Is Your Relationship Lopsided?
Build A Relationship
How are you doing at partnering together in your marriage? Maintaining a harmonious partnership is a real challenge for us because we are continually together! We write together, we speak and lead seminars together, we even share an office with desks that face each other.
We know we are the exception, but all couples need to be able to cooperate, share responsibility, and work together. How are you doing with this challenge? Do you agree with King Solomon that two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work? To evaluate your partnership, take the following check-up:
You will want to find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted. Perhaps your favorite coffee shop. Take along some paper and a pen. Then away for the kids and other distractions, talk about the ways you partner together. What are those areas in which you need to shore up your partnership? Consider the following:
• Parenting. What about your parenting responsibilities? If you’re not united as parents, trust us, your kids (especially in the adolescent years) will make mincemeat out of your “yes’s” and “no’s.”
• Household responsibilities. Divide and conquer lists help us partner together.
• Leisure activities. Do you plan your fun times together? Who decides where you go for vacations?
• Extended family. More than one marriage has broken up under the stress of in-law and family pressures. How can you unite and work together in relating to your extended family?
• Religious activities. Do you agree on how you want to give, serve and worship?
• Other lifestyle issues. Do you agree on financial decisions? What about short and long-term savings? Retirement planning?
If your partnership is lopsided, or one makes most all of the decisions, it’s time to go to work. You can learn to partner together and “your love will be sweeter for your work!”
How are you doing at partnering together in your marriage? Maintaining a harmonious partnership is a real challenge for us because we are continually together! We write together, we speak and lead seminars together, we even share an office with desks that face each other.
We know we are the exception, but all couples need to be able to cooperate, share responsibility, and work together. How are you doing with this challenge? Do you agree with King Solomon that two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work? To evaluate your partnership, take the following check-up:
You will want to find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted. Perhaps your favorite coffee shop. Take along some paper and a pen. Then away for the kids and other distractions, talk about the ways you partner together. What are those areas in which you need to shore up your partnership? Consider the following:
• Parenting. What about your parenting responsibilities? If you’re not united as parents, trust us, your kids (especially in the adolescent years) will make mincemeat out of your “yes’s” and “no’s.”
• Household responsibilities. Divide and conquer lists help us partner together.
• Leisure activities. Do you plan your fun times together? Who decides where you go for vacations?
• Extended family. More than one marriage has broken up under the stress of in-law and family pressures. How can you unite and work together in relating to your extended family?
• Religious activities. Do you agree on how you want to give, serve and worship?
• Other lifestyle issues. Do you agree on financial decisions? What about short and long-term savings? Retirement planning?
If your partnership is lopsided, or one makes most all of the decisions, it’s time to go to work. You can learn to partner together and “your love will be sweeter for your work!”
