Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Spence | Eight families from 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade attend a Strong...... read more read more
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MASON, OH — Every marriage is different. No surprise here. 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade Unit Ministry Team challenged couples across the brigade to take time out of their weekend to find out what their spouse wants or needs from their marriage during a Strong Bonds resiliency retreat in Mason, Ohio, recently.
“We have to train, even during a pandemic,” said Sgt. 1st Class David E. Shaw, senior religious affairs noncommissioned officer.
With the proper mitigations in place, Shaw said, “it gives us an opportunity to safely get out and not be afraid of the pandemic, but also respect it and move on with our life.”
For the Unit Ministry Team, events that celebrate relationships are critical for maintaining Soldier and family spiritual health and fitness.
“The Strong Bonds retreat series are important to keep families engaged with one another, especially during COVID-19 as many parents are teleworking from home and staying home and few breaks from the normal everyday life, taken for granted before the pandemic,” Shaw said.
Couples ranging from newlyweds, to mature relationships of more than 30 years participated in the curriculum that included videos from Mark Gungor’s, “Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage” seminar.
“I think the biggest takeaway for me was the way Mark (Gungor) stated, men are very single-minded focus, women are multitaskers,” said Master Sgt. Eric Madsen, the brigade training section noncommissioned officer in charge.
“The way he described how brains operate really helps us connect with one another and communicate better,” Madsen said about understanding his spouse and how to strengthen personal communication skills.
Lauren Madsen agreed.
“This training is a really great way to learn more about your spouse, and the importance of letting your spouse know that you appreciate them,” said Lauren Madsen.
“You should always be striving to improve your marriage because this is the one person you said that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with so you should always be working to make sure that you’re both in a healthy relationship every day,” she added.
Gungor uses a blend of humor and tell-it-like-it-is honesty that often helps couples realize something about one another that they may not always see.
Shaw, who coordinated the event, also offered his own unique approach to marriage.
“Marriage is like a car in a sense,” he said. “When you get a brand new car, you are determined to keep up the routine maintenance schedule. You take good care of its routine maintenance, every 3000 miles, you change the oil. Occasionally you check the air pressure. Marriage is the same.”
“You don’t get married and never perform maintenance otherwise your marriage much like your car will be run down.”
Shaw added, “A marriage retreat is similar to a tune-up on a car, it’s not meant to address huge issues; it’s in place to make certain there’s nothing out of whack that could be easily fixed.”
According to Shaw
“It is a great reminder for us to also look back and realize why we got married. Sometimes we take for granted the very thing we love the most.”
| Date Taken: | 12.11.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2020 21:04 |
| Story ID: | 384834 |
| Location: | MASON, OHIO, US |
| Hometown: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | MASON, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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