Final Word Connection

08/21/2024

As parents, you are your child's first teachers! It is a daunting task with many competing forces working to instill values in your kids. This is an article I wrote for Your Tango online magazine about lessons I believe our children need to learn from us.

I just had a great conversation with my younger brother this afternoon regarding his efforts to instill some of these ideas into the lives of his grandchildren.

We are our kid's first teachers.

07/15/2024

As a marriage counselor, one of the main complaints or issues that couples presented had to do with the inability to communicate on any sort of meaningful level. Life can get us SO busy that we have little time together as a couple. What little time there is to talk can get used in simply dealing with the details of planning daily schedules and taking care of immediate demands, needs and issues.

It takes time, effort and conscious decisions to cut through the daily demands and current urgent concerns and to communicate on a meaningful level. I wrote this article about some of the questions to bring up to your spouse that will deepen the level of communication in your marriage.

Wanting to communicate well and doing so are two different things.

06/12/2024

Frustration with a spouse or family member can build if not address. This unaddressed frustration can lead to anger and contempt which can split a marriage apart if left to fester. Here is an article I wrote about what to do when this cycle shows up in your marriage.

Extreme frustration can feel like hate.

05/19/2024

Most couples believe that they will stay close throughout their relationship because they feel so close to begin with. When couples feel they are drifting apart it can create confusion, hurt, disappointment and disillusionment. They often feel and voice the frustration that they never thought it would happen to them. I wrote this article for the Your Tango online magazine to lay out the steps needed to get back couple closeness.

The thing you thought would never happen has.

05/05/2024

I wrote this several years ago. As husbands we have the task of letting our wives know they are loved and valued. Here are some ideas on how to do that in a way that will help her know you cherish her.

Your A+ husband checklist.

04/29/2024

Father God,

Debbie and I have a close friend and family member who needs your touch right now. We have other friends and family that need your touch right now. We have brothers and sisters in our church family and neighbors that need your touch right now. We have friends in other church we know that need your touch right now. There are folks reading this who have friends and family that need your touch right now. Please help all of them to know your care and the peace that passes all understanding in the midst of the concerns that are causing them distress.

Thank you for hearing our prayers.

04/28/2024

Dr. Debbie wrote this article for YourTango about how to let your spouse know you CHERISH THEM.

What does it mean to cherish your spouse?

04/22/2024

Dr. Debbie wrote this a while back about word our partner should be hearing from us regularly.

Here are all the right things to say.

04/14/2024

Another good article by Dr. Debbie McFadden.

It's a cheap shot!

04/08/2024

How can you ever believe them again?

04/01/2024

Dr. Debbie wrote this quite a while back helping couples deal with differences between them.

Opposites attract, but do they have to get so annoying?!

03/23/2024

What to do if fighting freaks you out.

03/16/2024

We wrote this several years ago about making a good marriage even better.

Go from good to great.

03/09/2024

Dr. Debbie wrote this 6 years ago. Her article is based on principles that we have lived out during our 50 years of marriage -- and they have worked well for us!

And ensure a close, loving marriage for the rest of your life.

02/24/2024

Some disagreements are meant to be had.

02/07/2024

Explore the harmful ways sarcasm can quickly move far away from good-natured fun.

02/01/2024

My wife and I have written around 40 article for Your Tango. Here is one from last August by Dr. Debbie.

If your relationship is getting stale, this plan for shaking things up will help.

01/25/2024

Marriage is beautiful and powerful, but it is not a fairy tale.