All Posts By

Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott

Feb 14
Love0

How to Love One Another Well Through All Seasons and Stages of Life

By Marriage One Comment

Life is unpredictable, and we don’t always know what’s around the corner. Although we all try to plan our lives and marriages, hoping things will work out as we envision, life’s seasons and stages don’t always meet our expectations. In spite of this, when we marry, we promise to love and care for each other through it all. Loving one another well should extend through all life’s ups and downs, no matter what happens. Things may not always go according to plan, but when you build your marriage on a solid foundation of steadfast love, facing the unexpected becomes much…

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Feb 07
Love0

8 Fresh Valentine’s Day Date Ideas to Reignite Your Spark

By Intimacy, Marriage No Comments

Valentine’s Day is all about focusing on one another and celebrating the love you share. It’s also a great opportunity to reignite the spark in your marriage. However you decide to celebrate, choose ways that are unique to you and your relationship. In this article, we’ve rounded up some Valentine’s date suggestions to get you talking about and planning this holiday. Ready for the ideas? Let’s jump in. Valentine’s Date Night In Planning a “date night in” this Valentine’s Day? Here are a few ideas to get your creativity flowing. 1. Have a movie night to rewatch the first film…

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Jan 31
Love0

It’s the Little Things: How Small Gestures Can Pay Big Dividends in Your Marriage

By Marriage No Comments

Do you and your spouse do little things to show each other you care? Seemingly small gestures can pay big dividends in your marriage. That’s because it’s so much easier to build consistency through daily habits that communicate affection. Grand gestures might be photo-worthy, but they’re also fewer and further between. It’s easy to assume that little gestures might get lost in the mix of day-to-day hustle. But the fact is that your spouse notices both the presence and the absence of these seemingly insignificant acts. Little things really do add up, so let’s talk about why. Consistency and Reliability…

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Jan 24
Love0

What Every Married Couple Should Know About Expectations and Boundaries

By Marriage 2 Comments

How do expectations and boundaries affect marriage? We often hear these terms used in regard to relationships, but what do they really mean? In a nutshell, expectations are the spoken and unspoken assumptions you make about how something should be, or how someone should behave. Boundaries can be put in place to maintain expectations or respond to behaviors. Let’s dig a little deeper into each of these. Expectations Your expectations, and your spouse’s, can have a profound impact on your marriage. Expectations reveal our hopes for what our lives and relationships will look like. They also tell us so much…

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Jan 17
Love0

Responsive vs. Reactive: What’s the Difference, and Why Does It Matter in Marriage?

By Communication, Conflict 2 Comments

How you and your spouse interact with one another largely determines the health of your marriage. Whether you’re resolving conflict or simply engaging in regular communication, it’s so important for the two of you to pay close attention to how you affect each other. Knowing your effect on your spouse starts with being self-aware. In communication, your self-awareness can help you understand whether you’re often more responsive or reactive when you communicate. Responding well to your spouse, rather than reacting to them, can make all the difference in your daily interactions, and especially during conflict resolution. In this article, we’re…

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Jan 10
Love0

6 Ways to Make More Time For One Another in Your Busy Schedule

By Time No Comments

The busy holiday season is over; now it’s time to get back to your regular busy routine. Now is the perfect time to revisit your time boundaries and make more time for one another. That’s because even though we often spend the holidays unplugged from our usual routines, we still fill our time with celebrations, events, and family obligations. By the time January arrives, many of us are starting the new year exhausted and overwhelmed. What if you didn’t have to go back to the familiar status quo? What if you used the beginning of this year as an opportunity…

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Jan 03
Love0

New Year’s Roundup: Ringing in a Brand New Year Together

By Marriage, Self Reflection No Comments

The New Year is a great time to revisit personal and relationship goals and objectives. How did last year go for you and your spouse? Did you achieve shared goals together, or are you still working towards something important? Are the two of you starting the year on a high note, or hoping to heal or repair your relationship? Whatever the season looks like for you, we’ve gathered some of our strongest resources on how to best use this brand new year for a fresh start. Let’s jump in. Conduct a year in review together. Looking back on the previous…

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Dec 27
Love0
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How to Stay Focused on Experiences and Relationships During the Holidays

By Relationships No Comments

Giving and receiving gifts is a highlight of the holiday season. But sometimes, worries about material items, gift budgets, and possessions can distract us from the true meaning of the holidays. Choosing to refocus on experience and relationships can renew your perspective of the holidays and make this time of year so much more meaningful. If you want to focus on your loved ones and the memories you’ll create with them this year, you’re in the right place. We’ve gathered some tips and ideas to help you and your spouse get started. Let’s take a look. Focus on Connections With…

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Dec 20
Love0
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4 Travel Tips to Make Your Holiday Visits Happier and More Fun

By In-laws & Family, Marriage 2 Comments

Holiday travel and family visits can sometimes be challenging. But focusing on joy throughout the season could make your gatherings more memorable. You and your spouse can work together to create happy experiences during your travels. Want to know how you can keep holiday travel more lighthearted? In this post, we’re sharing some tips to help you get going in the right direction. Let’s jump right in. 1. Focus on making happy memories together. Holiday travel is often a source of stress for many people. Rather than focusing on all the things that could go wrong, spend more energy focusing…

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Dec 13
Love0
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Holiday Roundup 2023: Celebrating the Season With Joy and Peace

By Marriage No Comments

During the holidays, we’re often focused on the way things should be. But we also know that life can be unpredictable. That means we have a responsibility to create as much joy and peace for ourselves as we can. There are many ways to welcome joy and peace during the holidays, even during difficult times. In this post, we’re sharing some tips and ideas to help you and your spouse embrace and enjoy the season, whatever it brings. When It Comes to Making Holiday Plans, Stay Open-Minded One of the most significant sources of holiday stress is the question of…

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