SEX. 

Okay, now that I have your attention, let's talk about communication.

Oh, wait. Fun fact. When I did talk about sex, on average I had almost 400 page views a day, but any other topic I had about 4 page views.... WOW. 

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE NAIL!

Okay, I love this video because it is so true. I hope you laughed.

So, what's the deal with communication? 

  Thoughts and feelings are encoded, then they are expressed in whatever form the mind encoded them in. Then, the other individual decodes them in a way they will understand. This is where miscommunication takes place. The individual then processes what they decode into thoughts and feelings.  Encoding and decoding is a process, and the better you know someone, the better your coding skills. It's a good thing it is a process and that we all don't just say the first thing that pops into our minds, at least some people don't. Imagine how your interactions would be different if that was the case. I would be screwed. 

Communication is not all verbal. In fact, only 14% of communication is. Nonverbal communication is 35%  and tone of voice is 51%. 

This is why communicating over text is so difficult. Communication cues that are so important to coding are not happening. 

Turns out we, as humans, suck at communicating. We are scared of being vulnerable so we let others do the decoding. 

If someone says, "I like you". Most people are like, "what does that mean?", "MAYBE THAT I LIKE YOU". 

Sarcasm... to say something but mean another. Sarcasm has so much potential for misunderstanding. But why do we use it? Sarcasm is a way of putting up walls; to avoid telling the truth. 

Challenge: Really try to understand others while communicating. Don't jump to conclusions. Try to understand what they are encoding and try to decode the best you can.  

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. I think we could all use a little more dessert and less stress in our lives. 

Stress is no fun, but if you really think about it, most of the thoughts we have that make us miserable aren't even true.

  That means that I could and can spend time on better thoughts. Okay, I should work on that. 

Stress- a biological reaction to adverse conditions or experiences that disturbs well-being.

Crisis- a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or  for worse, is determined; turning point.

All relationships have stressers, and all families experience crisis. A crisis can do amazing things for a family. It can increase the trust between individuals, and bring the family closer as a whole. I know that after my family goes through something, we suddenly have new inside jokes and we rely on each other so much more. A crisis can also go the other way. It can cause a family to divide, but I am an optimist and I don't want to think like that.

Every family will experience their own crisis and they will be effected by different stressers. Every family is different.

God gave us trials for a reason. Without pain, there is no joy. Without stress, there is no growth.

Challenge: Look on the bright side of your trials. Try to see how you and those you love can benefit from the trial, or what you learn from the trial.  

Let's talk about sex. But for reals this time.

I'm not going to talk about how babies are made.... cuz let's be real. y'all already know that stuff.

Intimate- Into-my-mate

Sex is NOT the most important aspect of a marriage, but it is a good predictor of how the marriage will go.

Sex is like a very pleasant sneeze. A great build up of energy and then a release.

I do need to mention media. Media gives very distorted ideas of sex. Pornography `is any medium used to stimulate sexual feelings. It is extremely harmful. It provides very unrealistic expectations. Somehow, whenever we talk about sex, a lesson on porn comes with it. That is because they are so closely related in today's world. It leads to feelings of inadequacy and entails cheating.

What if your significant other has suffered from this addiction? Talk about it, but in the most loving way possible. Marry someone who is chased, if not, get chased. Be with someone who has come back from it. Full disclosure is very important.

So, what should you do when you see porn? I highly recommend watching this video.

 What should I do when I see Pornography?

Okay, enough about porn.

A couple should make love, not just have sex. It brings the couple closer, increases communication, shows one cares for the other and visa versa. The best love making is being completely selfless.

Oxytocin- chemical messenger in a woman's body- is released when love making. If a woman does not have sex for a while, she wants it less. But, if a man does not have sex for a while, the more he wants it more.

So, how do you talk to your kids about sex? It is better to hear about it from a parent, or a trusted adult. Start young. Before puberty, it is just information. If a child asks you where babies come from, don't say a stork. The way you want to teach it is up to you and your spouse. The church has a great guide to help with this.

A Parents Guide

Challenge:

1. Don't be afraid to talk about sex. It an important part of our mortal existence. 

2. Don't stand for pornography. Say something. 

Cohabitation is really in right now... but does that mean you should do it? The answer is no.

It is a fake commitment. It is not the same as marriage. It is like having a roommate with benefits. You already have established habits. For example, you don't share finances, so when and if you get married, it is very difficult on a relationship. A married couple who has cohabited are likely to keep their own habits and not mesh well together as a couple. 

Make the leap, make the commitment together. JUST DO IT!!! 

Marriage a a great thing. It is starting a life with the person you love. However, there are marriage ups and downs. At the beginning of a marriage, the couples are the happiest, but with each child the happiness drops a little. Then when the couple becomes empty nesters,  the happiness goes back up.       -However, childbirth can be the most sacred things a couple does together. There is a tremendous amount of bonding between husband and wife. It is a time for the wife to rely on the husband. It gives the husband a purpose.-  With each child it goes down. There are ways of preventing the "baby blues". Do things together. Try to not grow apart. Pay attention to each other and each others needs. 

Challenge: If you are married, do something together that you normally would not do. Strive to please your partner. 

What is love? Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me no more. But really, what is love? I am not the person to ask.

First, how do we become attached to others?

There are many factors that lead to attachment and being in "like".

It should go in this order. If you and your partner are very touchy, you may think you know the person better than you actually do. Or, you may begin to trust them more than you should.

Attachment leads to being in "like" which then leads to love.

There are different types of love: Storge, Philia, Eros, and Agape.

Storge: The kind of love parents have for their children. Sacrifice is a huge part of this love.

Philia:  Brotherly love. The friendship love.

Eros: The touchy feely, ewey gooey love. This love is passionate and with a romantic partner.

Agape: General love for mankind. Charity is a huge part of this love.

So, how do you love?

Challenge: Love everyone you meet with an agape kind of love. See how your day changes.