Are You Teachable?

Are You Teachable?

I’ve been in the middle of hundreds of conflicts. Divorces, custody battles, business lawsuits, forced pastoral exits, church splits, nonprofit disintegrations … you name it, I’ve seen Christians fight over it. After many long and difficult mediations, I learned...
Why Scare My Wife?

Why Scare My Wife?

Corlette and I have very different depth perception. A car that I see as being a hundred feet away she sees as being a hundred inches away. So when I’d make a left turn with a car coming towards us in the opposite lane, she would tense up, grab the door handle, and...
Celebrating 30 Years Together

Celebrating 30 Years Together

Corlette and I are in Jackson, Wyoming, today celebrating 30 years of marriage. We took this “selfie” at the end of a hike around Jenny Lake, one of the most beautiful places in Teton National Park … almost as beautiful as my bride! Later this...
Manipulative Double Messages

Manipulative Double Messages

One of the most effective ways to undermine a relationship is to use double-messages to manipulate other people. This all-too-common process was perfectly illustrated in a recent edition of Baby Blues, one of my favorite cartoon strips. Wanda has clearly mastered the...
If Your Enemy is Freezing

If Your Enemy is Freezing

One night in the early years of our marriage, Corlette and I had such an intense disagreement that we went to bed unreconciled. Yes, we ignored the wisdom principle to not let the sun go down on our anger. As we lay there facing away from each other, a bizarre contest...