Dear Tech Support:

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a slowdown in the performance of the flower and jewelry applications that had operated flawlessly under the Boyfriend 5.0 system.

In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.9, and installed undesirable programs such as NFL 7.4, NBA 3.2, and NHL 4.1.

Conversation 8.0 also no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system.  I’ve tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.  What can I do?

Signed,

Desperate

Does that sound like something you’ve experienced?  I laughed so hard when I read that.  I remember back in the day when Mr. C would bring me a rose every week and write me poetry.  Open doors and all those lovely dating things we used to do.  Of course, I used to be skinnier and laugh at ALL his jokes and swoon over everything too!

You’ve searched a lifetime for that special person, but how can you be absolutely certain that you’ve found “The One”? And more important, how can you hold on to that love for the rest of your life?

More Than a Match-The Five Keys to Compatibility for Life by Michael Smalley and Amy Smalley with Mike Yorkey (yes, Michael is following after his father’s footsteps in writing!)

I was delighted to see this book in my list to read.  It amazes me to see authors who have their own children, and how much God has been laced into their life- sort of makes me know that they’re very competent in their field, and so I’m inclined to think their children who’ve followed have something worthy to say.  BUT I’m off topic.

So what is this book about? I think Amy Smalley summerizes it up very nicely in this first chapter:

What these online dating services overlook is that finding a compatible person is far easier than mastering what it takes to make a relationship work long term. Compatibility is the easy part; learning how to love is the more difficult task. Compatibility doesn’t mean happiness. What are some things that couples need to master before they are truly compatible? I believe couples on the road to marriage must learn how to communicate, how to forgive, how to get rid of anger, how to create safety in their relationships, and how to resolve conflict. That’s why Michael and I are writing More Than a Match. We want to teach couples how to arrive at win-win solutions for the issues threatening to divide them. When you really like someone—someone you think you may marry— it’s imperative that you ask the big questions. Many times couples in a relationship assume they know all the big questions to ask. Our encouragement to you is, don’t let any of these questions fall through the cracks.

Michael and Amy provide a great foundation of questions and things to look for BEFORE you get married.  I think if I would have had this book before I got married it would have saved me a lot of time on issues that took us YEARS to resolve.   (or maybe not, I’m a bit stubborn! lol)

I appreciate the honest candor about not only intellectual and emotional questions, but sexual topics such as premarital sex.   Often this is overlooked or brushed under the carpet because it happens all too often (80% of Christian couples included in that!!!).  The Smalley’s discuss in-depth details on the sexual front, which I think are important for “engaged” couples to consider regardless of their previous sexual experience.

I found the book to build with each chapter.  It became more and more interesting in the end as the two give examples of their frustrations through married life and how they created some win-win situations.  I think that really brought a grounding to this book– that they are parterners in marriage, and that is what it is about.

I would gladly pass this book onto my unmarried friends who are considering taking the plunge, or longing for deeper relationships.

** This copy was provided for me for my honest review by Water Brook Multnomah

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