HM Links & Clips (11/24/10) #147 (part 2)

From: Stronger Families [info@strongerfamilies.org]
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 11:27 AM
To: Coffin, Bill (ACF)
Subject: [MARKETING EMAIL]Turn the Tide - Giving Thanks, Honoring Those Who Serve

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Featured Resource

Stronger Families Live Presents: Authors Gil and Brenda Stuart of Restored and Remarried

Restored and Remarried

As Traci and Tom walked down the wedding isle, with their children in tow, they envisioned their new family as loving, peaceful and fun.

Then realty hit: possessiveness, jealousy, finances, ex's, and schedules....ahhhhh!


No wonder 60% of remarriages fail!


Stronger Families LIVE presents:
Video Broadcast with Authors Gil & Brenda Stuart


Watch the Video Here....



Oxygen For Your Relationships Seminars

December 4, 2010
Lakewood
Register Online

What people are saying about our Oxygen Facilitator Training:

"There is an overwhelming need for marriage building in our society.  This equips us with an ability to effectively encourage people to always have hope that their marriage can survive and be great.
"
Rosie Kronstad

"The program is clear and well presented."
Mike Moodi

"I have personally attended and/or facilitated many marriage retreats/conferences.  Oxygen takes many of the best aspects of a lot of the programs out there and combines them into one seminar."

Patty Armstrong

"Whether you have a good marriage or are struggling in your marriage, Oxygen for Your Relationships will give you the tools to build a great
marriage."

Penny Castro

Learn more about Oxygen Seminar

Download Oxygen Seminar Brochure

Request Oxygen For Your Relationships Seminar at your church

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Military coupleGiving Thanks: Honoring Those Who Serve 

by Noel Meador
 

I invite you to imagine with me for a moment...After 12 long months of deployment, you finally get to come home. Pure excitement sets in as you think of wrapping your arms around your spouse and kissing your babies cheeks. You can hardly wait to walk in the door and be celebrated. Yet, after the hugs and kisses, you realize that things have changed. Your family has been living day-to-day without you for 12 months.  Your spouse is used to living without you  and has connected with your kids in ways you haven't...shared special memories while you were thousands of miles away.  After facing stress and trauma from war, you now feel lost in your own home.  You don't know how to put the pieces back together and your family is struggling. Your marriage--distant.


This is a story that is about to repeat itself over and over again. After nine years in Afghanistan, and seven years in Iraq, there is a surge of new, young veterans and active-duty soldiers coming home.  These men and women are returning home after multiple deployments in often unstable and violent environments.  Many come back to the U.S. with physical injuries or post-traumatic stress, only to find a depressed economy where jobs are scarce.  However, the most tragic part is that more often than not - they return home to a hurting family.


Read More...
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YMCA Reaching out to Low Income Families 
by Krista Fogelson

Ask most engaged couples if they think marriage will be hard...will it take work?  They'll likely answer yes, of course. Then they'll look into each other's eyes and share how "he'll make it easy," or "with her it will never be as difficult as they say."  After the honeymoon wears off, most couples realize that a successful marriage takes work, time and access to sound advice, as well as a strong support system.  For many, this support is easy to come by and counseling is readily available.  However, what happens to lower income families who don't have access to support, or where affordable counseling isn't an option?  Many couples are doing their best just to make ends meet, much less find time for each other. Can their marriages survive?

Keep reading to learn how, at the invitation of the YMCA, we're using the message and tools in our Oxygen for Your Relationships Program to provide low-income couples with education they need to create better communication in their marriage and create a support system to keep their family strong.
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Geoffrey Castle
Geoffrey Castle Celtic Christmas Celebration

Don't miss the 4th Annual Celtic Christmas Celebration!

This concert features electric six string violinist Geoffrey Castle.  Geoffrey will amaze you with his spirited stage presence and dynamic musicianship.  With several critically acclaimed releases of his own, Castle has managed to share stages with an illustrious group of musicians world-wide.  You won't want to miss it.You'll not only be investing in your family, but you'll also be participating in the work of strengthening marriages and families all across our community.  A portion of the proceeds will directly benefit the work of Stronger Families.


Be sure to come early for a featured art exhibit.  Stronger Families will have an exhibit there as well and we welcome you to stop by and visit us.


A Benefit for Stronger Families
DATE: Friday, Dec. 3rd or Saturday, Dec. 4
TIME: Doors Open Friday, 7:30pm and Saturday, 8:00pm
LOCATION: Kirkland Performing Arts Center
Tickets Available at: www.kpcenter.org

Visit our Site for More Information...

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From: Institute for American Values [web@americanvalues.org]
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 4:23 PM
To: Coffin, Bill (ACF)
Subject: Institute in the Public Square

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Jody Wood,
11/23/10.
Jody Wood, 11/23/10.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILIES

The New Stigma--Children of Divorce Are No Longer Stigmatized, Until They Start Dating

By Elizabeth Marquardt, The Huffington Post, November 16, 2010

"[A]s the stigma about children of divorce began to weaken, new realities appeared. Social science evidence now demonstrates that, compared to those who grow up with married parents, children of divorce are at greater risk for a host of social problems. Divorce also appears to be transmitted inter-generationally. Studies now show that when they grow up the children of divorce are themselves at significantly greater risk of divorce compared to those who grew up with married parents."

Read the Article

The Poor's Good Marriages

By David Lapp, First Things, October 28, 2010

"[L]ess-educated women are punting marriage because they have no reason to get married--and they have no reason to get married because they lack the adequate time and resources to enjoy the hedonic marriage. In the hedonic model, the only people who get married are the people who can afford to consume lavishly. Marriage is imagined as another luxury that only the wealthiest can enjoy. Marriage is of little use to the less educated."

Read the Article

Why Your "Good Enough" Marriage is Good for Your Kids

By Elizabeth Marquardt, The Huffington Post, November 12, 2010

"The children of divorce tell us that they began to feel like a different person in each parent's world. Even in a so-called 'good' divorce with minimal conflict, the children more often felt lost and alone."

Read the Article

Caregiving Burden Increases Exponentially For Adult Kids of Divorce

By Ruth Papazian, Heart Insight, November 2010

"'There is a myth of the "good divorce," that after a few years of chaos, everyone bounces back,' says [Elizabeth] Marquardt [vice president for Family Studies at the Institute]. But her research suggests that the ramifications of divorce on children reverberate well into adulthood. For instance, if you didn't think your parents were there for you while they were going through their divorce, it's hard to swallow when your parents expect care when they are old or infirm."

Read the Article

Americans Want Marriage, Despite 40 Percent Who Say It's Obsolete

By Kathleen O'Brien, The Star-Ledger, Nov