Categories