Standing in my front yard sizing up the landscaping job that needs to be done and sweating to death, I caught the attention of my neighbor. He walked over to see what I was doing, so I asked his opinion and then gave a sly invitation for him to bring a shovel and help a sister out!

While we stood there baking, we had a conversation that went from yard work, owning a home to being single and then I heard him say the most refreshing things! When he becomes a husband and father he will never stop learning and striving to improve. He went on to say that he was confused and disappointed in his generation and their lack of work ethic, and desire to set goals. He wasn’t bragging but, he shared his accomplishments with me how at the age of 21 he had a good steady job, bought his first home and didn’t hang out in bars like a lot of his peers.

After we parted, I came inside and sat down in front of the fan. I really was encouraged by his attitude and ambition especially his comment about marriage and parenting. If more young people… heck older people too!.. thought like that, I’m convinced there would be less divorce in our world.

Instead, too often I hear couples say “this is how I am, and I’m not changing!” I know first hand that this bullhead kind of thinking is what strains many marriages that ultimately end in divorce.

I’m pretty pleased to be this young man’s neighbor, and I hope I get the privilege of watching him become a husband and father. First, he needs to find a young girl who has the same thinking!

When it comes down to it…will you keep learning and striving to improve as a spouse, a parent? Or will you keep the attitude that, you are who you are and you aren’t changing?

I hope you’ll join me as we steer clear of divorce court, and get a new attitude!

Lord, show us your ways so that our desires and goals will be to live wisely, never being stuck in our bullheaded thinking, but having a mind like yours…full of love and self-less giving, always striving to improve. In Jesus name Amen.