The Two-Fold Solution For Dealing with A Difficult Person
This Week’s Quick Hits:
This Week’s Quote:
Neil Armstrong was born on August 5,1930. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and as a test pilot at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics High-Speed Flight Station with more than 900 flights during his career. He was the first astronaut to fly in space in 1966. In 1969, he was the first man to walk on the moon and was joined by Buzz Aldrin as they spent two and a half hours exploring the moon's surface.
His most famous quote is, “This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
My favorite Neil Armstrong quote is, “It's a great thing for a man to walk on the moon. But it's a greater thing for God to walk on the earth.
True or False:
Here are five very random True or False questions. The answers and more are below.
Peanuts are not nuts!
The Big Apple is a nickname given to Washington D.C in 1971.
There is no snow on Minecraft.
The Mona Liza was stolen from the Louvre in 1911.
Light travels in a straight line.
Did You Know?:
Did you know the average U.S. household has 300,000 things in it?
According to recent reports, the average U.S. house has around 300,000 things in it. That is hard to get my mind around and I am not going to spend the weekend counting but it does make me stop and think. Are there things that I can get rid of? Maybe a shirt that I have not worn for five years or a technology item I had to have that I have only used twice in three years. What if I donated these and other things to someone or some organization that could really put them to good use?
Awesome Marriage This Week:
AM Podcast: Healthy Self / Healthy Marriage: Why Does Physical Health Matter for Marriage? Ep. 520
Physical health is not about what size clothes you wear. It is about doing everything you can to be healthy and thus live a longer, healthier life with your spouse. Join Lindsay and me as we discuss this timely issue.
AM YouTube Channel: One Great Way For A Couple to End Their Day
We talk a lot about getting your day off to a great start but what about how you end your day? Does that make a difference in your marriage? If it does, how is the best way to do that?
AM YouVersion Plan: 6 Prayers for Engaged Couples
What one thing makes the most difference in a marriage? Consistently praying together. Over our 52 years of marriage, Nancy and I have consistently prayed together, and it has made all the difference. This plan gives you simple prayers to pray together with your soon-to-be spouse, and helps you begin the habit of praying together. You’ll be amazed how God shows up!
Dr. Kim’s Insights:
The Two-Fold Solution For Dealing with A Difficult Person
As I take time off from writing during the month of August, I want to share some of my favorite Insights and Blogs from the past 12 years. Enjoy!
Do you have a difficult person - or difficult people - in your life? Is that difficult person ever your spouse?
If I am being honest, I can be the difficult person in my marriage. I can be short. I can be distant and unfocused. I can want alone time when Nancy wants quality time with me. I can also think at times that she is difficult. She can shut me out. She can give me her opinion when I have not asked for it. She, too, can be distant.
If I were to ask your spouse if you are ever a difficult person, what would they say? What examples would they use to back this up? How would you answer this question if your spouse asked?
At times all of us can be difficult. So what do we do about it? In our marriages, I think that there is only one answer. We must choose not to take it personally and refuse to be offended. Proverbs 19:11 in the Message says, “Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget.” Look at the wisdom in those 15 words. If I am being difficult and Nancy says nothing, but instead she thinks, “he must have a lot on his mind,” or “I bet he has had a rough day,” then she can put it in perspective and not react negatively. The same would be true for me if she were being difficult.
The solution is two-fold. First, hold your tongue. That way you say nothing that you may later regret. Second, do not take it personally. Refuse to be offended, forgive, and move on. It sounds simple but I know it can be difficult. Yet, when you choose that path, you win, your marriage wins, and it gives your spouse time to work through whatever is bothering them. It’s another thing you do that will give you an Awesome Marriage.
Next Steps:
When do you think that you are difficult in your marriage?
When do you think your spouse is difficult?
How can you apply Proverbs 19:11 in your marriage?
True / False Answers
True: Peanuts are legumes like lentils and peas.
False: The name refers to New York City. It originated in the 1920s when John Fitz Gerald started a horse racing column called “Around the Big Apple.”
False: Snow was added to Minecraft in 2010. It generates naturally in rare ice plains, spikes, and biomes.
True: It was stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia who had worked at the Museum. The masterpiece was recovered two years later.
True: Light travels in a straight line until it meets an obstacle that can influence its angle.