Informal Education

Informal Education
Author: Sharon Verrett

There are several avenues of learning, one being informal education. Is it less valid because it is informal? Certainly not. Some of the best lessons that are ever taught are done in informal settings, settings outside of the classroom.

The best thing about informal teaching, for me is... it's free and often intimate! No monetary offerings needed, but we must know how to pick and choose, because everything that is free is not always good.

When we receive that informal education it helps us to develop our common sense. My mom always said, "There is no sense like common sense."

Informal education can be very, very helpful in our marriages. When we see a great successful marriage, we should pick the couple's brain to learn tools of what works and what usually doesn't. That is an opportunity for a free, informal, valuable lesson.

It is often the informal education that teaches us to identify and not to fall into things that are contradictory to our marriages. One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Corinthian 10:13. It tells us how God provides us with an opportunity to escape any temptation that is placed before us.

When we run into temptations that are wrong, we must use that door (taught in 1Corinthians 10:13) to escape. Read More...

The Sweetest Gesture Ever!

The Sweetest Gestures Ever

Author: Sharon Verrett

I had the opportunity to stand and listen to a stranger as she shared with me one of the sweetest gestures I had heard in quite a while. Have you ever had someone tell a story and you get so caught up in it, that it brings tears to your eyes. I am just that kind of girl. I rejoice in other's joy as well as my own.

This story showed the thoughtfulness of husbands.  As I listened I was impressed with her husband's level of creative thinking. He may have not thought about the everlasting memory he made.

So what happened, you are wondering? It was their anniversary of many years and he made arrangements to spend the weekend in the mountains. After the car was all packed, he had to stop by the church to drop of a check.

When they got there, he went in and left her in the car. She thought nothing of it. When he returned to the car he told her someone dear to her wanted to say, "Hi." Thinking nothing of it, she went in the building. Read more... 

National Spouse Day!

Author: Sharon Verrett

National Spouse Day

National Spouse Day! What an awesome gesture. I was told this, by a friends as I was working, today. I never heard of this day. Maybe this is it’s first year.

Nonetheless, I am excited that someone thought to have a day that celebrates marriage. So, though most of this day is over, the evening is still young …CELEBRATE! Nothing spectacular, just words of recognition or maybe a kiss.

It’s the small things in life that matter. When we learn to value marriage_ our time spent together becomes much more important than another wrapped gift …besides if you have many years together, what do you give, which hasn’t already been given?  You give more of your time. 🙂 That’s all that matters. 🙂 read more...

New Beginnings Spot Check!!!

New Beginnings Spot Check!!!

Author: Sharon Verrett

"This is our year!" many of us shouted. "This will be the best year EVER!" We made more New Year plans than we can truly digest. I guess we made them with good intentions; otherwise we wouldn't have bothered, right?

Well ...here we all stand in the line of progression or stagnation. It is nearing the end of the first month of this year. How do we all stand? Spot check… Did we lose the five pounds, one, two or maybe three? Did we go back to church, find Jesus, spend that quality time with family, start that book, enroll in that class and spend more quality time with our spouses?

Yes ...that is a lot to decipher, but often those are the goals we set, often, all at once and we set ourselves up for failure every time. Let us learn to plan realistically. Most marriages fail because we have set up unrealistic goals and expectations.

The married life is not a sprint; we must pace and train ourselves to become distant runners. Otherwise we will burn out quickly and ready to throw in the towel. Just like those resolutions.

So what happens next month when we see we are not on the path to our resolution? Do we put them aside and save them for next year? No... Remember we are distant runners. We keep trying till we get it. We never give up. read more...

Who is Loyal

Who Is Loyal?

Who is loyal? What is loyalty? I ordered a gift set from my client/friend a few weeks ago. When she brought the gift to me, I noted her hair was freshly serviced. I had to take a double take, seeing it wasn't my work.

Not wanting to assume the obvious, I asked her had she just had her hair serviced, as I could smell the fresh products, she replied, "Yes." Totally surprised and feeling territorial, I asked her, "You allowed someone else to do your hair?" She said, "...well, I just wanted to help her out a little bit, but I told her, 'You know I'm loyal.'"

Well, she's been my client and friend for over fifteen years and weekly client for about two years. After not seeing her for the following four weeks, I began to worry a bit about the sincerity of her "loyalty" statement. Well… she was true to her word. We are …now back in stride again ...it seems. I've done her last two services.

To be loyal is to be faithful, true, devoted to a cause, a person or institution, Google says. To be loyal is a great character trait to possess. It is one that would be great if we all possessed it, especially married couples.

Spouses that are loyal have longer marriages. Spouse that are loyal have the tools to overcome adversities, because they will work at it a bit harder and longer.

How loyal are we? We never know until it is put to the test. What we say and what we do are two different entities. Peter was so seriously loyal to Jesus in his heart soul and mind, until tested. In Matthews 26:35-43, He said he would die with Him if need and his heart was sincere. However, he couldn't do the simple and watch as Jesus went away to pray. Then later, He would deny him three times. Luke 22:54-62. read more...

The Best Spouse Ever!!!

Author: Sharon Verrett

I heard a child say, yesterday, his mom is the best mom ever. I quickly knew that was a relevant statement. In one sense it was true, in his heart of love and in his little eyes, she is the best mom ever. In another sense, society's standards may differ. "Best," is always comparative. To be "best," we must compare it to "worst," "good" and "better," right?

I never get into the comparative games of this world. You can never catch up. It's like the rabbit with the carrot hanging over his head. The rabbit's not smart enough to understand that the carrot dangles on a halo before his eyes, a carrot he can see, but never reach.

In marriage we must learn to be more grateful and appreciative of what we are blessed with even if it is only each other. That is a lot. There are many people who lone for a spouse, who loves them, the companionship of another being... read more

Joey Gallant's Tribute To Our President

I was sent a share on yesterday, Joey Gallant's tribute, one of the hottest shares on facebook. I was floored by the singer, Joey, in his farewell tribute to the President. The song was sung to the melody of one of my old-school favorite songs, "Gloria" by Enchantment. The new lyric in the tribute warmed my heart. It made me proud and said so many things that were true.

Unless one comes from a background of related ethnicity, it would be hard to relate or understand, It would be like trying to relate to a mother who has watched a child suffer and then overcome a dreadful disease, but if you have no children of your own or your children are healthy, doing quiet well, you can not relate or understand, you can only imagine.

Unless you have seen the struggles of my fore-fathers, you wouldn't understand.

Unless you have watched how many times they were beaten and treated (...not even like second class citizens or animals, because animals are shown much more love and compassion.) totally inhumane, you can't relate.

President Obama, being our President still today have accomplished so very much, as he still had to carry some of the same mental atrocities of the past, He has accomplished milestones that he will never receive acknowledgement or credit for by many of his colleagues, but that is okay, because many know the truth, though they may never speak it.

I personally didn't agree with all the decision he made as President, but for me he did more positive than negative. Some decisions made by man will never trumph God's laws.To agree with everything someone does is not the norm. Nonetheless, he is the leader of this land. First, (me) being under the submission to God and second, to the laws to this land as stated in Romans 13:1-14.  I, personally couldn't agree with every law that was passed, because I am under God's law first.

President Obama  represent well in most areas. He would have made my fore-fathers proud in the sense of over-coming the same old struggles, through knowledge and education. He lived part of Dr. Martin Luther King's dream.

King said, "Education is to think critically. Intelligence plus character, is the goal of true education." Oh... how he filled that bill. Quietly, always thinking, often shown in his facial expressions.  He held his temper to the tenth power. He possesses the ability to not entertain idled foolishness. He stood under deep control, but when foolishness needed to be address, he did it with facts delivered with intelligence.

I wish him well and thank him for upholding the position of Presidency with grace and I wish him peace.
Enjoy Joey Gallant's tribute, the sung by clicking the link below. Good Bye, President Obama, Good Bye!!!

https://www.facebook.com/johnnygrayiii/videos/vb.1674097509/10206740196498229/?type=2&theater

Writer: Sharon Verrett

Let Them Be!!!

Author: Sharon Verrett

Photo: Sonia Ricotti

Let Them Be!!!

One of the hardest lessons in life is learning to let people be who they are. We have a long trail of trying to change people, starting in infancy screaming until our loving parents fold. Later, we try to change our childhood playmates into the friend that plays the way we designed or we will take our toys and go home. Then, it's the siblings, adult friends and even our spouses.

One of the most exhausting challenges in life is to try to change adult people.  It is exhausting because we try and fail and then we try again and fail again. We try until we have a revelation, realizing, we cannot change adult people. It's like trying to change the shape of a hundred year old oak tree.

Nonetheless, people do change, but by their own choice. They may hear what you..... read more... http://www.saverrmarriage.com/let-them-be/

Collateral Beauty

Collateral Beauty

Author: Sharon Verrett

We often hear the term, “Collateral Damage,” but “Collateral Beauty” was a term I had never heard, until the movie, starring Will Smith.

I thought about all the outside factors that can cause collateral damage to our relationship due to poor choice we sometimes make, not fulfilling commitments and so on.

The damage caused to the children, because of divorce due to parent’s selfish choices is always a heart wrenching effect. Another collateral damage effect is the broken adult relationships and families due to drug addiction, gambling additions, porn and so on. Read more at http://www.saverrmarriage.com/collateral-beauty/

Happy New Year 2017!

Happy New Year 2017!

Author: Sharon Verrett

saverrmarriage.com

Happy New Year, welcome 2017! 

2017 what will you bring?

Today, in your first hour you brought a new day, a new week, a new month, along with this New Year.

2017, I hope you continue to be filled with plenty.                                                                                   2017, you bring new hope and great opportunities.                                                                                   2017, you are filled with possibilities.

Who will partake of your offerings? 

Who will capitalize on your opportunities?

Who will take a new challenge to conquer the negative past failures with the offerings of 2017?

We all desire to be the best we can be. We all desire to pursue happiness, peace, love and joy, but what will we do or sacrifice to achieve our ...read more