Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Love and Respect


As someone who has been married for almost 26 years, I keep learning that marriage is a partnership. One counselor told me marriage is all about these three components: Love, Honor and Negotiate. I agree wholeheartedly. And I am learning that I never want to disrepect my husband, emasculate him, treat him as a child or even treat him with contempt.

What I am learning now is that it is possible to break the Crazy Cycle as mentioned in the book, "Love and Respect," by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs.
The Crazy Cycle goes like this---WITHOUT LOVE---SHE REACTS---WITHOUT RESPECT---HE REACTS. And both partners react in ways that are damaging to a marriage. I can belittle my husband without even realizing it. And I can be right but wrong at the top of my lungs.

I don't claim to have all the answers in making a relationship work. I do claim Jesus and I am relearning the meaning behind Ephesians 5. Without love from my man, I do react without respect; without respect my me, my spouse reacts without love. Around and around it goes.
Time to get off the Crazy Cycle.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You HAVE been reading!! Glad I mentioned this book to you...tellin ya what..what an eyeopener

Unknown said...

I have been wanting to read this book!