©2004Empowering people to create happy, lasting, spiritually-based
marriages—the foundation of a prosperous, unified world
| July
2006 |
Volume 3, Issue 5 |
© 2006
Marriage Transformation LLC
Project Message
The Reading Room
Introduction to Character and Relationships
Funny Bone: Adding Humor and Fun to Your Communication
New Book Release:
Can We Dance
Upcoming
Marriage Transformation Workshops
Listserves/
Newsletter Subscriptions
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Character Quality
of the Month:
CREATIVITY
Creativity is drawing on ideas and inspiration and producing or developing something new that has never existed before through artistic or imaginative effort.
I am practicing Creativity effectively when I:
• Develop and try new friendship
building and character exploration activities with a partner and discover new adventures, possibilities, and experiences
• Discover and develop my talents and engage in artistic activities like painting, poetry, writing, drawing, or playing a musical instrument, and encourage a partner and others to do the same
• Conduct experiments with science
• Use prayer and meditation to receive inspiration for artistic expression or to develop something new
• Use words and actions to develop new approaches and solutions to problems that produce positive outcomes in my life, relationships, community service projects, and employment
• Make uplifting and beautiful changes in my home or office
• Cook new and interesting food and combinations of foods
~ Can We Dance? p. 420
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Featured Product
On sale for $13.95!
Pure
Gold:
Encouraging
Character Qualities
in Marriage
(Second Edition)
Discover how character qualities such as trustworthiness, loyalty, truthfulness, and courage can transform your marriage and enrich your communication skills!
"Pure Gold is a
lifeline for today's couples."
~ Linda Kavelin Popov, author of A Pace of Grace (honored by the Dalai Lama)
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Watch our short inspirational movie here! (2 min, 30 sec)
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The Marriage Transformation Project is a global
social and economic development project committed to relationship
and marriage education and skill building for people at
all stages of relationships. In addition to our own independent work
in developing materials, with a strong focus on character and communications,
we draw on many sources. These include the work of marriage researchers, psychologists, philosophers, traditional wisdom, authors, and spiritual sources. These spiritual sources include the following world's religions: Baha'i Faith,
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.
Click here for further
project information.
Marriage Transformation™ Project
P.O. Box 23085
www.marriagetransformation.com
by Susanne Alexander
Joyce Ashman
and Design
by Joyce Ashman
We welcome new subscribers! Please share! A Marriage Transformation Message from Susanne Alexander and Craig Farnsworth, Relationship Coaches and Marriage Educators Dear Friends and Colleagues: Have you ever seen a couple sitting at a restaurant obviously struggling to find something to talk about? Have you and your partner or spouse slid into having only routine conversations about school, the bills, children, or housework? Even in excellent relationships you can have periods where your conversations seem dull and ordinary. However, there are actions you can take to counteract the routine talk. Friendship, which includes having intimate and dynamic conversations at times, is a foundation of relationships and marriage. As you talk with each other and share your thoughts and feelings, the bond between you grows. You listen to each other and experience what it is like to know someone and have them know you. When there is a disruption in communication or it seems as if there is little of importance to talk about, it's time to assess what is happening. Perhaps the two of you need to engage in a new activity together that prompts you to focus on new topics of conversation. Alternatively, you might find it helpful to talk about subjects that do not normally arise in your daily conversation. Perhaps you could create a jar with interesting questions and pull one out on occasion. You could go out on a date and decide to focus on discussing a particular character quality or some other subject. If you need some help, we recently picked up great tools, including books and playing cards, at the Smart Marriages Conference that we are trying out. We've put the information below in The Reading Room in case they are of benefit to you too in deepening your conversations. Enjoy! Loving greetings,
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10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage David and Claudia Arp These three books are excellent tools to assist couples to focus on discussing specific topics such as communication, unity, resolving conflict, balancing roles, money, appreciating differences, growing together spiritually, and having fun. Each book is tailored for the specific needs of the target group. Included worksheets provide a tool to guide the discussions, and the Arp's give excellent coaching for how to have the discussions and dates be successful. If you have a group of friends who are interested in working through the content together, these books also make great material for groups. See the authors' website for information on DVD's that can accompany the study. ISBN: 0-310-21091-7; 1997; 208 pages; $12.99 US; www.marriagealive.com
Staying Engaged™ Cards
"What is the magical conversation at the heart of your relationship?" is the question that creative and fun-loving spouses and relationship coaches Kat Kehres and Curtis Knecht are asking you. Craig and I (Susanne) recently talked about our own magical conversation. Since we returned from the Smart Marriages conference, we have tea and cookies on the back porch every evening and discuss one of these cards. We are learning and clarifying our thoughts and perspectives on a number of topics and discussing ones we wouldn't have thought about otherwise. We encourage you to delve deeper into your own relationship with a pack of these cards yourself. Manufacture Number: 9780976437802 ; $12.50 US; www.stayingengaged.com
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Introduction to Character and Relationships We recently presented a 2-hour character and relationship workshop at the 2006 Smart Marriages Conference in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). Information about obtaining a recording of our session is available at www.marriagetransformation.com/learning_workshops_SmartMarriages.htm. |
Funny Bone: Humor 1. Is laughing together important to you? Fun 1. What is fun for you to do together? ~ Pure Gold (Second Edition), p. 262 |
We Now Accept Paypal for Purchases We are pleased to announce we can accept Paypal in our shopping cart system for your purchases. Check out our store now! |
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Special Price of $17.50 (retail is $18.95) Can We Dance? We urge individuals to prepare for a relationship before being in a relationship. This book is designed to walk you through the stages of ensuring you are ready to be a happy, mature partner, with a clear understanding of yourself and a clear vision of what is important in a partner. Then, it guides you through the steps to establish a great friendship-based relationship. The focus throughout the book is on character - yours and your partner's - and the communication techniques and skills that support knowing each other well. It will help you make excellent choices. Can We Dance? is a 480-page guide filled with wisdom, activities, cartoons, reflection questions, worksheets, and much more that are designed to empower you to have a happy, lasting relationship that can lead to marriage! Learn more about the book here!
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Upcoming Marriage Transformation Workshops We will be in Western Canada this August for a workshop for individuals and one for married couples. See our website for details: http://www.marriagetransformation.com/learning_workshops_upcoming.htm. Watch for further details in future newsletters or send us an email! |
Listserves Join our listserves if you want to learn more or become involved in marriage education! Join today and help transform marriages! MarriageTransformation-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com Did a friend forward this newsletter to you and now you want to receive your own copy each month in your email inbox? To sign up for this newsletter, go to our home page, www.marriagetransformation.com, and register in the "Newsletter Sign Up" box! MarriageTransformationEducator-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com Get the latest news about marriage and The Marriage Transformation Project as it happens! Join our announcement listserve today!
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Please contact us at staff@marriagetransformation.com or (216) 383-9943 if you have any questions or comments, requests for subject matter to be covered in the newsletter, need to change your email address, or want further information about the Marriage Transformation Project. If you wish to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click on the link below. |
