http://marriage.about.com/cs/militarymarriages/qt/homecoming.htm 

Among the advice they offer are such gems as:

1. Go slowly - don't try and make up for lost time; and

2. Accept that things may be different.

But check out the rest of the article to read all the tips and hear what The Golden Rules military couples have to say about things like re-acclimation. 

What a wonderful thing these people are doing to help couples who have dedicated their lives ot serving the U.S.A. (and, let's face it, whether it's the man, the woman or both actively serving in the military - both husband and wife are dedicating a piece of their lives to their country).

The other thing I learned from the couples married 50 years or more, is have the conversations about financial issues before you get married. Discuss how you both feel about saving vs. spending? Paying for things with cash vs. credit? These are big issues in a marriage.

Check out the article at CNN.com titled "Honey, I cheated with your checkbook."

The other thing I learned from the couples married 50 years or more, is have the conversations about financial issues before you get married. Discuss how you both feel about saving vs. spending? Paying for things with cash vs. credit? These are big issues in a marriage. 

Check out the article at CNN.com titled "Honey, I cheated with your checkbook." 

It sounds like the retreatcovered so many of the issues that are unique to military couples. That's what we try to do here at The Golden Rules, give couples some first-hand advice from other military couples who have dealt with these same issues. Realistic expectations and communication - the two things mentioned above - are always great places to start.

And check out the other subjects in the "All About" series from The Golden Rules.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080720/ap_on_re_us/military_scarred_families

What is particularly devastating is the mention in this article (and a topic you don't hear discussed nearly as often as the effect of military service on a spouse) of the effect of deployment non children.

Please, read the article and let us know what you think.

D 

She discusses the wedding gift registry DONT's, such as:

1. Don't over think the process

2. Don't forget the groom

3. But...don't go it alone (as in, get help from the people in the stores)

4. Don't register at every store under the sun

5. Don't be afraid to work the system

6. Don't keep the gifts you don't want or need

7. Don't return gifts one at a time.

For more details about each of these 7 gems...visit www.myhomeideas.com

"Jessica Simpson once offered marriage advice and reportedly was offered $1 million for a marriage advice book. Uh, this was before she divorced Nick Whatshisname. Looking for more marital advice from the Fidelity Capital of the World? Will Smith and Kate Hudson have dished it out, among many others.

Usually, the maturity level of a movie star seems to be at least a decade behind the rest of the population. How many times do we read about an actress or actor starting a family for the first time somewhere in his or her late 30s or 40s gushing about the joys of parenting and a stable marriage and family life and spending time with the kids and blah blah blah, as if she or he just discovered cold fusion. Yeah, the rest of us figured all that out, oh, somewhere shortly after college."

Well, I have to admit, not sure I figured it out shortly after college but at least thegoldenrulesoflife.com tries to share the advice of the real experts on marriage, couples that have been married 50 years or more.  I  mean, I'm not shy, I have opinions on the subject and some advice of my own to give but I've always said - it's just one guys opinion. So why do celebs feel like their perspective warrants special respect? I truly do appreciate people, celebrities or other people, who want to get involved in the political process but...marriage advice? Really? And even in politics, can't someone say "I like this guy, here is why, but that's just what I think. You make up your own mind." Wouldn't that be refreshing?

So...what to make of an Associated Press article  that says Evangelicals say faith is now too political. Several Christian leaders have released a statement called "An Evangelical Manifesto" which condemns Christians on the left and right of the political spectrum for expressing political views as Christians without regard to the truth of the Bible. The Manifesto describes some Christians as "useful idiots" for one political party or the other.

It is an interesting perspective and I would love to hear what you all think. I, for one, am not sure (and I have not read the Manifesto) how anyone can completely separate  their faith from how they feel politically. But if what I am reading in the Associated Press article is correct, that is not what the Manifesto is suggesting. Rather, it is suggesting thatusing faith to express political viewpoints, without some basis for those views in the Bible, waters down the Christian faith.

What do you all think? If your faith influences how you vote, do you try and find substantiation in the Bible for what you are feeling is important? Do you look to specific Scripture for guidance?