The First Anniversary: A Milestone – By Lawrence Reaves
November 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Your first wedding anniversary is an important milestone. A lot of marriages fail to make it that far. Some break apart due to unreasonable expectations. Others deteriorate due to a lack of commitment. By reaching your first anniversary, you and your spouse signify a partnership that is built upon love, respect, compassion, and intimacy. What’s more, it suggests a bond that continues to grow. Below, we’ll explain how married couples can build a relationship together that reaches the first anniversary. Then, we’ll describe a few creative ways to celebrate the event.
How To Reach Your First Anniversary
The first year of marriage can be frustrating. It’s unlikely that you and your partner will agree on everything. But, keep in mind that you don’t have to. Often, it’s more important to be okay with disagreeing. That’s part of respect. Marriages are easy when there’s no conflict between the spouses. The real test is the manner in which a couple resolves the conflict.
Also, be prepared for a loss of passion and romance. It’s common for married couples to lose both during their first year together due to stress and other factors. The love remains and the passion will come back. So, it’s no cause for concern. Another challenge may involve your in-laws. They may make it difficult to fully love them and that’s okay. Even if you can’t love them in the way that you love your own parents, be kind and tolerate them.
Finally, realize that your emotions will shift. A bad mood one day and a good mood the next is not a reflection of your love for your spouse. Communicate that. Reaching your first anniversary together requires tenderness, love, respect, and pragmatism.
Ways To Celebrate
There are many ways to celebrate your first anniversary. If possible, try to enjoy an activity that allows you and your partner some private time together. That can mean something as simple as dining out at an exclusive restaurant. Or, spend the entire day together at home, beginning with breakfast in bed. Some couples take the opportunity to enjoy a second honeymoon together. For example, a weekend spent relaxing at a remote bed and breakfast is an ideal setting to reinvigorate your relationship. Also, to commemorate your first anniversary, consider watching video footage of your wedding.
Potential Gift Ideas
Tradition dictates that first anniversary gifts are paper-based. If your spouse loves to read, find out which books are on her “must read” list. Or, be creative and stretch the definition of items that represent paper. For example, if your partner is a rabid sports fan, consider buying tickets to his favorite team’s next home game. Or, make reservations for your spouse’s favorite luxury hotel (print the reservations). Also, consider writing a love letter to your partner. Everyone enjoys receiving a heartfelt letter from their spouse. Receiving one on a first anniversary is even more meaningful.
Preparing For More
Your first year together can be difficult. It’s a test of your mutual resolve to stay committed to one another. That’s one of the reasons why your first anniversary is such an important milestone in your marriage. It represents a bond that is built upon love, respect, and intimacy. It also symbolizes a willingness to not only look past each other’s differences and perspectives, but to embrace them.
In many ways, your first wedding anniversary is a promise. It’s a commitment to your friends, family, and each other that your relationship is poised to last a lifetime. And as the years roll by, you’ll enjoy celebrating future anniversaries together with a renewed sense of hope and anticipation.
America’s Decline – Gay Marriage in the Name of Tolerance
November 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment
When it comes down to it, gay marriage is a morality issue. What is moral and what isn’t is often defined by society. These mores of society have added to the greatness of America since it’s foundation and are evident in our laws. America as a society hasn’t been perfect, but Americans have fought for freedom, Americans have fought for beliefs and rights, and America has come out on top as one of the greatest nations in the world. Some of that greatness that America has fought so hard to achieve is at risk every time America embraces a perversion of morals in the name of tolerance. There seems to be a flip flop in America where it is required that the majority be tolerant of the minority, but the minority doesn’t have to be tolerant of the majority. The gay community will express itself as a victim of the prejudices of minority and will often compare themselves to races like African Americans and the Jewish population. I am not African American or Jewish, but let me say this; Gays haven’t gone through anything like what African Americans or what Jewish people have gone through to say the least. This brings me back to my argument; Gay marriage is a morality issue not a minority issue? America has become so tied up in what is political correct they have pushed aside morals sustain the nation. So let me ask you this? How do you think the disintegration of morals will effect America? Please post any comments you have on my blog at http://disputegaymarriage.wordpress.com/
Tolerance of immorality is becoming a slippery slope. America has increasingly tolerated immorality as time goes on and is slowly slipping into moral derogation. It’s like the analogy of boiling a frog. If you throw a frog into boiling water he will jump out immediately to protect himself. If you put a frog in water at room temperature and then slowly warm up the water, the frog will never jump out and it will eventually boil to death. Let me further illustrate.
In 1950 if gay marriage was brought forth to the general population it would immediately be reject because of it’s immoral nature and it would be rejected legally as a crime against nature. Sodomy would be seen as an absolute perversion and the very mention of the word would be extremely offensive. A same sex wedding was unheard of. Through the events of the 1960′s and the following decades there has been a decline of morals and homosexuality is being accepted as more of a norm. So what is next? Well the answer is whatever the nation currently feels is immoral may be accepted in the main stream way of life in the name of tolerance. Here are a few mores of society that are possibly at risk.
- Currently it is illegal for public TV stations to broadcast full blown nudity. This too is being jeopardized as programs are introducing more and more partial nudity in their shows. Public TV stations can argue freedom of speech and that the moral wrongs of pornography are religions and religion shouldn’t mix with state. The mores of society still say this is wrong and so this currently is illegal.
- Child pornography is currently illegal even if the parents and children consent. No matter what the parents and children feel are best for them and their situation, the law says it is illegal and it is based on morality. Could advocates of this behavior argue that the government is making laws based on religion saying that moral issues should be left to the individual and not the state under the first amendment?
Bestiality is currently illegal. This one is just sick, but I bring it up to show you that it is repulsive now to mostly everybody, but the slippery slope of immorality could eventually lead to all sorts of perversions accepted by law.
Prostitution is currently illegal almost everywhere in the United States. Again, this is a morality issue.
Back to my question from the bottom of the first paragraph- How does the disintegration of morals effect America? My answer is that a selfish indulgent nation participating in anything the satisfies lust, greed, and carnal desires without any respect to morality will destroy what makes America great. Our nation was built upon the foundation of the greater good. The forefathers were seen as criminals by Great Britain and would’ve been beheaded if they were caught. Trust me when I say they didn’t do what they did because it was carnally pleasing. They knew what they were fighting for was right and they didn’t do it to be recognized or to be tolerant. They did it for the good of everybody, it was for the betterment of society, it was to create the greatest nation on earth that would last generation after generation. This nation was built on moral strength, if society removes the foundation or morality in the name of tolerance, what will we have?
Author Bio: To post comments about this article please visit my blog at http://disputegaymarriage.wordpress.com. View amazing Arizona wedding videos.