Strawberry Letter 23: Fighting Temptation
Brother Steve, I’m needing advice on a personal matter. I am 45 years of age and engaged to a beautiful and wonderful woman. I’m unemployed and unease about this situation, but she is fine about this because she believe and understand our GOD will provide employment, despite my past drug addiction and criminal background. Yes, I’ve been drug free for 3 years without attending any NA programs. Now, we live together in her house with her 26 years of age daughter who works and attend college. The problem is when the daughter decides to parade around the house in underwear. I’ve confronted her many of times about this disrespectful behavior and it’s always, “This you like what you see remark?” It’s been a situation where she has made sexual advances. What must I do about her unwanted advances and disrespectful behavior towards me and her mother whom I love very much. Please help, I’m fighting temptation.
at 3:01 pm
A tough Strawberry letter – This one is not a lay up.
My wife and I have been married for 10 plus years, and during that time we have been constantly butting head. I think our issues stem her negative perception of me. She thinks I’m difficult to deal with, and that I don’t know how to talk to people. I don’t think that’s a widely held view. Most people find me interesting, fun loving, and enjoy my company. Whenever we disagree, I always try to find ways to prevent future squabbles, but it never works. She continues to do the very things that caused the disagreements in the first place. I can’t bring that up because it will be viewed as criticism, and guess what, another argument will occur. She views constructive criticism as attacking criticism, and she responds defensively instead of reflecting on, and acknowledging whether what was said was true or false. I love my wife, but after 10 years and knowing her as I do, I’m pretty sure she isn’t going to change. Nothing seems to work, reading the bible, teaching from our pastor, not even examples of dysfunctional relationship she hears daily in the strawberry letters. Change requires self-reflection and a decision to do it; she’s not capable of either one. I want peace, so I’m looking at the front door.