Posts by Francine & Byron Pirola
Video: Many Voices, One Promise
This is a magnificent tribute to the glorious commitment that is marriage. Drawn from multiple cultural and religious traditions, the video celebrates and honours the beauty of the marriage commitment. It is one of a series from Humanum Enjoy!
Read MoreClosing the Gap on Marital Distancing
There’s been quite a bit of talk around the increase in marital tension associated with the lock down conditions. Counselling services have rushed to set up online options and law enforcement reports an uptick in restraining orders. What’s going on? This is not the time for a global marital crisis! Normally, we’d say that one of the principle contributors to marriage stress…
Read MoreAre you ready for marriage?
So, you’ve been dating for a while. How do you know if you’re ready for marriage? Before you have the ‘forever conversation’, consider these signs to discern if you are ready to commit, should wait a little longer, or should quit now. Marriage Readiness Check List 1: Self-growth You help each other to be better…
Read MoreLockdown – show down
Tips for couples to survive the Corona lock down The Corona virus is not just a threat to our physical health – it’s also a challenge to our relationships. Across the world, couples are rediscovering the joy – and the pain – of living together 24/7. Without warning, billions of previously interdependent spouses now share…
Read MoreCOVID-19: Wedding Crasher
How to manage your wedding expectations in the time of COVID-19. Throughout the world, engaged couples are reeling in shock. Meticulously planned weddings are unravelling amid the various lock-down policies. In many places, weddings are now limited to the couple, the celebrant, and their witnesses. The disappointment is crushing and the change in plans come…
Read MoreMaking Marriage Permanent
Breaking up is hard to do. We all worry about the state of marriage today, especially with the decreased emphasis on its permanency. Divorce is hard. When marriages breakdown and families are fractured, it’s devastating for those directly involved, and heartbreaking for those who love them. The social impact of divorce ripples through our society…
Read MoreFrom Valentine to Valen-TIME
With St Valentine’s day approaching, couples everywhere are looking for ways to mark the day with romance. From love-struck dating couples to couples stressed out with kids, every one of us struggles to find time to… Just. Be. Together. Insufficient time together is one of the biggest contributors to relationship breakdown. Whether our relationship is…
Read MoreMarriage on Fire
At the time of writing, fires are still blazing across the Australian landscape with many tragedies of life and property lost. Even if not directly impacted, many of us have friends, family and colleagues who are. And it is not over yet. In our case, Christmas Day saw Byron and two of our sons depart…
Read MoreRetired, Extremely Dangerous
A few weeks ago, we watched the action comedy R.E.D. featuring Bruce Willis as retired black ops agent whose peaceful retirement is disrupted by a CIA order to eliminate him. The comedy rests in the ridiculously casual way the characters approach their killing careers. RED, it turns out stands for his classification: ‘retired, extremely dangerous’.…
Read MoreOn Trend with Unbusy
We recently enjoyed a week in New Zealand – about five days with some of our children and then two blessed days on our own. It was like a tonic for our soul and our marriage. Long walks with relaxed afternoons soaking up beautiful vistas and abundant wildlife. One such cheeky local was a Fantail…
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