ACF Grants| FAQs | Life is Too Short | Mother's Day - 5/5/07

[Smartmarriages]

- FOR GRANT INFO, TRY THESE
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- LIFE IS TOO SHORT.....
- MOTHER QUOTES

#########################

- FOR GRANT INFO, TRY THESE

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2007-ACF-ACYF-CA-0038.html

and http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open.html

########################
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) Yes, you can register a group on-line.  See the instructions at the top
of the on-line form in the blue box.  http://tinyurl.com/2j2ghk

2) If you have four paying registrants to form a group, a 5th person
registers free.  THE GROUP can be made up of any combination - so, yes, the
group of four can include spouse discounted registrations, student
discounted registrations, and presenters.

3) You can get a form to mail or fax on the on-line form.  Just click the
link for "Paper Form" and print it out and fax or mail it.

4) EARLY RATE ENDS AT MIDNIGHT ON MAY 11TH.

5) VOLUNTEERS: I can accept 5 more volunteers.  Volunteers must work the
entire conference from Thurs - Sun at 5:30pm and in addition need to work
either a pre or a post conference training Institute.  Couples can serve as
volunteers. http://www.smartmarriages.com/volunteers.html

6) EXHIBITS: There is still exhibit space.  See website for info and
application: http://www.smartmarriages.com/exhibitors.html

##########################

- LIFE IS TOO SHORT.....

Rob Scuka did a great job on Fox News yesterday commenting on the "Life is
Too Short, Get a Divorce" billboard campaign in Illinois.  He even got in
the line, "Life is too short, work on improving your marriage".....
You can watch the short clip at www.foxnews.com under "Hot Videos." First
click Hot Videos and then "controversial ad campaign".

And, of course, the billboard has led to discussion on radio, tv, and blogs.
Here's an example from this mornings bloggernews.com written by John Pangia
on 5 May, 2007:  
 
> Law firm ad raises eyebrows in Chicago
> 
> Yesterday it was Boobs in Boise, today it¹s Bikini Underwear in Chi-Town.  A
> law firm in an upscale Chicago neighborhood has posted a billboard promoting
> divorce, which is only natural because the firm is comprised of divorce
> lawyers.  That¹s their business, that¹s what they do.  Farmers sell tomatoes,
> and these guys sell decrees.  They¹re only advertising their product.
> 
> It¹s the way they¹re pushing their product, though, that has caused a little
> stir.  They¹re using the old Grass Is Greener theory.  The buzz line for the
> ad is the title of this article, Life¹s Short, Get A Divorce.  To make the
> point that there¹s something better out there than your Mr Beer Gut or Mrs
> Thunder Thighs, the phrase is flanked on either side by a male and female
> model who¹s last job was probably in a fitness video.  We¹re talking boobs,
> pecs, and abs of the highest order.
> 
> While the message conveyed by the ad is offensive to some, like trade that old
> car in for a new one, the firm see¹s the ad as Œcutting edge¹.  If nothing
> else, the models are certainly Œcut¹, no doubt about that.  The question is
> why did the lawyers feel it was necessary to push divorce this way, rather
> than just offer a service?  Is the divorce rate falling?  Do they really need
> to drum up more business?
> 
> Not necessarily, according to statistics.
> It¹s commonly noted that the divorce rate in America is over 50 %.
> Here are the latest figuresŠ
> 
> For a first marriage - 41%
> For a second marriage - 60%
> For a third marriage - 73%
> 
> So it¹s not that business is on the decline.  It seems to be better than ever.
> Maybe getting a divorce is like opening a bag of potato chips.  You can¹t stop
> with just one.
> 
##############################
- MOTHER QUOTES

To help you prepare for the upcoming holiday. Of course, these are from our
"marriage" quotes page, so there is a theme and it's not about
chocolates....  - diane

> ***************
> The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their
> mother.
> Theodore Hesburgh
> ***************
> Research has shown a child who sees his mother mistreated is more damaged than
> if the child himself is abused.
> Steven Stosny
> ***************
> Successful treatment of domestic violence must restore the sense of father as
> protector for the well being of women, children, and society-at-large.
> Children do not need fathers to fight and die for them; they need fathers to
> live for them, to value them, and to value what they most value - their
> mothers. A father who truly protects his children cannot possibly hurt their
> mother.
> Steven Stosny, compassionpower.com
> ***************
> Commenting on paternity establishment programs: What these millions of
> children want and need is not a name on a form or a promise that the sheriff
> will arrest these guys if they don't pay child support. What they want and
> need is in-the-home, love-the-mother fathers,. . .
> David Blankenhorn, Family Scholars BLOG, www.marriagemovement.org
> **************
> Adam and Eve had an ideal marriage. He didn't have to hear about all the
> men she could have married... and she didn't have to hear about how well his
> Mother cooked.
> Unknown
> ***************
> Some Things We Keep
>   I grew up in the forties and fifties with practical parents - a Mother who
> washed
> aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. A Father who was happier
> getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. Their marriage was good,
> their dreams focused.  I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a
> hat
> and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dishtowel in the other. It
> was the time for fixing things - a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen
> door, the
> oven door, the hem in a dress.  Things we keep. It was a way of life, and
> sometimes
> it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, reheating, renewing, I wanted just once
> to be
> wasteful. Waste meant affluence.  Throwing things away meant there'd always be
> more. But then my Mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth
> of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes
> there
> isn't any 'more'. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes
> away.....never to return. So, while we have it, it's best we love it and care
> for it.....
> and fix it when it's broken.....and heal it when it's sick. This is true for
> old cars.....
> and children with bad report cards.....and dogs with bad hips.....and aging
> parents
> .....and grandparents...and marriage. We keep them because they are worth it,
> because we are worth it. Some things we keep.
> Unknown
> ****************

**************************
Send submissions and comments for the listserv to: diane at smartmarriages.com
Do NOT hit "reply". If you hit reply your email will go into cyberspace and
NO ONE will see your email.

This is a moderated list. Submissions and comments are read by Diane Sollee,
editor. Please indicate if your comment is NOT to be shared with the list.
PLEASE include your email address or url as part of your signature.

Please also understand that with thousands of subscribers, not all comments
can be shared. Also realize that opinions expressed are not necessarily
shared by members of the Coalition.

To SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, or Change your subscription address,
use the form at: http://www.smartmarriages.com. Click Newslist - in the
column under the puzzle piece.

To read past posts to the listserv, visit the Archive at:
http://lists101.his.com/pipermail/smartmarriages/

11th Annual Smart Marriages Conference, Denver Adam's Mark Hotel,
June 28-July 1, 2007
Download a brochure: http://www.smartmarriages.com/Brochure.07.pdf


List your program and resources on the Directory of Classes at
http://www.smartmarriages.com

Order conference audio & video CD/DVD/MP3s: 800-241-7785 or
http://www.iPlaybackSmartMarriages.com

Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education, LLC (CMFCE)
Diane Sollee, Director
5310 Belt Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015-1961
http://www.smartmarriages.com
202-362-3332

FAIR USE NOTICE: This e-newsletter/site contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. We make such material available in our efforts to advance
understanding of marriage, family, couples, divorce, legislation, family
breakdown, etc. We understand this constitutes a 'fair use' of such material
as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed
without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes. For more
information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you
wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own
that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner.