Are you trapped in the "crazy cycle"?

Recently a friend recommended a book called Love and Respect. I haven't read it (there are fourteen copies at the library but they are all checked out - we'll have to see what hubby can do). However, just reading ABOUT it has been helpful. It's basic premise is that many marriages are caught in a "crazy cycle" where "without love - she reacts - without respect - he reacts - without love" etc. etc. - thus they cycle. If you go to the website read The Marriage Book and The Diet Book - it is RIGHT on - you will be shaking your head in agreement.

I got the chapter information off of the SAPL website basically this speaks to how we can show love and respect to each other. I think this is pretty public informaiton:

C-o-u-p-l-e : how to spell love to your wife -- Closeness ... she wants you to be close -- Openness--she wants you to open up to her -- Understanding--don't try to "fix her", just listen -- Peacemaking--she wants you to say, "I'm sorry" -- Loyalty--she needs to know you're committed -- Esteem--she wants you to honor and cherish her --

C-h-a-i-r-s : how to spell respect to your husband -- Conquest--appreciate his desire to work and achieve -- Hierarchy--appreciate his desire to protect and provide -- Authority--appreciate his desire to serve and to lead -- Insight--appreciate his desire to analyze and counsel -- Relationship--appreciate his desire for shoulder-to-shoulder friendship -- Sexuality--appreciate his desire for sexual intimacy -

So anyway, I hope to actually read the book soon so that I might better understand all these things. But more than that - I probably just need to pray and consider how I can better respect my husband. From other blogs I've seen that there are other acronyms to help you know what words are respectful and loving - but I haven't read so I can't say much about those. So I encourage you to think about how you are meeting your spouses needs! Later I'll talk about what I am learning about how boys learn best - lets just say often it involves moving around!
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