Today and Always

One of the many reasons that cause a divorced in marriage is due to debt and money issues. In an article call Escaping the Debt Trap, written by Janene Wolsey , the author wrote, “Debt, no matter how attractively packaged, is a huge trap for many people today. It has proved to be a significant factor in the breakup of many marriages. If couples don’t use their resources wisely, overspending will eventually rob them of their money, time, health, family security, and peace of mind.” This statement is true about debt; however, a couple can avoid this dilemma by working together to make sure that they got it under control by having an open line of communication for all their financial needs and wants.   One of my favorite author which I bribed all my children to read and give them money for finishing the book is call the “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey. He has good ideas on how to get out and stay out of debt. After reading this book, it gives me a different perspec...

Elder Eyring, from his talk called, “That We May Be One” (Ensign, May 1998, 66) taught us to become one in marriage by striving and choosing to have The Holy Spirit with us at all times. The way we can be one in marriage is that we must fully live the commandments and not pick and choose which we want to obey. It’s either all or nothing. When you have the spirit with you, you are righteous in thoughts and actions. And when you have the Holy Ghost with you in your marriage, you will be one with each other and therefore will have peace and harmony in your family unit. Elder Eyring said, “If we are to have unity, there are commandments we must keep concerning how we feel. We must forgive and bear no malice toward those who offend us. The Savior set the example from the cross: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). We do not know the hearts of those who offend us. Nor do we know all the sources of our own anger and hurt. The Apostle Paul was telling us ho...

Sexual intimacy is a very hard topic for me to talk about, not to mention write about.   I know that people get married for lots of reasons, like to be with the one they love, for sex, for procreation, for pleasure, for dowry, for arrangement, or for uniting a family together. The choice is either freely made or someone has made it for you. I am originally from Cambodia. I came from a culture where marriages are arranged by parents and being forced to marry someone you don’t even know, let alone have any love for is very common.   Yet, some of these marriages often last a long time and some do not. Some marriages end up joyfully and others are filled with lots of sorrow and suffering. No matter how your marriage came about, sexual intimacy is part of life and each couple experiences it in their own way.   I’m thankful that I grew up in America and was fortunate enough to choose my own spouse. I believe in God’s law of chastity. His law is that man a...

What is gridlock? According to webster.com gridlock is “a traffic jam in which a grid of intersecting streets is so completely congested that no vehicular movement is possible.” Relationship gridlock on the other hand is like that traffic jam when both partners are not willing to work out the conflicts between them and have no solution for moving forward with it, they are stuck and frustrated. In the Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, Dr. Gottman counsels us to “Keep working on your unresolvable conflicts. Couples who are demanding of their marriage are more likely to have deeply satisfying unions than those who lower their expectations.” He continues by explaining that the first step in overcoming gridlock is open communication with your partner about your hopes, aspirations, and life goals. (Gottman, 2015). Open communication is so important in my marriage. I’m blessed to have someone in my life that I can talk to about anything. My fears, my hopes,...

One of my favorite fairy tale stories is and will always be “Cinderella”. Cinderella was a kind, caring, and loving girl who lived with her step-mother and two step-sisters after her parents both died. The step-mother and step-sisters were mean to her and treated her like a slave. They forced her to serve them. They were very harsh to her in words, actions, and thoughts. Yet, she carried on and endured life with them. One day an invitation was sent to all the single women to attend a ball put on by the royal family. On this special day, the prince would choose his bride. With the help of her Fairy God Mother, she attended the event as the most beautiful woman, with an elegant gown and shiny glass slippers. The prince saw her and fell in love. For the brief amount of time they spent together, before the midnight bell chimed in, the prince knew she was the one. In her effort to get home on time, she had to rush out of the palace, and one of her glass slippers was left...