One evening a man and his wife called another couple to see what they were doing. “Oh,” said the other wife, “we’re just drinking coffee and talking.” As she hung up the phone, she demanded, “Why don’t we ever do that?

They’re just drinking coffee and talking.” Her husband said, “So make a pot of coffee.”

They sat with their freshly brewed coffee, just staring at each other in silence. “Well, call them back,” he directed, “and find out what they’re talking about.”

Communication is tough.  Challenging. Tricky.  Sometimes we miss the what the other person really wants!

This week I’m in a meeting in Baytown Texas presenting a series called HOME IMPROVEMENT.  Last night we talked about “Secrets to a Satisfying Marriage.”  One of those is communication.  Let me briefly bullet some suggestions that will help improve your family communication.  Read the referenced scripture. Make personal application. Share these with your family and discuss how each of you can improve.

◆Learn to really listen.  Don’t interrupt. Don’t second guess. Don’t judge motives.  Just focus on your loved one and listen with your ears and your heart. (James 1:19)

◆Set aside some time for undivided attention. While a lot of family communication is spontaneous, research has shown that strong families intentionally carve out time to talk about their day, share their feelings and discuss their hopes, dreams and fears (Eph 5:16-17)

◆Be transparent.  Ephesians 4:16 admonishes us to “speak the truth in love.”  Truth is transparent.  Open. Illuminated by light.  Honest communication is open and transparent.

◆ Be sensitive to the feelings of others.  Men and women are typically different in their expressiveness.  Men tend to communicate from the head and women from the heart.  (1 Pet. 3:7)

◆Deal with communication issues. Don’t ignore them.  Deal with them as quickly as possible (Eph 4:26). Deal with one issue at a time. Lovingly communicate what the issue really is.  Then work together to solve the problem.

◆Establish rituals, traditions and values that foster communication.  (Prov 13:22). Play to the strengths of your family.  Have special family nights. Date night. Vacations. Meals on birthdays. Develop your own unique traditions that you anticipate and talk about.

◆Be positive in your outlook.  Sure, bad things happen.  Problems occur.  And sin can and does invade our hearts and homes.  But be positive in your attitude and approach to solving your family problems.  If you focus too much on a small problem area, it will seem worse than it really is.  (Eph 4:32)

◆ See things through the eyes of a kid.  If you’re a parent, remember what it was like to be young. What seems trivial to us now was important when we were kids and is important to our children. Show that you care. (Col. 3:21)

◆Communicate with God and let God communicate with you. In other words–pray!  Read the Bible.  Make it a part of your family life. A lot of communication issues can be overcome and resolved when our spiritual commitments are valued, and our love for God shared. (Deut. 6:4-6).

Good communication builds and bonds.  It creates a sense of belonging.  It’s the lifeblood of your family.  Good communication enhances your relationships.   But don’t call another couple to find out what they’re talking about!  Dig deep into your relationship and you will find plenty of things to discuss.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

Source

https://thepreachersword.com/2018/08/22/home-improvement-communication/

Before summer ends, take advantage of the warm weather for more than a vacation. This is the best time of year for easy DIY projects that are fun, relaxing and valuable. Not only can you enjoy a Saturday afternoon in peace, these projects will increase the value of your home, too.

Don’t forget – it’s easy to make a small monthly payment towards warranties on your home. When it comes to appliance or home system breakdowns, DIY projects can be a bummer. A home warranty is easy to manage and can even help increase your home value as a selling point to new buyers.

1. Plant a tree or privacy hedge.

Landscaping is essential for “curb appeal” when home buyers shop around and seek a great first impression. Not only does a tree add aesthetic value to your home, the monetary value of a tree on your property increases each year.  A perfectly placed tree can also provide strategic shade to reduce cooling costs when blocking the home from direct sun.

Trees make great investments for a lifetime, but not all trees will add universal value. Fruit trees can be valuable, but the value depends on the individual buying, such as a homeowner who especially enjoys pears or apples. To surely increase your home value, pick a species of tree that fits your unique biome and tends to last for decades. Plant hardy trees that are prone to resist disease, including the crape myrtle, sugar maple and northern red oak. Weeping willows work well near standing water if you have a troublesome area that won’t drain, and limelight hydrangeas are short but produce bright flowers that are sure to catch attention. Consider planting a mature tree so that its youngest years are over and it’s best suited to take off.

Planting a privacy hedge will also add value by offering seclusion for your home. While one tree can average around $100, a hedge will run higher depending on how many shrubs will amount to the coverage you’re looking for. Consider cornering your property with hedges to space out your landscaping while still offering privacy.

2. Refresh rooms with paint.

Simply repainting a room will give it an entirely new perspective. This can help improve the value of your home by giving you the chance to choose a color that is more appealing to a home buyer.

When we first move in to a home, we make choices that turn the home into our own unique style. Some of these style choices might affect the opinion of future buyers when you choose to sell your home. By changing a room from, for example, a dark red to a light gray, new comers viewing your home will find the colors more virtually appealing rather than forming a strong opinion on this one aspect of the room.

3. Install ceiling fans.

Circulating the air in your home has many benefits and comes at little cost.

If you’re not ready for a brand-new AC unit or HVAC system, to save money this year a new fan can help add value to your home instead. If you’re looking to conserve on your cooling costs, then a ceiling fan is sure to help move cool air from your primary rooms.

Not only will you better conserve on your cooling costs, you’ll also improve the air quality in your home to help fight mildew. Homes with poor circulation are often humid and experience mold. This may greatly enhance allergies in families and can cause severe health problems over time. Adding ceiling fans to your rooms can help build value for families who care about their health and well-being in the home.

Did you know that home warranties can help you sell your home as an added benefit to the buyer? Get your free quote today and learn about Select’s coverage plans!

Source

https://selecthomewarranty.com/blog/3-easy-diy-summer-increase-home-value/

Source

https://www.prweb.com/releases/americas_home_expert_danny_lipford_delivers_diy_and_budget_friendly_bathroom_renovation_tips/prweb15707875.htm

(Conservative Tribune) – George Orwell once wrote that left-wing intellectuals have no conception of what the common man, who they claim to champion, was like.

Today it is the Hollywood left who are too elitist to know what Middle America is like, according to a former star on the show “Home Improvement.”

On Friday, Zachary Ty Bryan told Fox News that actors feel superior to Middle America — especially those who voted for President Donald Trump — because they appear on film and television.

“I think there’s kind of been this narcissism created now that because you’re in the public eye, all of a sudden you know more than the normal Joe Schmoe which just isn’t the case,” he said.

“Whether you disagree with the president, or you don’t, he’s doing what he feels (is) best and he’s representing a very large majority of people who live in Middle America.”

Bryan asserts that actors don’t even attempt to understand the people who voted for Trump and fail to recognize that much of their celebrity status comes from heartland America.

“As an actor, I think one of the first things that you’re taught is it’s the fans that make you who you are,” Bryan said. “And a lot of those fans are watching in Middle America.”

By continuing to criticize rather than trying to understand the “other side,” they are in essence alienating Middle America.

Bryan, who keeps in touch with “hardworking Americans” in his home state of Colorado, states they are tired of Hollywood elitists.

As an example of liberal superiority, he cites Kevin Bacon and his wife Kyra Sedgwick who told audiences that they will be “on the right side of history” if they vote against Trump.

Bryan represents part of a growing backlash against the left-wing elites that dominate Hollywood.

Hollywood is indeed in a bubble.

They believe that, in the case of Kevin Bacon, there is “a right” and “a wrong side of history.”

The best example of this occurred in the 1972 presidential election between Republican Richard Nixon and the Democrat George McGovern.

When Nixon won, the upper-class movie critic Pauline Kael was surprised because “everyone I knew voted for McGovern.”

Recently, in The Federalist, writer Bret Easton Ellis, who has made a career of bashing yuppies, told Hollywood anti-Trump elites to cease their hysteria or they will continue to lose elections.

In response, many Hollywood leftists refuse to take his common sense advice and have instead screamed at him for being a Trump supporter.

westernjournal.com/ct/hollywood-elitists-ignoring-middle-america/

The post ‘Home Improvement’ Star Goes Rogue, Slams Hollywood Elitists For Ignoring Middle America appeared first on Tea Party.

Source

https://www.teaparty.org/home-improvement-star-goes-rogue-slams-hollywood-elitists-ignoring-middle-america-320012/

Things don’t always happen according to plan and sometimes things happen unexpectedly — requiring homeowners to engage in emergency yard care.

In this week’s edition of Gardentalk, Master Gardener Ed Buyarski recalls how two Juneau residents are currently being forced to trim or transplant trees and shrubs to make room for contractors hired for home improvement projects.

Buyarski describes what’s happening and his solution for each dilemma.

In the first instance, a mature apple tree is located on the edge of a property and right inline of a new fence that will be built next week.

Buyarski said he will prune the top branches before digging out the tree.

Next, he’ll trim the roots, dig a new hole for the tree’s new location, and layer compost on top of the root ball during replanting.

The tree should be heavily watered in its new location.

Buyarski said it will also be staked up so that it won’t fall over before the roots regrow and the tree re-establishes itself.

“This is not the ideal time for moving trees,” Buyarski said. “At least it’s not hot and dry like earlier.”

In the second instance, work on a house’s siding and installation of new windows will require the homeowner to either remove or severely trim back bushes so the contractor can gain access to the side of the house. A 9-foot-tall rose bush, for example, was trimmed back to only 18 inches.

“It may end up getting dug up yet because a deck is going to go over it,” Buyarski said.

Other shrubs and small trees close to the house will be temporarily bent or pulled away from the house with ropes until the contractor finishes his work.

A hole may be left in that new deck to allow another bush to continue growing without being transplanted.

For some homeowners, Buyarski warns bushes that climb up the side of a house may accumulate moisture and accelerate rot in wooden siding and the foundation footings.

Buyarski also reminds gardeners that the annual Harvest Fair and Farmer’s Market is Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Juneau Community Garden. Judging of vegetables, flowers, and preserves starts at 10:15 a.m.

Source

https://www.ktoo.org/2018/08/17/gardentalk-when-home-improvement-projects-require-emergency-tree-and-shrub-care/