139: Staying Connected in Your Blended Family

Summary Brian Mayer talks about staying connected in a world where we are unconnected.  Whether we are dealing with a world-wide pandemic or not, staying connected to each other and to others is important.  At the end of the day life is about relationships.  We will talk about ways to stay connected during times when it is difficult.  We hope you enjoy today’s episode.  For more information and additional resources please visit our website at http://www.theremarriedlife.com Today's Goodies Relationships whether you it like or not are a part of life.  Obviously it is better if you like to have relationships with others and being in a blended family can be tough because everyone is thrown together whether they like it or not.  Sometimes being in a blended family can sometimes feel like a “blender” family and it is turned on high for way too long sometimes!  Whether or you are listening to this episode during the world wide pandemic we are under and you must practice social distancing or you are listening at a time where this is a distant memory, it is good to stay connected.  If you have lived on this earth long enough, you have probably experienced a great deal of painful events in your life, some of them personal and some societal.  But whether they are specific to you or not they have affected you.  Have you ever heard anyone on their death bed talk about desire to accumulate more wealth.  Ever heard anyone say they wish they had worked harder and more hours.  No, of course not.  We hear things like I wish I had spent more time with the ones I loved.  Or I wish I had reconciled that relationship with my mom or dad that went south many years ago.  It is the relationships that mean the most to us in life and so what better way for us to focus on these now.  Let’s talk about some very simple things you can do to stay connected.  If someone comes to your mind, send them a text or even call them and just say that they came to your mind and you just wanted to reach and say hello and to check in.  Most people absolutely love when they know someone is genuinely thinking of them.  If you spouse leaves home, put a small note in his or her lunch bag just saying how much you appreciate how hard they work. Put a sticky note on the mirror to your step child’s bathroom mirror with an inspirational quote or bible scripture that you know has meaning.  Do it at night after they go to bed, so they see it in the morning.  As a side note, on a windy stormy day, we had a lot of sticks blow down on the driveway.  I used them to spell “I Love You Heather.”  The message to my wife was so appreciative and unexpected she said.  Talk on the phone regularly to someone who is possible shut in or sick.  This is something I am doing now and to be honest it was the older gentleman from my church who I have become good friends who calls me more than I do.  Take it a step further and ask that person if they need anything like food or other essentials.  Take a trip to the grocery story for them and surprise them with things they need.  Do like so many are doing and gather up a few people to go to someone’s house who is suffering to sing them songs to help brighten their mood.  What other types of things have you done to stay connected to each other and to others?  What have others done for you?  Remember to always stay connected.  Even in times of extreme busyness, just make sure you are always reaching out to others.  If you find yourself lonely and angry that others are not reaching out to you, then you be the one to reach out.  Resources: None Thanks For Listening! With so many things that take time in our lives, I am more grateful than you know that you took time to listen to this podcast episode.  If you liked this episode and believe that it would be beneficial to a friend, family member, or colleague, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. The Remarried Life Facebook Group is a community of people just like you who get and give support.  Please join today!  ​ As always remember that marriage is not something you have, it is something you do.  Talk to you next week unless you are binge listening in the future in which case I will talk to you in about a minute!  Take care.