You’ve dreamed of being a wife and mother. Seen yourself in your cute casual clothes, every hair in place, makeup is perfect, floating gracefully through your home. You stop and check on the children who are playing together amiably in their room, giggling happily.
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The whole house is clean and everything is in place. The laundry is done and all neatly put away. Plenty of time to devote to whatever you want. What a perfect dream….
For years I’ve tried to help others and their teams avoid one of the top productivity busters and stress points. It’s summed up by the adage, “A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”
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Everyone immediately knows what this means and indignantly exclaims, “YES!” So much of our frustration and stress comes from others’ failure to plan ahead which trickles down into our world. It’s maddening. Yet we have probably also been guilty of creating unnecessary emergencies for others.
For any relationship to last and get better, it requires good communication. This is most certainly the case in marriage. Marriages rise and fall on communication skills or lack thereof.
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Every couple knows this inherently. When dating, then spend a lot of time talking—learning about each other. If they’re smart, they will keep sharpening their communication skills.
Your marriage will only be as good as your communication skills.
I had life by the tail when we had only two children. I felt organized, on top of all my responsibilities, and I planned my day so that I had discretionary time. Most days, I was able to get the important things done, spend time with my children, and even had the house picked up when my husband came home.
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I liked being Suzy Homemaker—to cook meals, bake delicious dainties, and sew for myself and my family. Life was—well, fairly predictable and in control.
Probably the greatest life skill is learning to get along with others. You don’t teach or learn that by focusing on a technique. It begins in the heart. It emanates from a genuine respect for others.
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And that can be trained in a young child through several ways. One of the simplest is a 2-second habit they’ll have the chance to repeat many times a day.
When a prostate cancer diagnosis rocked my world five years ago, I determined to do a health makeover. I believe God created everything we need in this earth to naturally fortify our bodies and stay healthy. I’m ultra-conservative when it comes to synthetic pharmaceuticals and invasion procedures.
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So my health makeover started with nutrition, a plant-strong eating plan. Of course, plenty of pure water, exercise, good sleep, and sunshine are essential.
A couple of years ago I added another plant-based regimen: essential oils
As a mom of five, we had to have schedules and boundaries in order for everything to flow smoothly. Yet I also wanted to make life in our family fun. That’s why breaking the rules occasionally was so welcome—and healthy—for our family.
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One of the best secrets I realized early on as a mom was that you don’t have to spend a lot of money in order for everyone to have a good time doing something together. I was especially grateful for that during those years when money was tight. Actually, the family activities that are most remembered were those when we just broke the rules temporarily.
A strong component of my personality profile is strategy. I just naturally plan ahead. In fact, I can easily slip into overplanning—but that’s another post.
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Yet I have a firm conviction that God uses prepared men and women. A bit of forethought and advance preparation gives you the edge over the majority. It won’t guarantee success but your chances are far greater. It helps to avoid unnecessary stress. And it helps you to consistently achieve the results you desire.
Every married couple envisions a lifetime of romance and bliss with the exchange of “I do’s” on their wedding day. The fabled, “…and they lived happily ever after.” And well they should.
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The marriage relationship has the potential to be the most mutually beneficial, supportive, and fulfilling of all human relationships. But it isn’t guaranteed or automatic. It’s largely dependent on keeping the vow to stay committed to each other until death do us part.
As you may know, Kirby and I changed our eating plan five years ago because of health issues we were experiencing. Our switch to a plant-based diet has resulted in so many benefits.
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I have totally enjoyed this new plan of eating and am never unsatisfied with any meals, nor do I have any issues eating out at a restaurant.
