We fuss, argue, nag, and express anger out loud--in front of our children! Many couples I’ve counseled admit that after an argument, many days and even weeks can go by in silence, remorse, and outright anger. Intimacy during times of bickering and disagreement is totally out of the question. One sleeps in bed and the other on the couch or in the spare bedroom. This demonic atmosphere, when it becomes a habit, is usually followed by the word divorce. We are told that one out of every two marriages ends up in divorce. That is your neighbor and my neighbor.

Happy New Year to you! This will be a blessed year for all of us; I pray that we will not see what our hearts cannot bear, in Jesus’ name. I say this because if it had not been for the Lord on my side on December 10, 2011, you might not be reading this column today.

I took my children to a birthday party in a large, popular children’s recreation facility that Saturday. I sat down with four ladies, and we started talking. After eating, the children went to play in different groups. The little ones were in the company of the teenagers. Everyone seemed content.

My 4-year-old son came back to sit with me briefly. A few minutes later, I saw him watching The Magic School Bus on my iPhone. I scolded him for going into my bag without permission and asked him to return my phone immediately. Then I carried on talking with the ladies, and a few minutes later, I looked up and did not see my son. I dug in my bag looking for my cell phone and realized that my son must have taken off with it.