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relationship cartoons

Why you can expect change in a marriage.

Cartoon of a bearded lady and a man

Cartoon of a bearded lady and a man. The man says, “Face it, Helen! You’re not the same gal I married.”

Change is going to happen, whether you want it or not. That’s just the nature of things. Some of us will gain hair where we don’t want it and others will long for the days when we had hair.

If you celebrated any wedding anniversary, then you simply aren’t the married to the same person you once were. We all change.

That’s a good thing. Celebrate the fact even our relationships change. Nothing stays the same. If an organism is alive, it is either growing or dying.

Take the time to make sure your relationship is growing even as the both of you are growing. Invest in your marriage like you would tend a garden.

Your partner probably isn’t the same person you married. And come to think about it, she may be very glad you aren’t the same person she married!

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growth

Resolving to Avoid?

Cartoon of a sheep and a wolf

Cartoon of a lamb and wolf. The sheep says, “€œThis year, I resolve to stay away from unnecessary risks.”

One thing I have discovered over the years is that if I make a resolution to avoid something, that temptation doesn’t necessarily go away. Resolutions just don’t work if I phrase them as a negative. I can give up soda pop as a resolution. But if I don’t replace it with something, such as water, I usually fail.

So instead of thinking about what you’re going to give up this year, think about what good habit you can replace it with.

This month, my goal is to write five hundred words a day. Hidden within that goal is to regulate how much time I spend online. If I’m going to write those words, something will have to give. So while I may not be surfing as much, this will give me a better opportunity to write my blog. I also plan to explore writing my next book.

So what is your resolution for the new year? Feel free to leave a comment and let us know.

 

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Safety Cartoons webcomic

Taking Playground Safety Seriously

Cartoon of a business man jumping off a swing

Cartoon of a business man jumping off a swing

Cartoon of a business man jumping off a swing. The caption says, “Playground tester, Cyrus Kolter demonstrates his graceful form as he jumps off a swing.”

My dad is an insurance guy. He spent his career as an underwriter. He sees safety hazards wherever he goes. Sometimes, that didn’t make trips to the playground fun. I didn’t realize the curly slides could be such a death trap.

All the same, he taught me to pay attention to my surroundings. Too many times, we assume a playground, a school or any public place is safe. While officials like Cyrus Kolter do their best to make these places attractive and without hazards, It’s always a good idea to pay attention and survey the area instead of plunging right in to that merry-go-round of misery.

Have fun, people! But play it safe too!

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Christmas holiday webcomic

Watch your sleigh, Santa!

Cartoon of Santa chasing a sleigh full of mischievous elves
Cartoon of Santa chasing his runaway sleigh

Cartoon of Santa chasing his sleigh. The caption reads, “Thanks to a joy ride, Christmas was nearly canceled!”

I don’t know why Santa would trust those elves. They always looked a little too mischievous for my taste.

Google is helping Santa Claus this year. Apparently, you can track where he’s at using Santa’s Dashboard.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. And if you hear a clatter on your rooftop, it may be those crazy elves taking a joy ride!

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Christmas holiday

Seven Easy Tips to Nurture Giving in Your Child

Christmas cartoon of a boy at a fast food restaurant

Cartoon of a boy at a fast food restaurant. He asks a worker, “My dad hates gift cards. Can you wrap up a hamburger in festive paper and a bow?

Our children are assaulted with a flood of commercials this time of year. They have seen so many toy commercials, they could probably quote them back to you verbatim. What do you do when everything around your children screams greed and you want to teach them to be giving?

My local paper had a great article by Kathy Schwartz entitled 10 Perfect Gifts Parents Can Give. That got me thinking about ways parents and teachers can teach how to be giving.

Here are seven easy tips:

  1. Volunteer at a community center.
    1. Perhaps there is a soup kitchen, homeless shelter or women’s shelter that would welcome your help.
    2. Be sure it is okay to bring your kids. Also you will need to discern if your kids are mature enough to be a help instead of a distraction.
  2. Find a service that gives gifts to those less fortunate. Two great ones are:
    1. Operation Christmas Child
    2. Angel Tree.
  3. Have your children participate in gift giving for relatives. The family can brainstorm what a grandparent, aunt or uncle wants. It doesn’t have to be store-bought. A homemade ornament can be just as meaningful if there is some thought put into it. (try to get beyond gift cards. It’s just too easy to grab a handful of these guys. Wrapped hamburgers also aren’t a good idea!)
  4. Have the family make and decorate Christmas cookies for the neighbors. The kids can decorate Christmas cookies with icing. The kids can also help deliver the gifts door-to-door.
  5. Team together with a family or with your church to sing Christmas carols door-to-door. Your church or religious institution probably has a list of elderly members that would love to hear some Christmas cheer.
  6. Attend a church service to remind everyone the reason for Christmas. Many churches have a Christmas Eve service.
  7. Read the Christmas story from Luke 2:1-20.
    1. Talk about what the stable would have looked and smelled like.
    2. Why would the king of the world choose to come to earth in such a humble way?
    3. What would Mary and Joseph have felt when all these events occurred?

Try some of these techniques to get the focus off of the gift-getting and onto being generous.

 

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