- Heather RigglemanCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- 20202 Oct
The latest installment of '3 Things I Know, 3 Things I Think' is here ahead of LSU's week two matchup with Vanderbilt. “Things 3 is the best task management app out there. It is simple and easy to use, and it has a beautiful design. While being powerful enough for even the most detailed and organized power user, it is also simple enough for the rest of us.”. 10 things you need to know today: October 3, 2020. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images. October 3, 2020. Trump tweeted late Friday night that things are 'going well, I think.'
When you got married, you likely assumed the biggest source of contention between you and your spouse was either in-laws, money, or child-rearing. But then COVID-19 showed up like an uninvited houseguest and overstayed its welcome for most of 2020.
It came in and changed our way of life in every area. Gone were routines, places of work, sending kids to school, steady paychecks, and the fear of having to suit up a couple times a month to secure groceries.
I would be lying if I said there haven’t been tears. Sheltering in place during COVID hasn’t come without its unique challenges to our marriage.
At first, we were thrilled to be home together. Chris and I are both homebodies. Our favorite thing to do after a long day of work is to be together. Whether that’s cooking in the kitchen, going for a long walk, or snuggling in our pajamas, it didn’t matter because it was us and our kids.
However, when the “fun” wore off, we had to learn to adapt or die trying. Like you, we were confined to small spaces with our spouses with little to no reprieve. We've got to balance work life and personal life, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Add in the lack of attending church, being supported by our small groups, suspicious employers who question whether you’re doing your job to the best of your abilities and homeschooling children, it can be a recipe for disaster--or even worse in some cases I’ve heard: divorce.
It’s no secret that marriages are under attack in this season more than ever before. One just has to look around to see people crumbling under pressure at every turn. The pandemic stress has produced a pressure cooker inside homes, hurting even strong partnerships and, experts say, likely breaking others.
The number of people looking for divorces was 34 percent higher in 2020, thanks to the virus. The New York Post reports the combination of stress, unemployment, financial strain, death of loved ones, illness, homeschooling children, mental illnesses, and more has put a significant strain on relationships.
The data showed that 31 percent of the couples admitted lockdown has caused irreparable damage to their relationships.
However, COVID didn’t just expose me to a pandemic. It exposed the weaknesses in myself, my husband, and our family unit. Covid-19 lockdown has forced us to confront realities about ourselves and our families.
![3+3 x 3+3 answer 3+3 x 3+3 answer](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59aeaca4197aeadddeef26f8/1571639348895-Y3ZVLJFE352WHIKREW8S/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kG87fXA8oxyk7jvo0NWJPMN7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QPOohDIaIeljMHgDF5CVlOqpeNLcJ80NK65_fV7S1UXIi5Vt-b31jNuye4HgPVuYqJTfVrfLqqDzYtJu-ecbzZtJ3qR9G2BYeA0wOAaeYNg/Things+3+tool.png)
Here are 3 realities this wife learned.
1. I’m Short-Fused
I was humbled. To my knees, type of humbled. When the pandemic hit, we were suddenly stay-at-home workers, parents, spouses, and home school teachers, overnight. It was easy to get my daughter to follow her assignments.
My son on the other hand, “hell hath no fury like a know-it-all middle school boy with ADHD.” Trust me.
I was in tears trying to get him to stay on task. But then I had to go back to work because there were only two people in my office. So, my husband stepped up to the plate.
He not only ran the house like a boss, he was more productive than ever working from home. Chris also reached our son in ways I could not. He helped our son complete his assignments and stay on task all the while, he acted as cool as a cucumber.
It opened my eyes to my shortcomings and convicted me I needed to learn the art of patience.
As a woman who thrives in a boardroom, it opened my eyes to the gift of marriage. God knows exactly what he is doing when he pairs us with our spouses. Typically where you are weak, you will find your spouse is strong. There is nothing wrong with that, but it does need to be acknowledged.
How amazing is our God, he always knows what we need. He knits our lives together not just in the womb, but in our relationships and family dynamics.
'[Jesus] understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT).
Marriage is a mixed bag of two lives full of shortcomings and weaknesses. It’s also filled with strengths, character, sacrifice and a healthy dose of humility. We all would do well to get on our knees and ask God, “Take me, break me, mold me and shape me,” because just like our souls, God is molding our marriage too.
2. I Didn’t Appreciate The Small Things
Marriage isn’t made up of the big moments. Those moments—like your wedding day, buying a house, becoming parents, or getting that promotion—those are icing-on-the-cake-moments.
Marriage is made up of the little things. The way your husband smiles at you from across the room. When he brings home your favorite candy bar or when he surprises you with a homemade meal.
Marriage is made up of making out after fighting; it’s the way he rubs your feet with his in the middle of the night because he wants to say he loves you even though you hate to cuddle. It’s sharing baloney sandwiches when bills are tight.
Marriage is seeing your relationship through the gospel and learning how to walk on water together. It’s seeing the world in God’s love and freedom. Yet, too many of us have filtered marriage through our personal satisfaction and feelings. No wonder so many marriages are crumbling.
Emotions are a beautiful gift but the Bible tells over and over we cannot trust our hearts. We can only filter our feelings, actions, and reactions through the gospel. Temperature gauge pro 2 8 7 download free. Paul wrote us a beautiful reminder:
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Galatians 5:16-17
When we choose the Spirit and God’s Word every morning, it’s a great awakening in our hearts as God cultivates its grounds for fresh blessings throughout the day. But it is a choice! We would do well to remember the words of Galatians and look for the little things.
3 To The 3 Power
3. I Don’t Need to Hustle
Once the honeymoon phase wears off, we get serious about a lot of things--mainly the future. So, we complete Financial Peace University, rename the cats Ebay and Craigslist, and begin the debt snowball. Somewhere along the way, we pick up side hustles on top of working even more at our jobs.
Why? Because we are concerned about our future wealth. This is a good thing but how good is it you and your spouse become passing ships in the night? How good is it when your spouse begins to resent you for being gone all the time? What benefit is it if you’re both left lonely?
One of the biggest blessings COVID has ushered into our lives is learning to make due with less while enjoying more “us” time.
Overnight, we didn’t have access to grocery stores, restaurants, gyms, the movies, etc. Overnight, the chance to really connect and build deep, lasting bonds blossomed.
We learned how to make bread together instead of running to the store. We learned to “Marie Kondo” our closets instead of cramming more clothes on the rack. We learned how soul-satisfying a campfire was instead of nights out on the town. We learned to really appreciate the bare basics.
Ecclesiastes 3 is one of my favorite chapters but it became a song as we learned the new, truer rhythms of life together under one roof. I love the entire chapter, however, verse 13 stands out for 2020, “It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts.”
If Your Marriage Is on the Rocks
Perhaps your marriage is one of the ones that had a small fissure that eroded into separation. Don’t lose hope. God is in the business of restoration. If you aren’t sure what to do, find a Biblical Counselor. If you and your partner need more help, turn to psychologists who are offering telehealth individual and couples sessions.
Having a therapist to talk to about some of the challenges arising is invaluable.
Ask God to open your eyes to the gift your spouse truly is. Ask to be reminded of why you fell in love in the first place. Pick and choose your battles.
Make sure you don’t react to everything your partner does that annoys you. If your partner is moody, remember it’s probably not really about you. Give him/her extra slack.
And last but not least, simply take the time to stop, look at your partner and tell them, 'Thank you,' can make a huge difference, too.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/tommaso79
Heather Riggleman is an author, national speaker, former award-winning journalist and podcast co-host of the Moms Together Podcast. She calls Nebraska home with her three kids and a husband of 21 years. She believes Jazzercise, Jesus, and tacos can fix anything and not necessarily in that order! She is author of I Call Him By Name Bible Study, the Bold Truths Prayer Journal, Mama Needs a Time Out, and Let’s Talk About Prayerand a contributor to several books. Her work has been featured on Proverbs 31 Ministries, MOPS, Today's Christian Woman, and Focus On the Family. You can find her at www.heatherriggleman.com or on Facebook.
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1. Trump to spend 'few days' in hospital after COVID-19 diagnosis
President Trump headed to Walter Reed Military Medical Center on Friday evening after he tested positive for COVID-19 and began exhibiting what the White House described as 'mild symptoms,' including fatigue and reportedly a low-grade fever and cough. 'Out of an abundance of caution,' Trump will work from Walter Reed's presidential offices for the next 'few days,' Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said. The president appeared on camera while walking to Marine One to be transported to the hospital, and tweeted a video statement saying 'I think I'm doing very well, but we're going to make sure that things work out.' Trump's physician says Trump is being treated with an experimental cocktail of antibiotics, and he later received a dose of the antiviral drug remdesivir. Trump tweeted late Friday night that things are 'going well, I think.' A White House communications aide said there will be no transfer of power to Vice President Mike Pence while Trump is hospitalized. [Bloomberg, The New York Times]
2. Biden, Pence test negative for coronavirus 1password 7 4 2 0.
Former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden have tested negative for COVID-19, he said Friday. Both Biden and President Trump tested negative for the virus before Tuesday night's debate. But Trump has since tested positive for COVID-19 and was showing mild symptoms on Friday, so Biden and others at the debate were tested to verify the potential spread. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Biden's vice presidential pick, also tested negative on Friday, an aide said. Vice President Mike Pence also tested negative on Friday, as did Ivanka Trump, Barron Trump, and Jared Kushner. The rapid testing used at the White House is known to have a lower accuracy rate than more intrusive tests, so officials say they expect there are additional cases in Trump's inner circle. [NBC News]
3. Trump postpones all future campaign events
3 3 3 5 Cable
After President Trump tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, 'all previously announced campaign events' where Trump was set to appear 'are in the process of being moved to virtual events or are being temporarily postponed,' the campaign announced. Events involving any members of the first family — first lady Melania Trump and Trump's children — are being 'temporarily postponed' as well, but Vice President Mike Pence, who tested negative for COVID-19, 'plans on resuming his scheduled campaign events.' Trump will not be participating in live campaign events until further notice. [Trump Campaign]
4. Conway, Stepien, Tillis, Johnson test positive for coronavirus
Former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, President Trump's campaign manager Bill Stepien, and Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) have all tested positive for the coronavirus since the president announced his own positive test earlier this week. Conway and Tillis tweeted the news of their diagnoses Friday evening. Conway said she feels fine and is experiencing a light cough, while Tillis said he has no symptoms. The Trump re-election campaign confirmed Stepien's positive test Friday night, and he reportedly has mild symptoms. Johnson's office announced the positive test Saturday morning; the senator is reportedly asymptomatic. [The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times]
5. India surpasses 100,000 coronavirus deaths
India on Saturday became the third country after the United States and Brazil to record more than 100,000 coronavirus-related deaths, data from the country's health ministry and Johns Hopkins University show. The world's second most populous nation has confirmed more than 6.4 million COVID-19 cases and is on pace to surpass the United States as the country with the most infections in the next few weeks. Experts say India's actual case and fatality numbers are likely higher. Though it is difficult to know exactly how many cases and deaths have been missed, antibody studies throughout India appear to back the theory that the official figures are an underestimate of the virus' true toll. Numbers have fallen since a mid-September peak, but they remain high. Still, officials are easing restrictions in an attempt to lessen the economic blow that has hit the country during the pandemic. [Al Jazeera, The New York Times]
Things 3 3 3 Unblocked
6. Grand jury audio in Breonna Taylor case released
In a rare move Friday, a court released 15 hours of recorded grand jury proceedings in the case of the killing of Breonna Taylor. An unidentified grand juror requested the release of the audio and permission to speak publicly about the proceedings, accusing Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron of 'using grand jurors as a shield to deflect accountability and responsibility' for the decision not to charge any Louisville Police officers for Taylor's death. The recording features testimony and evidence that was presented to the jurors, including at least two interviews with Detective Myles Cosgrove, whose gun FBI forensics labs identified as the weapon that likely killed Taylor after police entered her apartment on a no-knock warrant while she was sleeping and returned fire at her boyfriend, who said he thought the officers were intruders. Cameron said he is 'confident' the audio will back up his decision. [NPR, The Washington Post]
7. Pelosi says coronavirus relief deal likely as negotiations regain momentum
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Friday that she believes a bipartisan coronavirus relief bill is likely, after the House passed a $2.2 trillion stimulus bill that will not advance through the GOP-led Senate. Pelosi has been negotiating with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and talks have recently picked back up after previously collapsing with neither party willing to compromise further. Pelosi said she anticipates President Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis will 'change the dynamic' of negotiations. Earlier on Friday, Pelosi called on airlines to 'delay their devastating job cuts as relief for airline workers is being advanced in Congress,' vowing to protect employees from anticipated furloughs. Democrats are pushing for more aid for state and local governments, and Mnuchin reportedly said an agreement would include a substantial amount to revive the economy amid the pandemic-sparked recession. [The Washington Post, The Week]
8. James Bond movie No Time to Die delayed again to 2021
No Time to Die, the upcoming James Bond movie that had previously been one of the last major films still scheduled to come to theaters in 2020, has been delayed to April 2021 from Nov. 20. A statement said this was in order to ensure the film would 'be seen by a worldwide theatrical audience.' While there was initially hope in Hollywood that the Christopher Nolan film Tenet would signal a return to moviegoing amid the coronavirus pandemic, its box office performance in the U.S. disappointed, and numerous major films have been postponed as a result. In early March, No Time to Die became the first major movie to delay its release due to the pandemic, moving from April to November before movie theaters were forced to close their doors. [Deadline]
9. Stephen Barnes of Cellino & Barnes law firm reportedly dies in plane crash
Stephen Barnes, one half of the personal injury attorney duo Cellino & Barnes, reportedly died Friday in a plane crash. Barnes, a registered pilot, was flying a plane he owned from New Hampshire back to Buffalo, New York, on Friday when the plane crashed outside of the city. Terry Connors, an attorney from Cellino & Barnes, first said the plane was Barnes'. Another source later told The Buffalo News that Barnes was flying the plane, and that he and a female relative onboard died in the crash. Other Buffalo news sources later confirmed Barnes was piloting, and police later confirmed both people on the plane died. Barnes and Ross Cellino worked together for decades to turn Cellino & Barnes from a western New York-based firm into a massively profitable powerhouse. [The Buffalo News]
10. Bob Gibson dies at 84
Things 3 3 3 Multiplication
Bob Gibson, the Hall of Fame pitcher who spent his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with the St. Louis Cardinals, died Friday, the Cardinals announced. He was 84. Gibson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2019. The right-hander is widely considered one of the greatest pitchers of all time and was known for being a fierce competitor. He tallied 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts, and finished with a 2.91 ERA while winning two Cy Young Awards, nine Gold Gloves, and an MVP, a rarity for a pitcher. Gibson led the Cardinals to two World Series championships in 1964 and 1967, winning the MVP both times. Including the Cardinals' 1968 Fall Classic defeat against the Detroit Tigers, Gibson made nine World Series starts, all of which were complete games. His career postseason ERA was 1.89. His 1968 season, in which he compiled a 1.12 ERA and pitched 13 shutouts, is one of the most successful ever. [ESPN, The New York Times]