I’ve attended many “evenings of recollection” over the years given by a wonderful priest, Fr. Joe. Famous for his witty one-liners, a few have stuck with me. Among his favorite topics when speaking to an audience of men is what he calls “Custody of the eyes.” He’ll...
Among the greatest regrets of my life is the amount of anger that was present in my family early on. Anger is often a learned reaction, and an attempt to manipulate others. It has characterized some of the most toxic arguments my wife and I have ever had. Years ago, a...
I recently read a book called The Obedience Paradox: Finding True Freedom in Marriage by Mary Stanford. It’s fantastic! Among other things, the author absolutely nails a husband’s responsibility. Here’s a quote: “He lives his headship most authentically, then, when he...
Some guys have a warped sense of leadership within marriage and the family. We sometimes think that as husband, we’re the final authority on everything, and that our wives owe us a duty of meek submission in all things, just because we’re the husband. Wives, submit to...
Let’s face it, all spouses experience disagreements. However, we have a choice to make about how we handle those disagreements. In the worst case, they fester and cause ongoing conflict that wound our relationships. In the best case—when we demonstrate respect and...
How do you speak about your wife at home? When one of my sons was a teenager, his relationship with Kathi was contentious at times. One night, I came home from work to a heated exchange between them. Kathi was crying, and my son was in a corner scowling. As it turned...
