Exercise 2.2 - Internet searches

Topic: Marriage Commitment (ie Commitment in Marriage)
Focusing Question: What makes a strong marriage? How verbal communication is important in building lasting, committed marriages?

1. Hector, Peter. Love is No Guarantee! What you Need to Know before You fall in Love. Crunchbird Publishing, 10 Jan. 2003. Excerpted on eNotAlone. 9 Oct. 2007 <http://www.enotalone.com/article/2649.html> Several chapters all are a good source for facts about how many marriages last in view of how many do not. It included information about the physical ties and communication ties that are involved in lasting marriages. (Christian source, this is really a book, but there are sections available on the Internet.)
2. Perry, Peary. "50-50 VS 110%" 28 April 2004. Texas Escapes.com. 9 Oct. 2007 This article has a good example of how relationships have changed, commitment is not as important to people. "We hear the words... 'for better or for worse' when people stand up to get married. That takes communication. For a marriage to survive, both parties must be honest and truthful with one another. ... Relationships have to have a strong sense of communication to weather the storms of life if they are going to survive. You can't have flowers without the rain. The final word is commitment. In the marriage vows the phrase is expressed as 'till death do we part.' That's commitment. That's long term commitment, not just for week, month or a year, but for life. To look someone in the eye and verbally express in front of other witnesses that you will love and honor this person till death do you part takes a lot of willingness to commit to making a marriage work. ... Marriage is not all wine and roses, sometimes its vinegar and weeds, ... we must enter into relationships with one another for the long haul and an eye on the goal, years, and years away, not just for tomorrow."
3. Reeves, Patsilu. Keys to Building a Strong Marriage: Commitment. 2006. Mississippi State University Extension Service. 9 Oct. 2007 Good basic descriptions of "Many loving couples go into marriage thinking they will have a wonderful life, and if it does not work out, they can get a divorce. This is not a commitment." (author had Ph.D.)