GPS to a Joyful Marriage

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and that you have had time to focus on the true meaning of this joyful holiday.   It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the commercial spirit of this season our world has created, that we often find ourselves worn out and eager to have it all behind us. Although it seems to get worse every year, I have found the holiday season to be more enjoyable when I step out of the “rat race” designed for our so-called human pleasure.   I no longer run myself ragged over a holiday that has become a time of spending too much money and planning too many social events that render us too tired to appreciate the season.   Celebrating a late Christmas at my in-laws today, I sit around inhaling the joy of family members that I don’t see often enough.   That’s what I look forward to every year – family time.   We’ve toned down the gift giving and have learned to just savor the moments we share with each other.   What a joyful, peaceful

Final thoughts of "Say Yes to Sex" - by Jenna McCarthy EAT DESSERT FIRST Rarely in the first weeks or even months of a marriage will one partner’s invitation to come to bed be met with a bubbly “Just as soon as I finish mopping this floor!”  During the initial phases of courtship, both partners’ brains are flooded with pleasure chemicals that fuel an almost relentless desire, explains psychologist and sex therapist Robert Hatfield, Ph.D., spokesman for the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality in Allentown, Pennsylvania.  But eventually, the nervous system becomes tolerant of increasing chemical surges, and the touch, closeness and erotic pleasure that used to be at the top of the priority list get bumped for less libidinous pursuits.  “We operate on the belief that pleasure can only come at the end of a day of hard work,” Hatfield says.  “The good old American work ethic makes it clear that you don’t get dessert until you eat your peas.”  What’s worse is that you

My last posting introduced "Say Yes to Sex".  I hope you got your mind thinking about ways to turn getting ready for sex into a productive experience.  For most women, it's not avoiding the act of sex, but simply finding the desire and energy to perform the act of sex. Women have a different sex drive than men and can't just jump into it, especially once they are married and have the responsibilities of children, a house, a husband, etc.  Men don't understand this because they think about sex frequently and are ready to perform at a moments notice.  Here's my theory - when men have gone too long without sex, (that time length varies with age), the testosterone builds up and they can't think rationally.  They forget everything we've been trying to teach them about romancing us.  All they can think of is having the sex.  Never mind getting there.  It's kind of like when a woman has PMS.  Her hormones take over and she doesn't have the same cont

 I'm frequently reminded of the vast difference in sex drives between husbands and wives when talking with couples.  Men are like microwaves, and women are like crockpots.  The wind can spark a man's desire while women take a bit more time and attention.  (In some couples these roles may be reversed.) It seems to be a mystery to many men as to how to romance their wives and spark their desires for sex.  A nudge on the arm and an anxious "Are you awake?" is not on any woman's list of  "How to Get Your Wife in the Mood." Below is part of an article by Jenna McCarthy that I wanted to share with you called, "Say Yes To Sex".  Sometimes, we as women have to change our thinking about the whole process of sex in order to keep our marriages harmonious.  In case you haven't figured it out, sex is the key to keeping your husband happy.   SAY YES TO SEX                            by Jenna McCarthy Remember that can’t-wait-to-do-it feeling?