What Makes You Sad? What Makes You Happy?
This week in the Dispatch:
Quick Hits: July 4th Music; More Pick 1; Summer Things You Need to Know; and a nod to Joey Chestnut
“Killing the Mob” in Books
This Week’s YouVersion Plan is Part 2 of “Infidelity”
Debra Fileta joins me on the Podcast
This week’s vlog looks at “Flirting”
Insights: “Sad and Happy”
As always Next Steps and a Challenge to grow your marriage
This Week’s Quick Hits:
Music
Here are the Top 10 All Time July 4th Songs
#1 - "God Bless the U.S.A.," Lee Greenwood, 2020
#2 - "Color Me America," Dolly Parton, 2003
#3 - "Battle Hymn of the Republic," Johnny Cash, 1969
#4 - "America the Beautiful," Ray Charles, 1972
#5 - "The Star-Spangled Banner," Whitney Houston, 1991
#6 - "My Shot," the Cast of Hamilton, 2015
#7 - "God Bless America," Celine Dion, 2001
#8 - "This Land is Your Land," Woody Guthrie, 1944
#9 - "America," Simon & Garfunkel, 1968
#10 - "Living in America," James Brown, 1985
Pick 1
1. What U.S. President’s daughter celebrates a birthday on July 4th?
a. Amy Carter
b. Malia Obama
c. Chelsea Clinton
2. The month of July was named for what historical figure?
a. Ju-Laharquai (ancient Egyptian writer of agriculture science)
b. Julemaeg (Icelandic navigator and first man to map the North Americas known to the Vikings)
c. Julius (Roman Caesar)
d. Pope Julius I
3. On August 9, 1944 the U.S. was first introduced to this public-service mascot. Who was he?
a. Woodsy Owl, the anti-pollution bird
b. Smokey Bear, the fire prevention bear
c. Keep America Beautiful Campaign’s weeping Native American (Iron Eyes Cody)
d. Sanitary Sam, the Toxic Shock Syndrome Man
4. Before the advent of artificial dyes, the most popular way people put the pink into pink lemonade was by doing what to the drink?
a. adding a few drops of beet juice
b. adding a few teaspoons of cherry juice
c. adding a little red wine
d. using pink lemons
5. What summer blockbuster film was the first to be promoted to the public by a blitz of expensive television advertising?
a. Psycho
b. Batman (1966, starring Adam West)
c. 2001: A Space Odyssey
d. Jaws
Things I think you really need to know to make your summer awesome!
It is possible to fry eggs on a sidewalk. (2015 in Perth, Australia with the temp that day at 111 degrees Fahrenheit or 44 degrees Celsius. The “fryer” used a pan and then ate the egg!)
The largest scoop of ice cream ever weighed over 3,000 pounds. (This is National Ice Cream Month. This huge scoop was created by Kemp’s Dairy in Cedarburg, Wisconsin and was 5’6” high and 6’2” wide and took 733 containers of ice cream. In case you wondered, it was strawberry!)
Americans eat enough hot dogs on July 4 to stretch from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles five times. (That’s more than 150 million hot dogs.)
Finally, one of my absolute favorite “athletes,” Joey Chestnut, goes for his 14th Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest Championship. Joey is ranked #1 and is the most successful professional hot dog eater of all time.
Read:
Killing the Mob:The Fight Against Organized Crime in America by Bill O’Reilly
This is the tenth book in the “Killing” series by O’Reilly. I am amazed by the research that goes into these books. Killing the Mob begins with the bank robbers of the Depression Era in the 1930’s, including Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby-Face Nelson. It continues with the creation of the Mafia Commission and the growth of the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover. We get a look inside the mob battles to control Cuba, Las Vegas, and Hollywood and U.S. Attorney General Bobby Kennedy’s fight to bring an end to organized crime. It’s a fascinating book with information and details that will be new to most readers.
YouVersion Plan:
In Part 2 of this plan, we continue to look at steps to help you avoid infidelity in your marriage as well as how to begin healing if infidelity has happened in your marriage. With infidelity at near epidemic proportions today, this plan is really for every marriage.
Listen:
Awesome Marriage Podcast: “Are You Really OK?” With Special Guest Debra Fileta
Debra Fileta is a good friend and has been on the Awesome Marriage Podcast as a special guest more than anyone else. In this podcast, we will talk about her new book,“Are You Really OK?” This is such a timely book. Join us as we dig into the journey toward mental health and well being.
Insights:
What Makes You Sad? What Makes You Happy?
What things in your marriage make you sad? I asked a random sampling of couples this question and here are some of their answers:
Taking each other for granted
My spouse’s hurtful words and actions
My husband’s family hurting him
The thought of losing my spouse
Not listening to each other
The stress my spouse's job puts on our marriage
Some of these are situations we can do something about, and some are really out of our control. Trust God to reveal to you the difference. If there is something you can do about the situation, go for it. Do it now. Don’t waste another day.
On the other hand, if the situation is out of your control, you must first learn to accept that fact. We can spend a lot of time and energy on something we have no control over. Nothing gets better and we are often worse off because of our fruitless efforts.
Second, be willing to set boundaries that are healthy for you if they are needed. It’s okay to protect yourself. Finally, pray. We sometimes forget the power of prayer. Seek God’s help, wisdom, and intervention. One of the many amazing things I have learned about God is that He always shows up!
How would you answer the next question? “What things in your marriage make you happy?” Here were some of the answers my random sample turned up:
When we are being considerate of each other
Knowing that my husband is a godly man
Holding hands
Finding ways to please my wife
I love how we communicate, even if we do not agree
I love our commitment to our marriage
Snuggling up to each other
As I look at these answers, I am hit by an incredible reality about marriage. The things that make people the happiest in their marriage are the simple things. Happiness in marriage is not about money or power. It’s not about possessions or elaborate vacations. It’s about those things that connect a husband and a wife.
I have said for a long time that marriage is not rocket science. What fuels a marriage are the daily, simple, purposeful things that we do for and with our spouse, and that is awesome! Take the things that make you happy in your marriage today and use them as building blocks to grow your marriage into everything God designed it to be.
Next Steps:
Make a list of the things that make you sad in your marriage. Circle the ones you have no control over. Now make these part of your prayer list as you put them into God’s hands.
Make a list of things that make you happy in your marriage. Circle two things to focus on that will continue to grow your marriage
Challenge:
Out of your work in Next Steps, what is one action step you can take today?
Pick 1 Answers:
b. Malia Obama
c. Julius (Roman Caesar)
b. Smokey Bear, the fire prevention bear
a. Adding a few drops of beet juice
d. Jaws
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