Family of Origin and Your Marriage
Insights:
What was your family of origin like? Would you describe it as healthy or unhealthy? How did it affect who you are today? One thing that I see as I talk to people about their growing up years is that no matter how dysfunctional their family of origin was, they believed for a time that it was normal. What does that mean? Here are a couple of examples. John told me how often his parents fought. Their fights were loud and often were physical. Until he became friends with a boy in his neighborhood and spent time at that friend’s house, he thought all parents fought like his parents did. Christy grew up with an alcoholic dad and a mother that was very passive. The message Christy received was that it is okay for a husband to be drunk and it is the wife's role to keep the family going. When we accept dysfunctional behavior as normal, we begin to believe a lie. If we continue to carry that belief into marriage, we will repeat the same behaviors that we grew up with. It is normal to us. Fortunately, both John and Christy realized that there were cycles that had to be broken. Those behaviors were not normal. If their marriages were to thrive changes had to happen. Think again about your family of origin. Were there things that went on that were far from healthy that you accepted as normal? If your answer is yes, it’s time to break those cycles and free yourself from the bondage of those lies.
Questions For You To Think About:
Rate your family of origins health on a one to ten scale with ten being awesome.
What lie or lies have you carried into your marriage?
What is your next step of freeing yourself from the lie or lies?
2 Minute Drill
“Does Being a Christian Mean You Have To Stay Together?”
Quick Hits:
This Week’s Quote: Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. Jackie won the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award in 1947. He was an All-Star every year from 1949 to 1954. In 1949 he became the first black player to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award. In the movie “42,” Chadwick Boseman played the role of Jackie Robinson.
"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
"There's not an American in this country free until every one of us is free."
This Week’s Trivia Question: What is the loudest animal on Earth?
This Week’s Did You Know: The average U.S. household has 300,000 things in it. I’m not sure what to do with this fact but it certainly adds a different spin on “minimalism.”
Something To Talk About! Here’s one to think about: “Would you rather have a rewind button or a pause button on your life?”
Awesome Marriage This week
AM Podcast: Adam and Kristi’s Affair Recovery Story
The Awesome Marriage Podcast is back with new episodes in the new year! We’re kicking off with a couple telling their real marriage story. “Adam and Kristi’s Affair Recovery Story” is both powerful and encouraging!
AM YouTube Channel: “How Often Do Most Couples Have Sex?”
I get asked this question a lot. Here is my take on this popular question.
AM YouVersion Plan: 7 Secrets To An Awesome Marriage
This YouVersion plan is a synopsis of my book by the same name. Over 300,000 couples have completed this plan. My suggestion would be to do the reading plan and then read through the book together.
This Week’s Trivia Answer:
The Sperm Whale!