The more you do to make your dream real the more God responds to you. Writing it down is usually the easiest first step, but then you must take active and passive action. Active action involves the steps you take to move toward your dream. Passive action is being ready to recognize and respond to the gifts that God sends you along the way.

For instance, in 2002 at a seminar I (Ed Coda) wrote in a journal that I would write a book. Betty, however, was not excited or ready when I shared that with her.  In 2007 we were both attending a function where we were given a coupon for a “free” book-writing seminar. That is where God delivered something that inspired both of us to be on the same page about writing our book!

If it is your passion, dreams are like seeds planted.  The more you water and fertilize by taking action steps, the bigger and faster they will sprout and grow.  However, the rain and sunshine you have no control over.  These are the passive gifts you must be ready to receive and that’s why you have to pray.  Some seeds or dreams happen instantly and some are like oak trees which may take years. 

In summary, find your passion and start to dream. Pray every day to know what active action steps to take and to recognize and accept the passive action that comes to you! Remember that dreams are like seeds that germinate on their own schedule and time frame so never give up.

These typical situations generally cause intense feelings.  For instance, when the car cuts you off, you might get tingles on your hands; feel instant fear and panic which can often turn into anger or even rage.  When someone jokes about you, you might feel embarrassed, confused, even hurt if you take it a certain way.  When your loved one is late you might feel anxiety, fear, and insecurity thinking that something bad may have happened, or even dread at the thought of losing someone.  

All of these feelings are neither right nor wrong; good nor bad – they just are normal feelings.  Unfortunately, most of us stuff and stifle the feelings and simply act out what the feeling makes us feel like doing!  Like honking a horn, stepping on the gas to catch up and hand gesture the other driver.  Or get even by telling a joke or hurtful story about the other person.  When someone is late, some people pace and start practicing what they will say when the person shows up.  Others might get fearful and even cry at the thought of what might have happened.  

It’s only when we become aware of and notice and acknowledge our feelings that we can start to choose our behaviors instead of just reacting.  Saying our feelings out loud is the best way we know to master them.  Feeling spoken out DO NOT have to be acted out!

Traditions. They are a vibrant part of our lives in our childhood. They may get adjusted as we join our life to another when we marry. They blossom and bloom as we develop our new family traditions with our children’s input. It’s easy to create new traditions with children because anything you do twice becomes a tradition. Traditions give great memories and provide security and stability in the family.

Our Easter Traditions include dying Easter Eggs on Saturday with coloring kits or food coloring and designing our own colors. Waking on Sunday morning surprised with the arrival of the Easter Bunny’s baskets and the hunt to find ALL of the eggs. Then we get to church early and experience the joy of alleluia and the resurrection. Everyone is filled with happiness. Our Easter banquet has lamb roast and always deviled eggs tinged with Easter colors. The afternoon is filled with the laughter and the camaraderie of playing cards and games.

This Easter was a blend of traditions and accommodations to other people’s schedules. Some needed to be with spouse’s families which we support whole-heartedly, because of our own experience as a young couple of eating 2 Easter dinners in an attempt to keep peace. No one needs that stress!  And this year we managed to carry out all of the traditions with the Master’s Golf Tournament sometimes in the background and sometimes in the foreground. Really! What a Blessed Day!

With love from Ed & Betty Coda

Realizing that it’s not what job they do, but how they treat other people.

Keeps us on our toes to be the best model for them possible.

Gives us many opportunities to be the best listener for them.

Let’s us play and learn to be a team.

Provides chances to have dreams and goals that improve our life and matter to more than just ourselves.

Encourages us to practice the attitude that children are a resource and a joy rather than a burden and a responsibility.

Allows us to improve the quality of our life while inspiring our children to improve the quality of their own.

Gives us the chance to provide a home where they feel significant and listened to.

Creating our home as a refuge and place of lots of affection and safety.

Being conscious of our spirituality because they are living examples that spirituality is caught not taught.

What would you like to add?

The good news is that it only takes a decision to do the same in your own marriage. The most successful couples know that they have to create new and fresh ways to keep their relationship growing.  They set aside specific time for intimate conversation and they use outside influences like marriage retreats and directed mentoring at least once a year.  Do you have a good marriage?  Watch out!

This is the way the relationship goes. You decide to look at that attractive body and suddenly you feel a tingling.  You decide to approach and get a yes and the feelings cascade into giddiness and joy.  As long as you decide to pursue, new, different and magical feelings seem to happen every day.  Then things are getting too serious and you start to feel smothered or trapped, so you decide to “cool off” and not see each other for a while, to date other people (all decisions).  What you feel then, will either drive you back to each other or be a final farewell.  Those who do DECIDE to get back together are usually the ones who end up marrying.  They have decided that they can’t live without one another. Unfortunately, once married they often stop marrying.  They slide into routines, they get into ruts, they take each other for granted (all decisions), and suddenly they feel empty, alone, depressed and think they have fallen out of love. But what they really did is NOT make all the little decisions to put each other first like they did when they were pursuing.  You have to decide to write love notes, to pull yourself away from the TV and computer, to buy those flowers, to light candles and wear attractive night clothing, to treat each other with respect, to say no to outside influences and temptations. Decide first, feelings follow…