National Marriage Week

It’s National Marriage Week and I am so excited!

What is National Marriage Week?

From February 7th to 14th every year— is a collaborative effort to encourage many diverse groups to strengthen individual marriages, reduce the divorce rate, and build a stronger marriage culture, which in turn helps curtail poverty and benefits children.

You can find out more information from the Official Site: National Marriage Week USA

Ebook

I am pleased to announce that I was able to participate in a creation of an ebook, Stay Connected : 18 Mediations to Help You Build A Marriage That Works !  This ebook was created with several other marriage educators and designed especially for National Marriage Week. You can find my contribution on page 16 of the ebook, which will give you a little more insight on my personal marriage journey. This is a free resource for you to download! You will find this ebook under the Resources Tab at the top of the home page.

Reader’s Challenge

During this Week I have 2 challenges for your and your Spouse:

1-    Date Night Challenge: I have written 2 posts on the importance of date night, but have you taken the step to initiate a date night? During National Marriage Week plan a 2-hour date night with your spouse. This does not have to be away from home or spend any extra funds. Just 2 hours of one on one time doing something that you and your spouse finds enjoyable.

2-    A Love Letter Challenge- Yes, a love letter challenge! When was the last time that you wrote your spouse a love letter, or when was the last time you received a love letter? Sit down and put into writing the reasons you love your spouse, reasons you appreciate your spouse, things you enjoy doing together, and even some things that you would enjoy doing more or begin to do.

I am hosting another Giveaway!

This giveaway will be in a separate post so be looking for it!

Upcoming Posts :

I will be sharing three Married Couples and One Engaged Couple Love stories during this week as well as Tips form Real Marriages!

Facebook page

I am launching “ A Loving Lasting Marriage” Facebook page!

To reach more couples, get more insights, and just spread the word about “A Loving Lasting Marriage” I have created a facebook page. Will you please join this page and share it with your friends.

My original intent for this blog was to catch a glimpse of the elements that create a “ Loving Lasting Marriage” such as one would do on a warm summer’s eve to lighting bugs in a jar . To create topics and ask questions for couple’s in varying stages of relationships and marriage to give their tips, advice, and insights. During 2012 I hope to tie together these insights to help others create or maintain their “ Loving Lasting Marriage”. I would like to thank each one of you that has added to our jar ! Please continue to be apart of this great effort to help ourselves through helping one another !

Shalasha

Book Review : The Five Love Languages : The Secret to Love that Lasts By : Dr. Gary Chapman

Ch 2- Keeping the Love Tank Full

This chapter aligned with a post a few weeks ago. Love fills a both an emotional and physical need.  Many people fill that Love can fill a emotional void and rush to fill that void. In many instances in that rush a wrong decision about Love can be made.

I advised my readers to find the roots of your emotional reasons and work to fulfill those needs yourself. When you are happy you can then make others happy.

Dr. Chapman described our emotional need for love as a  “love tank”. This “love tank” is something that can be filled and emptied. Positive things we do for our spouse including spending time with them, listening to them, and speaking their love language can fill this tank. Where as negative things we do such as not speaking their love language, hurting their feelings, or even cheating on them can empty their love tanks.

Ch 3- Falling in Love

In this chapter, we meet a person who has fell in love. Many of us have experienced the falling in-love stage. Butterflies, endless thinking of that 1 person, doodling hearts and their name.

In your experience, does this  euphoric   feeling last forever? Well you are not alone! Dr. Chapman includes a scientific study that proves that “the average life span of a romantic obsession is two years. (p.22) ”

Have you ever met someone who just loves the “feeling” of “falling in love” and jumps to the next relationship when this feeling fades?

Dr. Chapman encourages us to focus and nature the “real-love” with our spouse.  His advice is to maintain those “love-tanks” to ensure that both you and your spouse feel loved.

If you would like more details I encourage you to pick up the book and read along! Next week I will be reviewing Chapters 4,5,and 6. If you have not already done so, you can find out your spouse and your love language on the Official Site for this book. 

Shalasha

Chapman, G., & Chapman, G. D. (2010). The 5 love languages, the secret to love that lasts. Northfield Publishing.

Book Review : The Five Love Languages : The Secret to Love that Lasts By : Dr. Gary Chapman

Ch 1- What Happens to Love after the Wedding

         

This chapter gets straight to the point! Do you feel that “Love” changes once you get married?  I feel that many people have so much fun with the thought of marriage, planning a wedding, and planning their honeymoon that they focus on “getting” married and not the actual Marriage. 

Once the whirlwind of getting married has died down and you and your spouse are your normal self’s focusing on normal events, problems, and just life. Sometimes people feel that the Love has changed.

Dr. Chapman points out that the fundamentally issue is that   “ People Speak Different Love languages.”

He then concludes that there are Five Love Languages. According to Dr. Chapman the Five Love languages are:

Words of Affirmation

Quality Time

Receiving Gifts

Acts of Service

Physical Touch

Have you often wondered why your spouse does not show you that they Love you like you “imagine” they should? In turn has your spouse ever said why don’t you do X to show me you love me? This is a case of differing Love Languages!

This is a great opportunity to communicate with your Spouse! Often times we forget that our spouse is different than us and has different emotional needs.

Which of these languages do you need Love to be shown to you? Which of these languages do you think your spouse needs to be shown?


My language is Physical Touch.  A hug can make my whole day better and just make me feel better. However, I know that my husband is not . He would rather hear that he is doing a great job, that he is appreciated and loved, so his love language is Words of Affirmation. Allowing each other to express and receive love in our own language will ensure that both of our emotional needs are met. I think that will practice and thought this can be easily applied. 

Do you want to strengthen your communication of Love with your spouse? Have you experienced a rough patch in your marriage where you thought Love was lost?  Or as the man in Chapter 1 experienced even a divorce due dissolving love? I want to encourage you to join me in exploring this book, The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman.

You can also visit The Official Site for this Book and learn more about each love language as well as take assessments to find more about your love language.

Next week I plan to discuss Chapter 2 & Chapter 3. I hope you join me!

Shalasha

Chapman, G., & Chapman, G. D. (2010). The 5 love languages, the secret to love that lasts. Northfield Publishing.

Book Review

      In an effort to gain more understanding of Love and Marriage I have decided to read one of the Top 10 books on the subject.  I have chosen: The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary D. Chapman.

    I plan to update you each week on the portion that I have read until I finish the book. This book is available in many formats including Kindle, Nook, as well as in paperback and hardback versions. If you would like to join me in reading and discussing what we uncover, please feel free to join in the conversation!