The Marriage Course

Donna and I have been working through the Marriage Course, Open Door Church are taking it for a test run before opening it up more widely. Today we are running through the sixth out of seven sessions.

The Marriage Course Guest Manual

Having worked through most of the course now, I feel I'm in a good position to give a bit of feedback.

The way Open Door have run it has been very good. They've set out a coffee table for each couple with a flower in a small container. They ply us with tea or coffee at the start of each session and again with cake during one of the exercises.

The course itself is from the same stable as the Alpha Course. Visit the Relationship Central website for more information.

Each session involves watching a DVD presentation in multiple parts with short exercises between the parts. Most of these take the form of a series of questions or options to fill in separately and then to talk over with your partner. One of the exercises is longer and this is when the tea or coffee is served with cake - excellent!

Although there's a Christian element in the course it's not the main thing. Instead the course focusses on practical issues around communication, conflict resolution, the impact of family (parents, children etc), use of time, encouraging one another and more. The course is accessible and suitable for people of any religion and none. I think all couples would get something useful out of the course.

Kudos to Open Door for running the course and to the team for looking after us all so well.

(If you liked this you might also like Journeys of heart and mind and Quote me on this.)

The Rocket Park

Donna and a bunch of her friends from Open Door went to a women's day in Bedford, Ash had volunteered to look after Leanne's kids for the day so she could join them; I'd offered to give Ash a hand with this and they spent the day at our house.

Working the mechanical digger

Donna had left out a big box of craft materials, and that along with a pizza and spaghetti hoops lunch occupied much of the time. But for part of the morning I was at 'The Rocket Park' with one of the girls as she is really, really keen on the play equipment there.

The photo shows her shovelling sand on the little mechanical digger. I'd have loved one of these when I was little, but they're a relatively new idea. Simple but fun.

Why is it called 'The Rocket Park'? It's not an official name, just what the kids all call it. One of the larger pieces of play equipment is a big climbing frame in the shape of a rocket nose-cone. There are climbing walls, ladders, scramble nets and bars in the lower part and an upper floor with a central opening to access it. All the children love it.

Sometimes simple things are all that's needed to keep children occupied for hours. That was certainly the case today! And, if you think about it, far better than time spent in front of a TV or games console. And I had the opportunity for some conversation with one or two parents.

(If you liked this you might also like Journeys of heart and mind and Quote me on this.)