Are all the ingredients there? 

Are there thing you would rename or add?  It’s a great conversation starter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What does this graphic mean to you? 

 

Look at it carefully and notice that the ‘steps’ leading to the serious relationship begin with the ‘acquaintance’ phase and lead all the way up to ‘love’.

 

By the time you make it the ‘love’ stage, you are building on the foundation of who you are as people.  Each of you is an individual with opinions and a history. 

 

On top of this foundation, your relationship grows as you add trust, commitment, respect and equality. 

 

If you have added all of the appropriate ingredients, you have built a stable and balanced marriage – one that can withstand the test of conflict, stress and time. 

 

Think of how little use you would get from your automobile if you did not change the oil and do routine maintenance. 

 

Oh, you could probably use it for awhile and it would run, in spite of your abuse and neglect. 

 

But, eventually, it would begin to break down.