Received: from beru.its.uow.edu.au (130.130.68.31) by staffmail.uow.edu.au (10.5.102.13) with Microsoft SMTP Server id 8.1.336.0; Sun, 8 Feb 2009 09:44:30 +1100 Received: from febris-nat.its.uow.edu.au ([130.130.68.210] helo=febris.its.uow.edu.au) by beru.its.uow.edu.au with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1LVvuX-00062h-Un for blane@uow.edu.au; Sun, 08 Feb 2009 09:44:30 +1100 Received: from c3.confirmedcc.com (c3.confirmedcc.com [64.95.77.164]) by febris.its.uow.edu.au (MOS 3.10.3-GA) with ESMTP id QQF78278; Sun, 8 Feb 2009 09:44:26 +1100 (EST) Received: from p2-ws508.ad.prodcc.net (unknown [10.252.0.101]) by c3.confirmedcc.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id D19BD34E8699 for ; Sat, 7 Feb 2009 17:25:42 -0500 (EST) From: Fatherhood Foundation To: Brian Lane Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 09:27:46 +1100 Subject: Fireproof - Celebrating Marriage Week Thread-Topic: Fireproof - Celebrating Marriage Week Thread-Index: AcmJdaOfho+6XMTpRXu7EYYNJNMmLA== Message-ID: <1102447249557.1101938345415.1211.8.92172519@scheduler> List-Unsubscribe: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=un&v=001jm8CFGIzLJHYg-gJRLc-3d90mBLDU8yk1OFPjHDjfImuJEdo-JjZ4g== Reply-To: "info@fathersonline.org" Accept-Language: en-AU, en-US Content-Language: en-US X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthAs: Anonymous X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthSource: excasht01.ad.uow.edu.au X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: x-junkmail-status: score=10/49, host=febris.its.uow.edu.au x-junkmail-sd-raw: score=unknown, refid=str=0001.0A010207.498E0ECD.016B:SCFMA772204,ss=1,fgs=0, ip=64.95.77.164, so=2008-09-22 23:22:13, dmn=5.7.1/2008-09-02, mode=single engine x-junkmail-iwf: false x-return-path-hint: ESC1102447249557_1101938345415_1211@in.confirmedcc.com x-roving-id: 1101938345415.1211 x-lumos-senderid: 1101938345415 x-roving-campaignid: 1102447249557 x-roving-streamid: 0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="_000_110244724955711019383454151211892172519scheduler_" MIME-Version: 1.0 --_000_110244724955711019383454151211892172519scheduler_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable HTML Web Version Dads4Kids Newsletter [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/526.gif?a=3D1= 102447249557] 9th February 2009 Inspiring Fathers Encouraging Families Issue 338 [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/stock1/3m9q9k8q.jpg] Fireproof Celebrating Marriage Week Dear Brian, Welcome to the Fatherhood Foundation newsletter and email information servi= ce for Fathers and Families as we present Celebrating Marriage Week In This Issue Frontline...Love is a splendid thing Link...Fireproof Laughter..Doctor Doctor..Corny Grandfathers...Fireproof is amazing Single Dads...Crisis Support Services All You Need is Love..Love, Romance & Marriage Special Feature...Spousal Gifts News & Info..Parents Links Dad's Prayer..Help me never leave my partner behind Next Week Tipping Point - Dads4Kids [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] Join our Mailing List! [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/ftf_btn_1.gif] Quick Links Fatherhood Foundation Lone Fathers Fatherhood Project Fatherhood Institute UK Marriage Education 100 Good Men Salt Shakers Civitas UK Bruce Robinson CSA Adverts Thought of the Week [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/606.jpg?a=3D1= 102447249557] [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] Love is a single soul inhabiting two bodies. Aristotle Frontline [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/600.jpg?a=3D1= 102447249557] Shakespeare wrote: 'Love is a many splendored thing'. But for many it is a= 'nightmare' even though succeeding in 'love' is universally accepted as th= e best way to enjoy a happy life, The latest studies from the social sciences would support this statement 10= 0%. Married couples build more wealth than unmarried couples. Married coupl= es enjoy better and more frequent sex than unmarried couples. Married coupl= es are healthier and live longer than unmarried couples. All of the above = information certai= nly covers the famous maxim 'healthy, wealthy and wise'. But wait, there's more: Marriage helps our children too. Marriage increases= our children's educational performance, health, ability to build long term= relationships, preserves them from poverty, negates drug use and alcoholis= m, increases their health, lowers the risk of suicide, lowers criminal and = delinquent behaviour and dramatically lowers child abuse. Those who underst= and the social fall-out from fatherlessness will note the striking similari= ty of the social science data in regards to marriage. This should not be su= rprising because marriage increases the likelihood that fathers will have g= ood relationships with their children. All of the above adds weight to the= saying, 'the greatest thing a man can do for his children is to love his w= ife'. For this reason International Marriage Week, 7-14 February 2009 is an important week for fathers. Marriage Week is timed to end on Valentines Day, which is celebrated this c= oming Saturday, 14th February. We have listed some great ways to celebrate = Valentines Day in Special Feature and All You Need is Love. Another way to = celebrate Valentines Day is to purchase your own copy of Fireproof recently released on DVD by Sony. Fireproof is an in= dependent movie that surprised many hardened pundits. Capt Caleb Holt is a = fire fighter that takes The Love Dare to rescue his marriage that is on the= verge of divorce. Yes, it is a low budget movie and the acting at times is= pretty average, but when you consider that it was made for $500,000 with a= n all volunteer cast, it really is an amazing production. At one stage it = was running fourth at the US box office which is incredible for an independ= ent movie. This blogger post sums it up well: Making a movie that tackles real life marriage problems head on is challeng= ing, and not always easy to watch. Horror, violence, spoofs, fantasy, love = stories, biographies offer easy escapes. Fireproof exposes the isolation th= at can occur between 2 people who started out loving each other, but over t= ime disconnect, become self-absorbed and fall into a pattern of hurting eac= h other. The relational pain finds some comic relief, and there is a job-re= lated diversion. But help comes in the form of a 40 day dare to love. While= you may not agree with the faith-based approach, there is no doubt that un= conditional love is transforming. I was deeply moved... enough to take the = dare myself. My wife went to see the Fireproof at NSW Parliament House to celebrate the = Australian DVD release. She was so impressed she bought her own copy. After= watching it myself, I can't help but agree - unconditional love is transfo= rming! Lovework Make a date with your wife for Valentines Day. Maybe buy your own copy of t= he Fireproof DVD if you are prepared for a challenge. Valentines Day is something we should all make an investment in as fathers = who want to keep the love fires burning. (Children love candlelit dinners -= go on, do something special with your children - they are your valentines = too!) Use your imagination. Make it romantic. When it comes to love, the sky's th= e limit because 'love is a many splendored thing'. PS The Dads4Kids Competition winners will be announced in the Australian Ne= wspaper on Monday 16th February 2009. The Dads4Kids Competition question, "= How do we best help our children?" has been answered by many, with great fl= air and insight. We look forward to sharing the results of the Dads4Kids Co= mpetition with our readers in the coming weeks. ____________________________________________________________________ Warwick Marsh has been married to Alison for 33 years. He is the grandfath= er of two children and father of five children, four boys and one girl, ran= ging in age from 28 years to 16 years. Warwick is a musician, songwriter, = producer and public speaker who likes to think he can still laugh at himsel= f. Link of the Week FIREPROOF Laughter [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/598.jpg?a=3D1= 102447249557] A man woke up in a hospital after a serious accident. He shouted, 'Doctor, = doctor, I can't feel my legs!' The doctor replied, 'I know you can't - I've= cut off your arms!' An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look = at either 'Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home.' 'That sounds l= ike Tom Jones Syndrome.' 'Is it common?' Well, 'It's Not Unusual.' A man walks into a bar with a slab of bitumen under his arm, and says: 'A b= eer please, and one for the road.' Grandfathers [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/601.jpg?a=3D1= 102447249557] Fireproof is amazing! Action packed, heartwarming, and a great resource to help strengthen and affirm marriages. Dr Gary Smalley Author of Five Love Languages Single Dads [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/602.jpg?a=3D1= 102447249557] Just before Christmas there was a media release put out by Crisis support = Services 'MENSLINE' that went fairly unnoticed. The headline ran: DADS SUICIDE RISK SKYROCKETS WHEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN. In the release it was stated that Mensline Australia has uncovered men livi= ng without their children are five times more likely to have attempted suic= ide, as compared to fathers who are living with their children. That is 5 times more likely!! Highlighted in an analysis of the 60,000 callers who ring Mensline Australi= a each year, fathers living alone are also twice as likely to have experien= ced a serious mental health concern. Dr Nick Foster of Mensline Australia explains many separated fathers are de= vastated by the inability to see or live with their children. "Men are awas= h with pain, anger and frustration when they call our counsellors. We recei= ve at least two suicide-related calls every day. Sadly, we receive many mor= e calls from men whose only glimmer of hope is the possibility of one day, = being able to spend more time with their kids," said Dr Foster. All on the dads in distress website know how t= hat feels don't we? It is a shame that the Mensline press release, prior to= Christmas, wasn't given more exposure then it had. Our 1300 crisis line al= so receives those calls. Many are referred to us from other agencies unable= to cope and looking for someone who may have the answer for their clients. The recent bagging and tarring of all fathers with the same brush on Facebo= ok and the calling for capital punishment to be reinstated for the father o= f Darcey Freeman, who was thrown from Melbourne's West Gate Bridge, does li= ttle but incite hate instead of compassion or understanding of what went wr= ong here. While obviously not condoning what happened, Mensline's statement= above reiterates the need that is out there. Suicide in this country, especially male suicide is at epidemic levels. Sui= cide is suicide, it matters little be it male or female, it is still a trag= edy. All agencies including ours need help to cope. With the economic crisi= s, families are only going to come under more pressure. And while the Famil= y Law Court looks the other way when it comes to enforcing its own orders i= n custody disputes, the outlook is glum. And while the government announces= a Men's Health Policy nothing seems to be forthcoming in strengthening tho= se services that have been doing the work for years. Dads in Distress will close its doors come June if nothing is forthcoming. = Our current funding ends in June. Maybe other's can look the other way and = believe that all will be ok and the problem will just go away. Who will be = the last man standing? Dads in Distress: 1300 853 437 Mensline: 1300 789 978 Lifeline: 131 114 Tony Miller Director/Founder Dads In Distress Inc PO Box J395 Coffs Harbour Jetty NSW 2450 www.dadsindistress.asn.au All You Need is Love [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/603.jpg?a=3D1= 102447249557] Love, Romance and Marriage [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif]By James E. Sheridan Feb 4, 2009 =A92009 All Rights Reserved Valentines Day is quickly approaching, the day we exchange lots of chocolat= e in heart-shaped boxes and cards with red hearts that say 'I love you.' Al= though we should express our love to our spouse daily, reserving one day a = year to go overboard is wonderful. Love is important, even crucial, for a long-lasting marriage. This is not s= imply the romantic love seen in Hollywood productions, which results from a= chemical cocktail produced by the body (primarily phenylethylamine, or PEA= ), when we first 'fall' for someone. Unfortunately, as Dr. Patricia Love an= d Jo Robinson explain in 'Hot Monogamy', these hormones and the 'love' it p= roduces fade quickly, typically in three to eighteen months. Sustaining lov= e comes from a sense of devotion, not hormones. On Valentines Day think about expressing this deeper, committed love. Consider the following possibilities. Tips for Husbands. Women typically enjoy nurturing relationships and emotio= nal connection. Willard Harley, PhD, lists the first three emotional needs = of wives as affection, the need for conversation, and honesty and openness.= No surprises here. For women affection consists of actions that mean you'r= e thinking of her, value her and care about her, such as hugs, small gifts = and acts of service. Conversation is how people share their thoughts and th= e stories of what happened in their world. And, honesty and openness means = there are no barriers between the two of you. Add these all together and yo= u have emotional connection. So what to do? Take her out to eat. Give her a Valentines card, chocolates = (a basic food group for many women) and a massage. Spend time with her list= ening to her talk about her day and telling her about yours. Help with the = chores. And! After Valentines Day, keep doing all these things. Tips for Wives. Men typically connect emotionally by way of the physical an= d visual. Again, consider Harley's top three emotional needs for husbands: = Sexual fulfillment, recreational companionship, and having an attractive wi= fe. No surprises here, either: All three are elements of physical connectio= n. Sex, of course, is the ultimate physical connection. Having someone by y= our side while you relax, whether hunting, golfing, or fixing your car, inv= olves physical proximity. Emerson Eggerichs, PhD, explains that wives may n= ot see it or hear it, but there is important work of connection going on in= his mind by her simply being present. Likewise, having an attractive wife = is important: Visual connection is a form of physical connection. Of course 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder.' What looks 'slim' to one = man may look 'scrawny' to another. Moreover, no one should expect you to st= ay perpetually young. But, it is important to look the best you can. Wives = sometimes see this need for attractiveness as shallow, and then complain be= cause their husbands don't see the dusting that needs to be done so the hou= se 'looks good.' Your husband's need for beauty will end ... the moment he dies. Whether he'= s 23 or 93, do your best to look good. (And, forget Hollywood's definition = of beauty; concentrate on your husband's definition.) Think how you looked = when you got married, then allow for the normal aging process and the effec= ts of child bearing and you have the picture. So what to do? Seduce your husband for some sexual intimacy. Spend time wit= h him while he's relaxing, even if it does not involve conversation; your p= resence is what's important. And, work at looking good. And! After Valentines Day, keep doing all these things. The romantic sentiments of Valentines Day are wonderful. But, they're even = better, if they're carried over for the rest of the year. Special Feature [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/604.jpg?a=3D1= 102447249557] Gifts to Give Your Spouse [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif]The Gift of Sharing: Talking about my hopes and fears and all that is in my heart. Gift of Friendship: Being the best friend I can be. The Gift of Time: Encouraging you to spend time doing what you enjoy most. The Gift of Commitment: Standing beside you through thick and thin, sickness and health, good times= and bad. The Gift of Attention: Listening to what you say and taking it seriously. The Gift of Respect: Treating you with courtesy in both word and deed. The Gift of Humility: Admitting that I am not always right and being willing to change where need= ed. The Gift of Encouragement: Looking for opportunities to compliment you and build you up. The Gift of Care: Doing my best to know and meet your emotional needs. The Gift of Forgiveness: Forgiving you, getting over it, and not bringing it up again. The Gift of Generosity: Showing you my love by giving time, words, tangible things, and memories. The Gift of Honesty: Being totally open and honest and not keeping secrets. The Gift of Laughter: Playing and having fun together. The Gift of Dreams: Planning the future together with the commitment that we will spend the res= t of our days side by side. www.everymarriagematters.org News & Info Parent Links[http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/3= 40.jpg?a=3D1102447249557] Obesity Epidemic Linked to Babies BABIES as young as one are being diagnosed as obese, with a major hospital = treating youngsters twice the size they should be DADS SUICIDE RISK SKYROCKETS WHEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN The extreme isolation and emotional pain many men feel is immediately appar= ent when they reach out for help. Media Release Mensline 19/12/2008. Letters Dear Fatherhood Foundation Please consider this important pro-life / pro-UN Declaration of Human Right= s petition to the United Nations. About 350,000 signatures so far and climb= ing! It would be great if more people came on board and signed the online p= etition...web site link below and article. Thanks Edward Dabrowski Bunbury WA Your signature along with thousands of others was presented at the UN on De= cember 10th 2008, the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal = Declaration of Human Rights. Heartened by the strong response from supporte= rs and the positive feedback from the UN ambassadors, C-FAM decided to cont= inue the campaign with the goal of presenting 1,000,000 signatures at the o= pening of the next session of the General Assembly in September 2009. Please help us in our work by forwarding this petition to all friends and f= amily and urge them to sign. http://www.c-fam.org/publications/id.95/default.asp ______________________ Dear Fatherhood Foundation in Australia Recently, as The Political Busker, I wrote and distributed emails laying se= rious charges against the judiciary, politicians, including an implication = against New Zealand broadcasting. These emails gained replies from various = recipients proving that the information was received by some of those with = a direct responsibility to engage the information. Among those replies was = one from the Minister of Justice, Simon Power's secretary.... Over the eight years I can easily prove bias and discrimination against men= and of greater public concern, against fatherhood. The evidence is obvious= and overwhelming. Action, non-action, statutes and policies clearly identi= fy that men are at an immediate and improper disadvantage when matters of s= ocialisation, human behaviour or the protection of gender are engaged. It i= s because the evidence is so obvious that the problem is so extreme. It is= because the media refuse to engage the extent of the discrimination and bi= as against men and fatherhood that our country has such a serious problem. The policies and practices that are being implemented and engaged are to ma= rginalise paternalism. There is an active programme and policy disengaging = a father as a natural part of the family unit. As the primary example, the policy has advanced in granting women full auth= ority over their bodies as relative to pregnancy. This provision has then a= dvanced to allow lesbian couples or single women to give birth to a child w= ith no provision for the child to masculinity. Every human is created from = a masculine and feminine, biological and genetic influence and it is a soci= al deprivation for the child to have one gender influence purposefully extr= acted from the child's development. Yet the advance of feminism has ignored= the need to protect a child to a masculine influence. For the survival of = feminism, women have to be able to make such decisions on their own and wit= hout any interference from the male gender. Children are now a second consideration to women in matters of human rights= and men are represented with no requiring need of any specific protection.= The result of these policies and programmes without protecting men in matt= ers of domestic unity is that many families are separated and many children= live without the influence, protection or support from their biological an= d natural fathers. Yet these facts are not engaged to register urgency with parliament or the = media. This is likely because to register the problem, would require a turn= around of the implemented policies and programmes. Such a turn around agai= nst a significant number of years of directly and globally building women's= independence for that construction would be unthinkable. Consequently it i= s easier to ignore the facts that expose impropriety, social injustice and = imbalance than it is to engage them as is legally, morally and socially res= ponsible.... It is illogical to make a claim that our nation puts its children's intere= st as the paramount consideration, when we are prepared to willfully and ir= responsibly damage the access and association that that child has with thei= r natural and biological dad. Respectfully, Benjamin Easton The Political Busker (of a) father's coalition. laos_newzealand@yahoo.co.nz Dad's Prayer [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/605.jpg?a=3D1= 102447249557] Dear God Help me never leave my partner behind. It is so easy for me to run ahead. I have, many times. As Aristotle said, 'True love is a single soul Inhabiting two bodies'. Help me know the total truth of 'Two becoming one'. Let me see love through your eyes And fill me with your 'Unconditional love'. Help Us! [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif]The Fatherhood Foundation = is a Harm Prevention Charity. Fatherlessness and inadequate fathering has been proven to be a source of h= arm. The Fatherhood Foundation helps children by promoting excellence in f= athering. Excellent fathers are in word and deed: responsible, involved, pr= otective, loving and committed to the well-being of their children and thei= r children's mother. If you would like to give financially to the Fatherhood Foundation Public F= und and receive tax deductibility: Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund (Name, address and amount details must be emailed for a receipt for tax ded= uctibility) Westpac Branch Wollongong DONATE ONLINE BSB: 032 695 A/C: 25-5558 Or mail cheque and address details to: PO Box 542 UNANDERRA NSW 2526 AUSTRALIA The Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund is a public fund listed on the Regis= ter of Harm Prevention Charities under Subdivision 30_EA of the Income Tax = Assessment Act 1997. You have received the fathersonline.org newsletter because you have subscri= bed, or you have been subscribed by a friend. If you do not wish to receiv= e future emails, please click the UNSUBSCRIBE button below. Forward email [http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/safe_unsubscribe_logo.gif] This email was sent to blane@uow.edu.au by info@fathersonline.org. Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(tm) | Pri= vacy Policy. Email Marketing= by [http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/cc-logo-color-sm.gif] Fatherhood Foundation | P.O. Box 542 | Unanderra | NSW | 2526 | Australia --_000_110244724955711019383454151211892172519scheduler_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
HTML Web Version Dads4Kids Newsletter
=09
3D"Dads4Kids
=09
=09
 9th February 2009       Encouraging Families  Issue 338
 

 

 
=09
Fireproof
Celebrating Marriage Week
Dear Brian,
Welcome to the Fatherhood Foundation newsletter and email information = service for Fathers and Families as we present Celebrating Marriage Week
=09
In This Issue
Frontline...Love is a splendid thing
Link...Fireproof
Laughter..Doctor Doctor..Corny
Grandfathers...Fireproof is amazing
Single Dads...Crisis Support Services
All You Need is Love..Love, Romance & Marriage
Special Feature...Spousal Gifts
News & Info..Parents Links
Dad's Prayer..Help me never leave my partner behind
=09 =09
Next Week&nb= sp;

 Tipping Point - Dads4Kids

=09 =09
= Join our Mailing List!
 
Quick Links
=09
 Thought of the Week
3D"Couple
 
3D"Thoughtoftheweek" 
 
Love is a single soul inhabiting two bodies.
 Aristotle
 
 
Frontline
=
3D"Happy
 
 Shakespeare wrote: 'Love is a many splendored thing'. But for ma= ny it is a 'nightmare' even though succeeding in 'love' is universally acce= pted as the best way to enjoy a happy life,
 
The latest stu= dies from the social sciences would support this statement 100%. Married co= uples build more wealth than unmarried couples. Married couples enjoy bette= r and more frequent sex than unmarried couples. Married couples are healthi= er and live longer than unmarried couples.  All of the above information certainly covers the famous= maxim 'healthy, wealthy and wise'.
 
But wait, there's more= : Marriage helps our children too. Marriage increases our children's educat= ional performance, health, ability to build long term relationships, preser= ves them from poverty, negates drug use and alcoholism, increases their hea= lth, lowers the risk of suicide, lowers criminal and delinquent behaviour a= nd dramatically lowers child abuse. Those who understand the social fall-ou= t from fatherlessness will note the striking similarity of the social scien= ce data in regards to marriage. This should not be surprising because marri= age increases the likelihood that fathers will have good relationships with= their children.  All of the above adds weight to the saying, 'the gre= atest thing a man can do for his children is to love his wife'.
 =
For this reason International Marriage Wee= k, 7-14 February 2009 is an important week for fathers. 
Mar= riage Week is timed to end on Valentines Day, which is celebrated this comi= ng Saturday, 14th February. We have listed some great ways to celebrate Val= entines Day in Special Feature and All You Need is Love. Another way to celebrate Valentine= s Day is to purchase your own copy of  Fireproof recently released= on DVD by Sony.  Fireproof is an independent movie that surprised m= any hardened pundits. Capt Caleb Holt is a fire fighter that takes The Love= Dare to rescue his marriage that is on the verge of divorce. Yes, it is a = low budget movie and the acting at times is pretty average, but when you co= nsider that it was made for $500,000 with an all volunteer cast, it really = is an amazing production.  At one stage it was running fourth at the U= S box office which is incredible for an independent movie. This blogger pos= t sums it up well:
 
Making a movie that tackles real li= fe marriage problems head on is challenging, and not always easy to watch. = Horror, violence, spoofs, fantasy, love stories, biographies offer easy esc= apes. Fireproof exposes the isolation that can occur between 2 people who s= tarted out loving each other, but over time disconnect, become self-absorbe= d and fall into a pattern of hurting each other. The relational pain finds = some comic relief, and there is a job-related diversion. But help comes in = the form of a 40 day dare to love. While you may not agree with the faith-b= ased approach, there is no doubt that unconditional love is transforming. I= was deeply moved... enough to take the dare myself.
 
= My wife went to see the Fireproof at NSW Parliament House to celebrate the = Australian DVD release. She was so impressed she bought her own copy. After= watching it myself, I can't help but agree - unconditional love is transfo= rming!
 
Lovework
 
Make a d= ate with your wife for Valentines Day. Maybe buy your own copy of the Firep= roof DVD if you are prepared for a challenge.
 
Valentines D= ay is something we should all make an investment in as fathers who want to = keep the love fires burning. (Children love candlelit dinners - go on, do s= omething special with your children - they are your valentines too!)
&= nbsp;
Use your imagination. Make it romantic. When it comes to love, t= he sky's the limit because 'love is a many splendored thing'.
 PS The Dads4Kids Competition winners will be announced in the Australia= n Newspaper on Monday 16th February 2009. The Dads4Kids Competition questio= n, "How do we best help our children?" has been answered by many, with grea= t flair and insight. We look forward to sharing the results of the Dads4Kid= s Competition with our readers in the coming weeks.
__________________= __________________________________________________

Warwick Marsh=   has been married to Alison for 33 years. He is the gr= andfather of two children and father of five children, four boys and one gi= rl, ranging in age from 28 years to 16 years.  Warwick is a music= ian, songwriter, producer and public speaker who likes to think he can stil= l laugh at himself.
Link of the Week
Laughter
= =
3D"Corny"
A man woke up in a= hospital after a serious accident. He shouted, 'Doctor, doctor, I can't fe= el my legs!' The doctor replied, 'I know you can't - I've cut off your arms= !'

An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothi= ng to look at either

'Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Gree= n Grass of Home.' 'That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome.' 'Is it common?' We= ll, 'It's Not Unusual.'

A man walks into a bar with a slab of bitumen under his arm, and = says: 'A beer please, and one for the road.'


=
Grandfathers
3D"Fireproof" <= /img>
Fireproof is amazing!
Action packed, heartwarming,
and= a great resource to help strengthen and affirm marriages.
&nbs= p;
Dr Gary Smalley
Author of Five Love Languages
 
Single Dads
3D"Suicide

 Just before Christmas there was a media release put out by Crisi= s support Services 'MENSLINE' that went fairly unnoticed.
 
The headline ran:
DADS SUICIDE RISK SKYROC= KETS WHEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN.
 
In the releas= e it was stated that Mensline Australia has uncovered men living without their children are five times more likely to have at= tempted suicide, as compared to fathers who are living with their = children.
 
That is 5 times more likely!!
 
= Highlighted in an analysis of the 60,000 callers who ring Mensline Australi= a each year, fathers living alone are also twice as likely to have = experienced a serious mental health concern.
 
Dr N= ick Foster of Mensline Australia explains many separated fathers ar= e devastated by the inability to see or live with their ch= ildren. "Men are awash with pain, anger and frustration when they = call our counsellors. We receive at least two suic= ide-related calls every day. Sadly, we receive many more c= alls from men whose only glimmer of hope is the possibility of one day, bei= ng able to spend more time with their kids," said Dr Foster.
=  
All on the dads in distress w= ebsite know how that feels don't we? It is a shame that the Mensline press = release, prior to Christmas, wasn't given more exposure then it had. Our 13= 00 crisis line also receives those calls. Many are referred to us from othe= r agencies unable to cope and looking for someone who may have the answer f= or their clients.
 
The recent bagging and tarring of all fa= thers with the same brush on Facebook and the calling for capital punishmen= t to be reinstated for the father of Darcey Freeman, who was thrown from Me= lbourne's West Gate Bridge, does little but incite hate instead of compassi= on or understanding of what went wrong here. While obviously not condoning = what happened, Mensline's statement above reiterates the need that is out t= here.
 
Suicide in this country, especially male suicide is= at epidemic levels. Suicide is suicide, it matters little be it male or fe= male, it is still a tragedy. All agencies including ours need help to cope.= With the economic crisis, families are only going to come under more press= ure. And while the Family Law Court looks the other way when it comes to en= forcing its own orders in custody disputes, the outlook is glum. And while = the government announces a Men's Health Policy nothing seems to be forthcom= ing in strengthening those services that have been doing the work for years= .
 
Dads in Distress will close its doors come June if nothi= ng is forthcoming. Our current funding ends in June. Maybe other's can look= the other way and believe that all will be ok and the problem will just go= away. Who will be the last man standing?
 
Dads in = Distress: 1300 853 437 
Mensline: 1300 789 978
Lifeline: 1= 31 114
 
Tony Miller
Director/Founder
Dad= s In Distress Inc
PO Box J395
Coffs Harbour Jetty
NSW 2450www.dadsindist= ress.asn.au 
 
All You Nee= d is Love
3D"Valentine <= /div>Love, Romance and Marriage
3D"ALLUNeed"By James E. Sheridan
Feb 4, 2009 = =A92009 All Rights Reserved
 
Valentines Day is quickly appr= oaching, the day we exchange lots of chocolate in heart-shaped boxes and ca= rds with red hearts that say 'I love you.' Although we should express our l= ove to our spouse daily, reserving one day a year to go overboard is wonder= ful.
 
Love is important, even crucial, for a long-lasting m= arriage. This is not simply the romantic love seen in Hollywood productions= , which results from a chemical cocktail produced by the body (primarily ph= enylethylamine, or PEA), when we first 'fall' for someone. Unfortunately, a= s Dr. Patricia Love and Jo Robinson explain in 'Hot Monogamy', these hormon= es and the 'love' it produces fade quickly, typically in three to eighteen = months. Sustaining love comes from a sense of devotion, not hormones.
=  
On Valentines Day think about expressing this deeper, committed= love.
Consider the following possibilities.
 
= Tips for Husbands. Women typically enjoy nurturing relationships a= nd emotional connection. Willard Harley, PhD, lists the first three emotion= al needs of wives as affection, the need for conversation, and honesty and = openness. No surprises here. For women affection consists of actions that m= ean you're thinking of her, value her and care about her, such as hugs, sma= ll gifts and acts of service. Conversation is how people share their though= ts and the stories of what happened in their world. And, honesty and openne= ss means there are no barriers between the two of you. Add these all togeth= er and you have emotional connection.
 
So what to do? Take = her out to eat. Give her a Valentines card, chocolates (a basic food group = for many women) and a massage. Spend time with her listening to her talk ab= out her day and telling her about yours. Help with the chores.
 <= br />And! After Valentines Day, keep doing all these things.
 
Tips for Wives. Men typically connect = emotionally by way of the physical and visual. Again, consider Harley's top= three emotional needs for husbands: Sexual fulfillment, recreational compa= nionship, and having an attractive wife. No surprises here, either: All thr= ee are elements of physical connection. Sex, of course, is the ultimate phy= sical connection. Having someone by your side while you relax, whether hunt= ing, golfing, or fixing your car, involves physical proximity. Emerson Egge= richs, PhD, explains that wives may not see it or hear it, but there is imp= ortant work of connection going on in his mind by her simply being present.= Likewise, having an attractive wife is important: Visual connection is a f= orm of physical connection.
 
Of course 'beauty is in the ey= e of the beholder.' What looks 'slim' to one man may look 'scrawny' to anot= her. Moreover, no one should expect you to stay perpetually young. But, it = is important to look the best you can. Wives sometimes see this need for at= tractiveness as shallow, and then complain because their husbands don't see= the dusting that needs to be done so the house 'looks good.'
 Your husband's need for beauty will end ... the moment he dies. Whether= he's 23 or 93, do your best to look good. (And, forget Hollywood's definit= ion of beauty; concentrate on your husband's definition.) Think how you loo= ked when you got married, then allow for the normal aging process and the e= ffects of child bearing and you have the picture.
 
So what = to do? Seduce your husband for some sexual intimacy. Spend time with him wh= ile he's relaxing, even if it does not involve conversation; your presence = is what's important. And, work at looking good.
 
An= d! After Valentines Day, keep doing all these things.
 <= br />The romantic sentiments of Valentines Day are wonderful. But, they're = even better, if they're carried over for the rest of the year.

<= /font>
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Special Feature

3D"Sharing
Gift= s to Give Your Spouse
3D"Specialfeature"The Gift of Sharing:
Talking about my hopes and fears and all that is in m= y heart.=20
 
Gift of Friendship:
Being the best = friend I can be.=20
 
The Gift of Time:
Encouraging you to spend = time doing what you enjoy most. 
 
The Gift of Commitment:
Standing beside you through thick and thin, sickness = and health, good times and bad.
 
The Gift of Attention:
Listening to what you say and taking it seriously.
 
The Gift of Respect:
Treating you with courtesy in both word and deed.
 
The Gift of Humility:
Admitting that I am not always right and being willin= g to change where needed.
 
The Gift of Encouragement:
Looking for opportunities to compliment you and build= you up.
 
The Gift of Care:
Doing my best to know and meet your emotional needs. =
 
The Gift of Forgiveness:
Forgiving you, getting over it, and not bringing it u= p again.
 
The Gift of Generosity:
Showing you my love by giving time, words, tangible t= hings, and memories.
 
The Gift of Honesty:
Being totally open and honest and not keeping secrets= .
 
The Gift of Laughter:
Playing and having fun together.
 
The Gift of Dreams:
Planning the future together with the commitment that= we will spend the rest of our days side by side.
News & Info
=
 
Parent Links3D"C=
 
=
 
BABIES as young as one are being diagnosed as obese, with a major hosp= ital treating youngsters twice the size they should be 

 
= DADS SUICIDE RISK SKYROCKETS WHEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN
 
The ex= treme isolation and emotional pain many men feel is immediately apparent wh= en they reach out for help. Media Release Mensline 19/12/2008.

<= /font>
Letters
 
Dear Fatherhood Foundation
 
Please consider this impor= tant pro-life / pro-UN Declaration of Human Rights petition to the United N= ations. About 350,000 signatures so far and climbing! It would be great if = more people came on board and signed the online petition...web site link be= low and article.
 
Thanks
Edward Dabrowski
Bunbury= WA

Your signature along with thousands of others was presented= at the UN on December 10th 2008, the celebration of the 60th Anniversary o= f the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Heartened by the strong respon= se from supporters and the positive feedback from the UN ambassadors, C-FAM= decided to continue the campaign with the goal of presenting 1,000,000 sig= natures at the opening of the next session of the General Assembly in Septe= mber 2009. 
   
Please help us in our work b= y forwarding this petition to all friends and family and urge them to sign.=
http://www.c-fam.org/publications/id.95/default.asp
 
______________________

 Dear Fatherhood= Foundation in Australia
 
Recently, as The Political Buske= r, I wrote and distributed emails laying serious charges against the judici= ary, politicians, including an implication against New Zealand broadcasting= . These emails gained replies from various recipients proving that the info= rmation was received by some of those with a direct responsibility to engag= e the information. Among those replies was one from the Minister of Justice= , Simon Power's secretary....
 
Over the eight years I can= easily prove bias and discrimination against men and of greater public con= cern, against fatherhood. The evidence is obvious and overwhelming. Action,= non-action, statutes and policies clearly identify that men are at an imme= diate and improper disadvantage when matters of socialisation, human behavi= our or the protection of gender are engaged. It is because the evidence is = so obvious that the problem is so extreme.  It is because the media re= fuse to engage the extent of the discrimination and bias against men and fa= therhood that our country has such a serious problem.
 
Th= e policies and practices that are being implemented and engaged are to marg= inalise paternalism. There is an active programme and policy disengaging a = father as a natural part of the family unit.
 
As the prim= ary example, the policy has advanced in granting women full authority over = their bodies as relative to pregnancy. This provision has then advanced to = allow lesbian couples or single women to give birth to a child with no prov= ision for the child to masculinity. Every human is created from a masculine= and feminine, biological and genetic influence and it is a social deprivat= ion for the child to have one gender influence purposefully extracted from = the child's development. Yet the advance of feminism has ignored the need t= o protect a child to a masculine influence. For the survival of feminism, w= omen have to be able to make such decisions on their own and without any in= terference from the male gender.
 
Children are now a seco= nd consideration to women in matters of human rights and men are represente= d with no requiring need of any specific protection. The result of these po= licies and programmes without protecting men in matters of domestic unity i= s that many families are separated and many children live without the influ= ence, protection or support from their biological and natural fathers.
 
Yet these facts are not engaged to register urgency with par= liament or the media. This is likely because to register the problem, would= require a turn around of the implemented policies and programmes. Such a t= urn around against a significant number of years of directly and globally b= uilding women's independence for that construction would be unthinkable. Co= nsequently it is easier to ignore the facts that expose impropriety, social= injustice and imbalance than it is to engage them as is legally, morally a= nd socially responsible....
 
 It is illogical to make= a claim that our nation puts its children's interest as the paramount cons= ideration, when we are prepared to willfully and irresponsibly damage the a= ccess and association that that child has with their natural and biological= dad.
  
Respectfully,
 
Benjamin Eas= ton
The Political Busker
(of a) father's coalition.
 = laos_newze= aland@yahoo.co.nz     


Dad's Prayer

3D"Running 
Dear God
&n= bsp;
Help me never leave my partner behind.
It is so easy for me = to run ahead.
I have, many times.
As Aristotle said,
'True l= ove is a single soul
Inhabiting two bodies'.
Help me know the tot= al truth of
'Two becoming one'.
Let me see love through your eyes=
And fill me with your
'Unconditional love'.
 
 
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Help Us!

3D"HelpUs"= The Fatherhood Foundation is a Harm Prevention Charity.
Fatherles= sness and inadequate fathering has been proven to be a source of harm.= The Fatherhood Foundation helps children by promoting excellence  in = fathering. Excellent fathers are in word and deed: responsible, involved, p= rotective, loving and committed to the well-being of their children and the= ir children's mother.

 

If you would like to give financially t= o the Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund and receive tax deductibility:

 

Fatherhood Found= ation Public Fund
(Name, address and amount details must be = emailed for a receipt for tax deductibility)

 Westpac Branch Wollongong      &nb= sp;            =   = DONATE ONLINE

BSB: 032 695
A/C: 25-5558
 

Or mail cheque and address details to:<= br />PO Box 542
UNANDERRA  NSW&nbs= p; 2526
AUSTRALIA

 

The Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund&n= bsp; is a public fund listed on the Register of Harm Prevention Charities u= nder Subdivision 30_EA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.=

 

You have received the fatherson= line.org newsletter because you have subscribed, or you have been = subscribed by a friend.  If you do not wish to receive future emails, = please click the UNSUBSCRIBE button below.

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3D"Safe
This email was sent to blane@uow.edu.au by in= fo@fathersonline.org.
Fatherhood Foundati= on | P.O. Box 542 | Unanderra | NSW | 2526 | Australia
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