Seeking Growth

I saw the movie Fireproof last night. Some friends had talked about the movie a few months ago, and suggested that it I'd like it. It must be fairly popular, because it lasted weeks on my Netflix queue before it became available. The story is about a young couple on the brink of divorce. They've fallen into a pattern of arguing, bitterness and resentment. They're talking, rather yelling, that it's time to divorce. The man's father asks him to wait 40 days before signing the papers. He sends the man a book called The Love Dare . In short, it's 40 days of dares for you to complete. Dares to look at and treat your spouse differently. It's about stepping back and changing yourself, not focusing on changing your partner. The author's position is that "love is a decision, not a feeling. As often is the case, after years in a relationship, couples complain about losing the "spark". The Love Dare challenges you to think differently about love. A...

My sofa's in the kitchen today. I have boxes everywhere and a fine veil of drywall dust is beginning to settle on top of everything. My kitchen remodel has begun! The sofa moved into the kitchen two days ago to allow for the floor in the adjacent family room to be redone. The major chaos will begin this weekend, when we rip out all of the old cabinets. As I was stumbling around this morning looking for something but unsure of where it's currently located, it occurred to me how amazing it is that this household in chaos does not feel crazy to me. Typically, I'm annoyed with just a few piles of toys or desk papers lying around. Why then, does this situation, with the entire first floor of my home being boxed up and temporarily moved out feel OK? I realize why; it's because I'm focusing on the end result. I've been dreaming about this remodel from the day we moved in six years ago. I know that enduring the next six weeks will result in an amazing transformation th...