Most of us think of love as that feeling of affection and attachment we experience for another person. But is love just a feeling? Or is there more to it? The Experience of Love Every person experiences love in a unique way. Some gestures of love will more powerfully communicate love to you than others. For example, some people feel close and connected when they can physically touch the other person. ...

Here are five affordable yet fun ideas to celebrate the spirit of Valentine’s Day with your beloved all year round. Valentine’s Day is, in many ways, a gap-filling marketing oasis for retailers to cover their bottom lines between Christmas and Easter. We buy into it probably for the same reasons. Valentine’s Day offers time to take a breath between the biggest ecclesial feasts of the year. The grind is back in ...

When you are juggling family and work responsibilities at full capacity, is there still room for giving back to your community? Once a month, on a Sunday afternoon, we head out to our ‘connect group’ as part of our church. Connect Group is a group of families that meet together to hang out, talk about life, pray for each other and be a support to each other during a busy season ...

A single dad shares his daily prayer, lifting up his heart to God in the morning as the dawn breaks and another day beckons. Faith sustains him through his struggles and magnifies his joys. I thank God every morning for the blessing of another day. I do not take them for granted, I would not dare. What a wonderful gift that He gives us. I start work early in the mornings, ...

St Valentine witnessed to the importance of married love by his life and death. This Valentine’s Day, let us celebrate true love in our marriages, recommitting ourselves to loving and serving our spouses with joy. On February 14 every year, couples around the world celebrate one of the heroes of Christian history. As the story goes, Valentine was a Roman priest who married young couples in secret despite the decree of Emperor Claudius II forbidding all weddings. The emperor ...

Even if your marriage is going through difficulties, taking these small steps can work wonders in reigniting your love and smoothing out communication. A lot of people feel trapped in a dissatisfying or troubled marriage. They feel powerless to ‘fix’ it because their spouse refuses to join them in counselling or a marriage enrichment course. Yet in truth, there are lots of things a husband or wife can do on their ...

Were we too young to get married? Would it have been better to wait till later? Lots of people told us so. Neither of us had really experienced life: Byron at 27 had at least lived out of home for three years. On the other hand, Francine at 21 was still studying, had never had her own bedroom, let alone lived independently. From university professors, mentors and friends, she was repeatedly ...

It can be a habit to push oneself to the limit, but consciously carving time out of paid work, housework and childcare to rest, tend to yourself and others, and listen to God’s soft prompting will keep you happier and at peace amidst the busyness of life. Life has been crazy busy since Phoebe was born. At the beginning of this year, I was able to source some writing work which ...

My son’s many allergies have been a trial. In learning to alleviate his pain, and watching him bear patiently with discomfort, I have found a depth of strength and love which I never knew I had. ‘We’ll have to shut down the whole clinic for the afternoon,’ she said, annoyed. ‘Well, you just go ahead and do that,’ I thought, annoyed. But didn’t say it. My 11-month-old had suddenly developed a ...

Coronavirus is sweeping across Australia. Here are some tips to boost your immune system — and your loved ones’ immunity — so that you will be prepared if you catch it. Your body is your best friend. You live in your body, so it is important you take care of your body. The 12 Ways to Beat Covid-19 are more based around the concept of prevention as opposed to cure. The ...

Research shows that religious men tend to do more chores than non-religious, progressive men. What is the reason behind this? And what other reasons might men have to delve into the thick of housework? While housework is not the most glamorous of duties, research from the University of Utah suggests that some men are holding their own, both in the kitchen and outside it. Surprising Observations In January 2021, Utah-based Deseret ...

It can become overwhelming to juggle one’s duties and deal with interpersonal conflict. However, taking a step back and considering what matters most in your life can help you regain perspective on why the daily grind is all worth it — for your family. Life is never without problems, is it? When you think you’ve got a handle on a situation, something comes up unexpectedly and the problem rears its head ...

Extinguishing conflict requires good communication. Here are some basic pointers on how to mediate a family quarrel and restore peace to your home. Most of you reading this would know that conflict resolution is a staple in just about every workplace. I don’t think I would be met with a whole lot of disagreement by asserting that the same emphasis should also be applied in the home. Two people step up ...

Every New Year is a fresh opportunity to start anew. Take this chance to assess your life and implement achievable steps to practise good habits and prioritise what matters most. We each have only so many years on this earth — make this year a great one! Only six more sleeps and we all enter the New Year together. How exciting! A New Year always brings new opportunities. Hundreds of millions ...

Christmastime is difficult for many people suffering loss and separation from their loved ones. If you are in pain, turn to the Christ Child Who was born in a stable, far from home; the Father Who loves us so deeply no matter how far we may wander; and the Holy Spirit Who set the stars in the heavens and Who dwells in your heart. Every Christmas, I have one song which ...

This New Year, instead of making unrealistic resolutions that are swiftly discarded by the wayside, focus on what really matters deep down and take sustainable steps toward nourishing that. The worst things about the closing of another year are New Year’s Eve hype and paraphernalia. With a few exceptions, the event is — on the whole — a dumb-ass excuse for a celebration. How many New Year’s resolutions touted the day ...

Christmas is a blessed season to pause and soak in the loving presence of your family, recalling the quiet joy of the first Christmas in the humble abode of the Holy Family. As the song says, “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.” For many families, this is true. You see, kids love family. It’s what they instinctively long for. Christmas is really the celebration of what many in ...

God stepped into the messiness of humanity through His very human family, full of scandalous forebears. This Christmas, let us imitate Jesus and love our family members despite how annoying they may get! The Christmas Vigil Mass features the Gospel of Matthew (1:1-25). Depending on whether you get the long or short version, you might hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ — a rather long list of the forebears of Jesus, ...

God’s wisdom and plans are greater than ours. It is tempting to chart our children’s lives for them, but even better is when we let God take the wheel – directing our lives and our children’s lives too. Do you already have the “perfect” plan designed for your children’s lives? As parents, I believe this is a particularly difficult area to manoeuvre. Wanting the very best for our children, we can ...

What do your children value? Reflecting on the way children treasure the simplest things can teach us important lessons in life about what we treasure. My girls are obsessed with little bits and pieces. Their bits and pieces might be a compilation of parts from toys, Barbie accessories, bracelets or plastic jewellery. They love anything little. It’s the kind of stuff that I would call junk, but my Esther and Magdalene ...