One week from today, I will be married to the man I loved, long before I even met him. 

So Neil and I have been taking a pre-marital class in which we have met several other engaged couples. After every session, we walk away intrigued at the variety of personalities that God joined together, but more than anything, we walk away chuckling at the variety of issues and obstacles each couple seems to have.

The dominant issue that I find most intriguing is that centered around gender issues. There is this one gorgeous looking couple who have the classic relationship conflict caused by the "passive and indecisive ultra-feminine female" and "strong and assertive testosterone driven male." Apparently, one of their hot button triggers centers around the "Where do you want to eat" question. Of course, the girl's answer is always, "I don't know," and whatever suggestion the guy gives results in, "No, I don't want to eat there." As this couple was sharing their conflict issue, I could almost see steam blowing out of the guy's ears as he felt SO frustrated that it's so hard to make his woman happy, and in his attempt to make her happy, he never gets to do what he wants to do, or watch the shows he wants to watch. He's stuck watching Bride Wars with her and in the meantime, he's boiling resentful. His solution? Suck it up... A happy wife makes a happy life!

If only this couple could see that their primary conflict stems from the fact that he is SO male, and she is SO female. They are extreme prototypes of what we might consider masculine or feminine. And it is this extreme difference that probably attracted one to the other in the first place, yet it is this very difference that lies at the root of so many of their conflicts. Funny how God created Man and Woman, male and female. Funny that he brings such different people together in order to work through those differences and learn to grow in love.

I was quite stunned to learn that about 65% of all conflicts that arise in marriages never get resolved. They are recurring conflicts that have no easy solution. The couple must work through those conflicts each and every time they arise, knowing that most of the time, neither will get a happy compromise.

As for me and Neil? He is always happy to eat whatever I suggest. And he admits that he is now addicted to all the shows I like to watch, including the Bachelorette, and was quite pleased that Jillian picked Ed!