Improve Yourself! Week 6: Stick With It!
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Here we are entering the sixth week of this 8-week challenge, and I am proud of you for reading this. I am particularly proud if you are an original member of the Improve Yourself! group, and you have not given up on yourself or your goals.
Don’t Quit!
Do you know what 26/64 represents? For one, it represents about 40%. It also represents that only 26 people checked in with their results in Week 5 even though 64 folks originally signed on and committed themselves for the 8-week challenge.
I am not at all surprised by this ratio, but I am disappointed. Those 38 “drop-outs” had awesome goals and a lot of energy. Unfortunately, for many of them, the end of 2010 will look a lot like the end of 2009 with unfilled promises to themselves and some repetitive New Year’s resolutions.
Take a few minutes and give some thought to the SMART Goals you declared in Week 1. Are those goals worthy? Do you still want to accomplish them? Are you still willing to put in the work and sacrifice needed to make it happen NOW?
Round-Up of Interesting Reads #11: Love, Laughs, Emergencies, Challenges, Teasers and Great Music Edition
I hope everyone is doing well in the New Year. It’s hard to believe it’s already February and Valentine’s Day is approaching. If you are gift giving type, I hope you enjoyed my suggestions for gifts for her and gifts for him. If you are like us, you probably value a night out or some quiet time with each other more than any gifts.
We shared an awesome date night recently with good friends and great music. It just so happens that I am close friends with the musician that night, and he has recently written some incredible songs. You can check those out in this edition of the Round-up along with a hodge-podge of other cool stuff I’ve found on the web recently. Enjoy!
- Send a Valentine from Valentine…or Loveland. My buddy Stu at The Marry Blogger gives us a quick post with ideas of how you can mail your valentine to add a special touch this year.
- Debunking the Myths: Common Home Emergencies. I found this post at Dumb Little Man to be really interesting, and probably pretty valuable if I encounter any of the emergency situations discussed here.
Five Great Online Valentines Day Gifts for Him
We’ve already covered some Awesome Online Valentines Day Gift ideas for the ladies. Now it’s time to look at some great online Valentine’s gifts for guys.
Once again, I think you will find that it’s really easy to find a unique, memorable or just cool Valentine’s Day gift online. There are obviously a lot of great ideas out there, but I have compiled a list of five unique “guy gifts” from the pages of Amazon to give you a head start in your Love Day shopping.
Take a look at these and let me know if you think the husband, fiance or boyfriend in your life would appreciate getting one as a gift. I know I would!
1. Fine Meats and Cheeses
I think most guys would agree that a nice piece of exotic meat and some cheese is tough to beat. It’s the stuff of Kings. I was amazed by the variety of unique meat delicacies available online. For a simple spread, check out the Wild Game Pack (Venison, Elk, Buffalo) by Wisconsin Cheeseman.
2. Massaging Cushion
Five Awesome Online Valentines Day Gifts for Her
It’s that time of the year again when we buy our loved ones a gift in the name of love and St. Valentine. Although I’d always recommend a romantic love letter as a superb Valentine’s Day gift, I know that many of us also enjoy giving something a bit more commercial as a sign of our love.
The great news is that it is easy to find a unique, memorable or just fun Valentine’s Day present online. To give you some ideas, I’ve scoured the pages of Amazon and compiled this list of gifts for the special lady in your life. And don’t worry ladies, I have also compiled a similar list of great online Valentine’s Day gifts for guys.
Perhaps one of these items looks like the perfect gift for her. If not, I bet these ideas will get your mind working and allow you to find the online gift that your spouse, fiance or girlfriend will really enjoy.
1. Premium Chocolate Goodies
How Marriage Helped Make Me a Christian

It has been a very busy and fulfilling last few weeks for my wife Bethany and I. After many late nights of preparation, we were blessed with the opportunity to be a presenting couple at a marriage retreat last weekend. As we presented our material and discussed it with some of the couples making the retreat, I realized that some of our words should be shared here at Engaged Marriage as well.
I chose this retreat topic as the first of several that I’ll share here because it gives some insight into why I care so darn much about marriage. In a very real way, it was the love I witnessed in Marriage that fueled my call to become a Christian and join the Catholic Church in my college years.
And now, as I look back, it is clear that this was the start of a powerful call that God has put on my life to help others achieve something very special in their own relationships.
Not Such a Fan of Marriage in My Early Years
I am truly grateful for the positive impact that the Church has had on my life and our marriage. And this is really saying something coming from me and my past. To say that I was not raised with any religious background would be quite an understatement!





















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