For Better or For Worse

What would you do after something like this?

In Love... or Fresh Out of Love?

Yesterday, the news program I was watching reached a commercial, and as I began to flip through a few channels, one of the courtroom shows caught my attention. The episode that I tuned into was a divorce case between a husband and a wife that had been married for just under a year. The reason for filing for divorce was "We just weren't meant."

In new statistics just released, "One out of three Americans have been divorced at least once." George Barna, who directed the study, noted that Americans have grown comfortable with divorce as a natural part of life. We must ask ourselves the question: has this contentment always been a part of our society? It's almost impossible to partake of some type of media these days and not hear of a relationship on the rocks or a marriage that has ended in shambles.

"There no longer seems to be much of a stigma attached to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of passage....Interviews with young adults suggest that they want their initial marriage to last, but are not particularly optimistic about that possibility. There is also evidence that many young people are moving toward embracing the idea of serial marriage, in which a person gets married two or three times, seeking a different partner for each phase of their adult life."

So, where do we go from here? What are your views on divorce?

• What effects do divorces have on society?
• Is it biblical to divorce? If so, on what grounds?
• Do you believe in soul mates?
• A divorce can be quite devastating. Is there life after divorce?
  

Same-Sex Marriage: Is It Here To Stay?

Recently, there has been a resurgence of the topic of
same-sex marriage in various forms of media. Just
last evening there was a very heated discussion on
Larry King live featuring Perez Hilton debating issues
relating to same-sex marriage.

In addition, there is controversy surrounding what Miss
California said about same-sex marriage in Sunday's Miss
U.S.A. pageant. Her answer included the phrase that same-
sex marriage was not "biblically correct". Many people
speculate the reason she lost the pageant is specifically
connected to what the Miss U.S.A. judges classify as a wrong
answer to the question relating to same-sex marriage.
Should she have just communicated a politically correct
answer to preserve her win as Miss U.S.A?

Within the last month the Iowa state Supreme Court ruled that
same-sex couples have the right to marry, and Vermont has
followed the same ruling. The District of Columbia has also voted
to recognize same-sex weddings done elsewhere as official, and
in New York the governor has consented to sign legislation
legalizing same-sex marriage.

• Is same-sex marriage here to stay?
• What are your feelings about same-sex marriage?
  
• What is the connection between same-sex marriage and politics?
• What should be the churches stance concerning same-sex marriage?
  

Christian Dating: Is There Such A Thing?

TV anchor Kimberly Kennedy was madly in love with with a
man that she was about to marry when he left her at the alter.
From there a downward spiral of events occurred within her
life as she lost her career, health, and money.

She now has a new book entitled, "Left At the Alter: My Story
of Hope and Healing for Every Woman Who Has Felt the
Heartbreak of Rejection." A common thread within her book is
that she identifies that she put her faith on the sidelines during
her time of dating. Kennedy says, "When you fall in love with
God, you can be assured of one special thing: you will never be
left at the altar. Instead, you will live with him happily ever
after. And the honeymoon will never end."

A few questions for you:

• Do you believe in Christian dating?

• Do you believe in soul mates? If so, is dating necessary?

• What should the boundaries of Christian dating be?

• Is o.k. to date someone that is outside of your faith/religion?

• Is it o.k. to be intimate during Christian dating (kissing, holding hands, sex, etc.)

My Valentine

My wife and I flew out to New York City for business.
While in New York we took some time to relax at Times
Square. I wanted her to know that she is my one and only
valentine. I hope she reads this, I might get a few brownie
points!

By the way, this picture was taken at 3:30 a.m. This is
way too late for us to be up! We are usually under the
bed by 10:00 p.m. but somehow we're still vibrant and smiling.