{"id":301992,"date":"2010-03-12T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-03-12T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/viva-la-difference\/"},"modified":"2010-03-12T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2010-03-12T17:00:00","slug":"viva-la-difference","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/viva-la-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Viva la Difference!"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Think you and your spouse are as different as night and day?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2010-03-12.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"28.57M","filesize_raw":"29962618","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2082,2862],"tags":[5126],"podcast_series":[7712],"cwp_profile":[9193],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-301992","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication","category-understanding-differences","tag-intercultural-marriage","podcast_series-your-interculturual-marriage","cwp_profile-marla-alupoaicei","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/301992\/viva-la-difference","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/301992\/viva-la-difference","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"thxEgqo2kD\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/viva-la-difference\/\">Viva la Difference!<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/viva-la-difference\/embed\/#?secret=thxEgqo2kD\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Viva la Difference!&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"thxEgqo2kD\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var 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day?","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2010-03-12.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>All couples bring different perspectives and different backgrounds into their marriages.\u00a0 When Marla Deshong met and married Catalin Alupoaicei, a Romanian, it wasn\u2019t just two people blending their differences, it was two cultures intersecting.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You start to realize that there are many aspects of our faith that people believe differently about.\u00a0 It might have to do with tithing, baptism, dedication of children, how many children to have, whether you should wear jewelry\u2026 but it was more difficult than I expected because that was a difference I didn\u2019t expect to have.\u00a0 I just assumed, \u201cWell, I\u2019m a Christian, he\u2019s a Christian.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Friday, March 12<sup>th<\/sup>.\u00a0 Our host is the President of FamilyLife, Dennis Rainey and I'm Bob Lepine.\u00a0 As we\u2019ll see today, two people who love Jesus still think very differently about a whole lot of things.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWelcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> thanks for joining us.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been thinking about the subject that we\u2019re talking about this week, the intercultural marriage.\u00a0 On some level, isn\u2019t every marriage an intercultural marriage?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Even if you\u2019re both from America.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>That\u2019s right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We have different backgrounds, different motivations, different values\u2026 We have someone here who has spent over eight years of researching the subject of intercultural and interracial marriage.\u00a0 The author of <em>Your Intercultural Marriage:<\/em><em>\u00a0 <\/em><em>A Guide to a Healthy <\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>Happy Relationship<\/em> Marla\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You\u2019re going to try the name?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I\u2019m not going to butcher it.\u00a0 Go ahead Bob, you can say it I can\u2019t.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Alupoaicei \u201cAloe poi CHAY\u201d?\u00a0 How\u2019d I do?\u00a0 Did I get it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Way to go!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>\u201cAloe poi CHAY!\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Marla joins us for another day.\u00a0 Welcome back, despite the host\u2019s ability to butcher your last name.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Happens all the time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We shared earlier that you married a Romanian.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I would just encourage folks if they haven\u2019t heard the rest of the story; they need to hear how a Romanian man proposes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Dennis has a much\u2014I think he\u2019s got a much more romantic picture of this in his mind than what really happened.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Well, I just have had some\u2014I\u2019ve been to Paris a couple of times with Barbara\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes, but this wasn\u2019t in Paris, it\u2019s on a rickety old train.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>But it\u2019s Europe!\u00a0 It\u2019s Europe!\u00a0 Europe just seems to have\u2014I\u2019m sure it\u2019s probably given to me by Hollywood, but Europe seems to have this romantic mystic to it.\u00a0 Does it to you as well Marla?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>It does.\u00a0 Definitely yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Was there Dr. Zhivago music playing?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I wish there had been.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We\u2019re talking here about the differences we bring into a marriage because of these intercultural backgrounds that we have.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m interested in knowing: what\u2019s your favorite difference that your husband Catalin brings to your marriage.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Well, as you mentioned, as far as the proposal was concerned, it\u2019s the romance, the exotic factor and just being with someone who is more mysterious and it\u2019s exciting just getting to know him.\u00a0 You don\u2019t take for granted the things you would take for granted in a relationship with someone from here.\u00a0 You\u2019re always discovering new things about his culture and his person.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Is his accent\u2014tell the truth\u2014is it still romantic to you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>He has a very very slight accent.\u00a0 He speaks English very well because he started translating when he was 13.\u00a0 So, that\u2019s an advantage for me.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>But there is still a little hint isn\u2019t there not?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla: <\/strong>There\u2019s a slight hint.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla: <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>When he says \u201cMarla.\u201d (with an accent)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Bob!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Does he do that? Does he say \u201cMarla\u201d (with an accent)?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla: <\/strong>Thankfully, he does not.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>She\u2019d just laugh at him.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>\u201cYou sound like Bob Lepine!\u201d\u00a0 What would you think that he might say in terms of--well you know what?\u00a0 Do you have his cell-phone number?\u00a0 I\u2019d just like to call him and ask him.\u00a0 I just want to get his voice on tape.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Sure.\u00a0 OK.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Let\u2019s call him.\u00a0 I just want to get his voice on tape.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You want to see just\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Oh, you want to test.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You want to see if he sounds like Ricardo Montalban.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>(phone ringing)<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I didn\u2019t mean to short circuit the system Keith.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>It\u2019s ringing.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Hello?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Hello Catalin?\u00a0 This is Bob Lepine from <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Hi. How are you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I\u2019m good, say hi to Dennis Rainey.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Hi\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Hey, how are you doing Catalin?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Doing great!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We have your bride here in the studio with us.\u00a0 I just asked her a question and I decided I wanted to find out how you would answer the question as well.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>But before Dennis asks you the question, just say your wife\u2019s name for us.\u00a0 Will you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Marla?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\u00a0 I just wanted to hear.\u00a0 I hear a little bit of a Romania accent, it\u2019s kind of romantic kind of sexy.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Ok, here\u2019s your question, thanks a bunch for allowing us to interrupt your day.\u00a0 What is your favorite cultural difference that Marla has brought to your marriage?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Wow.\u00a0 Where do I begin?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>That\u2019s a good answer right there.\u00a0 That\u2019s a good answer, way to go!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You started right, that\u2019s right.\u00a0 You came into the marriage with cultural differences, what\u2019s been something you\u2019ve observed about Marla\u2019s background and culture that you\u2019ve said, \u201cThis is really beneficial, this has been helpful.\u00a0 I\u2019ve learned and I\u2019ve grown as a result of it.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Oh, that\u2019s easy.\u00a0 That\u2019s actually really easy to say. One of the things that come to mind that has a bittersweet reality to it; I grew up for the first part of my life under Communism.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You were growing up as <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nicolae_Ceau%C5%9Fescu\">Ceau\u015fescu<\/a> as the leader in Romania?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\u00a0 I was fairly young, but I was able to see how\u2014I lived under his regime for about 10 years.\u00a0 The first 10 years of my life, and I know it\u2019s not a lot, but I was able to see a lot of the things that my parent\u2019s generation went through and different oppression.\u00a0 I think one of the sad things about Communism, what it did, at least for a generation it took its hope away.\u00a0 There\u2019s not a lot of hope behind the Iron Curtain.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tMy generation especially the young people that were born shortly after the Iron Curtain fell in the early 1990s, are learning what hope and optimism is all about.\u00a0 I think that one of the beautiful cultural differences between my culture and the American culture just from what Marla brings, is her optimism.\u00a0 I was just intoxicated with from the time that our marriage started.\u00a0 I will tell you that it grew on me and surely made my life a lot easier.\u00a0 Because, it showed me how thinking positive, and how good things do and can happen.\u00a0 It was a very refreshing experience for us, and for me and hearing that all around America.\u00a0 There was just a lot more optimism and a joy of life that liberates you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You know I\u2019ve got to ask you while I have you on the phone.\u00a0 This scene on the train of you proposing to her:\u00a0 Was the moon coming through the clouds, was there music on the train?\u00a0 Tell me that you designed something superbly romantic to ask this American young lady to marry you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Well,I surely had not designed it.\u00a0 I think everything else around worked to set up the mood.\u00a0 I think it was a pretty cold November night, and we were on a train car with several different people on the train car, and it was freezing outside, but our train car was really hot because there were 6 other strangers in there, and there was a lot of\u2014they were breathing and it was a lot warmer in there, and I think we were kind of sweating\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>This is not a good picture!\u00a0 This is not what I was looking for!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Dennis was looking for\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Dr. Zhivago!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Something right out of Dr. Zhivago\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I told you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(All laughing)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I told him it\u2019s a rickety train in the back part of Romania.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>He\u2019s got people sweating for goodness sake!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Well, we have two versions; we could give the romantic version or the real version.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>The real version.\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You\u2019ve been a good sport, thanks for allowing us to interrupt your rush hour traffic commute.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>No problem.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Thank you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Your wife says she\u2019ll see you later, Catalin.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I can\u2019t wait to see her.\u00a0 My pleasure.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Bye\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Catalin:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Bye\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You just can\u2019t get past the train can you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>It was not as romantic\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Dennis is stuck on a train in Eastern Europe.\u00a0 Let me move off of your story and let\u2019s talk about the reality of cross-cultural marriages, interracial marriages that are going on in the United States.\u00a0 I mentioned earlier this week that I grew up thinking that there might be something wrong with mixed race marriages.\u00a0 That sentiment has pretty much gone by the wayside, although, there\u2019s still vestiges of that in the culture today aren\u2019t there? And in the church as well right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>That\u2019s true.\u00a0 Sometimes people try to twist or distort scripture to support that.\u00a0 But I discovered in my research, I did research on all of the intercultural marriages in the Bible, and what God said about them and so forth.\u00a0 Actually, many of the great heroes and heroines of our faith including David, Ruth, Joseph, many other people were involved in intercultural marriages, and those were marriages that the Lord approved of and blessed.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes, in fact I wanted to ask you, what\u2019s the first intercultural marriage in the Bible?\u00a0 Bob and I participated last fall in the first ever Bible Bee.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>And you\u2019re thinking this question might have come up with those Bible Bee contestants?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I think it could.\u00a0 But anyway, do you remember?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I would say one of the first that seemed positive was Moses and Zipporah.\u00a0 If you remember the story Aaron and Miriam disapproved of Moses\u2014they spoke out against Moses in part because of his intercultural marriage.\u00a0 God really responded harshly to that, to Aaron and Miriam.\u00a0 You remember Miriam was struck with leprosy for speaking out against Moses.\u00a0 From everything we can tell, God approved of Moses\u2019 marriage with Zipporah and there\u2019s nothing said about anything negative about that relationship.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>But there are general prohibitions throughout the Old Testament that the Jews are not to marry women from other nations and other tribes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Samson for instance.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>\u201cShe looks good to me\u201d the Philistine woman.\u00a0 And then you\u2019ve got Solomon who goes off with all of these women from all sorts of other countries, and God says, \u201cYou\u2019re not supposed to do that.\u201d\u00a0 Right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>That\u2019s right.\u00a0 But if you look at all of the stories you\u2019ll see that he didn\u2019t prohibit that intercultural or interracial marriage because those people were of another race or from another culture, he did it only because they didn\u2019t share the same spiritual values or beliefs.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t worship the one true God. They worshiped idols.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo he said to Solomon, don\u2019t go after these pagan wives because they worship idols.\u00a0 They\u2019ll lead your heart away from me.\u00a0 But that\u2019s exactly what Solomon did, and that is what happened.\u00a0 His heart was led away from the Lord.\u00a0 So, his later life, he did not serve the Lord.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>So it really takes us to one of the New Testament admonitions, \u201cDo not be unequally yoked.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>It\u2019s talking about not the culture people come from, but where their hearts are.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>That\u2019s right, that\u2019s really the only principle that we have now for today\u2019s culture to go on is \u201cA Christian is not supposed to be unequally yoked in marriage with a non-believer.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You may be equally yoked spiritually, but you may come from very different ways of practicing your Christian faith.\u00a0 You grew up in church, in Terre Haute, Indiana right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>And, Catalin grew up going to church in Romania.\u00a0 I\u2019m just guessing it was two different church experiences for you and him.\u00a0 Was that hard to reconcile when the two of you got married?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>It was more difficult than I expected because that was a difference I didn\u2019t expect to have.\u00a0 I just assumed \u201cWell, I\u2019m a Christian, he\u2019s a Christian.\u201d\u00a0 But, you start to realize that there are many aspects of our faith that people believe differently about.\u00a0 It might have to do with tithing, baptism, dedication of children, how many children to have, birth control, whether you should wear jewelry\u2026 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSome cultures believe that women should only wear dresses, should not wear jewelry or makeup, and that actually is true in the Romania culture.\u00a0 It\u2019s very conservative, what we might consider to be legalistic, but I think we have to be careful about that too.\u00a0 Because in many countries of the world, the churches are just very devout, and the people are, what we might consider more \u201clegalistic\u201d just because they\u2019re trying to very carefully follow biblical teachings.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>The wearing of makeup and jewelry in another culture may signal something morally that it doesn\u2019t necessarily signal in our culture.\u00a0 Right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>That\u2019s right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Or, that we may have become so calloused to that we now are accepting of it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Marla, in your research you\u2019ve talked with a lot of couples who are in either cross-cultural or interracial marriages.\u00a0 Let me ask you about the unique challenges that interracial couples face that maybe take it a step beyond the challenges that you and your husband have faced.\u00a0 When you talk to couples who are from different ethnic backgrounds, what kinds of things did you learn?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Many of them especially people who are from a Christian background struggle to convince their parents or friends or other people around them that it was OK for them to get married.\u00a0 Oftentimes people try to talk them out of it, sometimes if one of the people is from another culture the friends or family might ask \u201cAre you sure that person isn\u2019t just trying to get a visa to come to America?\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s common and actually I\u2019ve faced that myself, too.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Really?\u00a0 Some relatives?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Friends?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes. I think that\u2019s a common concern.\u00a0 But of course it is hurtful to the person when someone asks you that. But that\u2019s common.\u00a0 There are a lot of issues that the interracial couples have to consider because you don\u2019t want to alienate your family, your ultimate goal is for them to support you and love you.\u00a0 You really need that because the culture does not provide as much support.\u00a0 The culture still tends to be more judgmental toward interracial couples, and the children of interracial couples.\u00a0 Because, when they walk in the door you can tell they\u2019re interracial whereas, my husband and I were intercultural, but we\u2019re not interracial.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>You look the same.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>In fact, I wanted to ask you a question about that.\u00a0 If you were speaking right now to a couple who are in an interracial marriage, where there does seem to be from time to time, that judgmental attitude, what\u2019s the best advise you could give that couple?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I would encourage them to pray together, discuss the issues, I think they need to discuss with each other if there\u2019s hurt there.\u00a0 Try to come up with some ways that they can overcome that, if there are specific family members that seem disapproving or are causing problems in the marriage.\u00a0 They need to discuss how to approach that whether they should both go together or say it is one person\u2019s father or mother, maybe they can talk to them.\u00a0 Try to share biblical principles with them, pray with them and even write out why it\u2019s important to you and share it.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSometimes I do that in my own marriage.\u00a0 Just so I can get all of my thoughts down and really make it clear.\u00a0 They may need to seek counseling or have their pastor or someone else intervene.\u00a0 Maybe bring all of the family members together; the couple as well as the people who\u2014the family members who don\u2019t agree and try to reach some kind of reconciliation there.\u00a0 But, I really recommend trying your best.\u00a0 I know sometimes people might just be tempted to write it off and say, \u201cWell, we\u2019re just going to get married no matter what.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut in my book I list many questions that individuals can ask each other before marriage during that planning process.\u00a0 Just to find out about each other\u2019s personalities, habits, preferences families of origin, spiritual walk, etcetera.\u00a0 It\u2019s crucial to ask those questions before you jump into intercultural marriage.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We don\u2019t talk about it very often, but we have a great resource called, <em>Preparing for Marriage<\/em> that has been written.\u00a0 It took over five years for us to develop.\u00a0 I still think, even though it\u2019s been out for a while, it really remains the very best, and most thorough preparation that a young couple can go through prior to getting married.\u00a0 It goes through a background check of sorts, for a couple to explain to one another where they have come from and who they are.\u00a0 They can talk about how they are different before they tie the knot.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We\u2019ve got copies the <em>Preparing for Marriage<\/em> workbook in our <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Resource Center.\u00a0 Listeners can go to FamilyLifeToday.com for more information on how to get a copy of that workbook if they\u2019re like.\u00a0 I was sitting here thinking about the cards that you and Barbara put together <em>The Five Essentials for a Thriving Marriage<\/em> card.\u00a0 We can get distracted by some of these differences that seem hug at the time, but really aren\u2019t the main thing.\u00a0 To have these cards where you guys outline what are the core issues that we need to keep coming back to and have it\u2014these are laminated cards that can go in a Bible, work like a bookmark.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tJust remind you of what the important stuff is.\u00a0 This week we\u2019ve been inviting listeners to call 1-800-FLTODAY and just ask for a couple of these and we\u2019ll send them out to you.\u00a0 We\u2019re particularly interested in getting these in the hands of some of our newer listeners so they can get a handle on what FamilyLife is all about, and who we are, what we believe, what kinds of resources we have available to help you out.\u00a0 But, anybody can call or request them.\u00a0 1-800-FLTODAY, ask for <em>The Five Essentials for a Thriving Marriage<\/em> card.\u00a0 We\u2019ll get a couple of those out to you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn some ways an intercultural or an interracial marriage is a declaration of the Gospel.\u00a0 I\u2019m just sitting here thinking about Ephesians chapter 2 that says, \u201cIn Christ there is the tearing down of the dividing wall.\u00a0 Jew and Greek are now one in Christ.\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019m thinking about Galatians 3:28 that says \u201cthere is neither Greek nor Jew\u2026\u201d again, the gospel says that what matters is our relationship with God and that puts us in his family.\u00a0 At that point culture and ethnicity and race, background, it\u2019s not that it doesn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 But it\u2019s not preeminent. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019m not suggesting that you need to go out and find a person of a different race or different culture to marry them in order to proclaim the gospel, but I do think that those couples who do meet and fall in love and show that the dividing wall is torn down, and that their bond to Christ is stronger than any other bond.\u00a0 I think it\u2019s a powerful message.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I think there\u2019s some pride in our hearts in the Christian community sometimes where we find people discriminating against other races and other cultures thinking that somehow we\u2019re better, or they\u2019re worse, or they\u2019re not of a higher class.\u00a0 It was that kind of pride God really came to root out through the death of Christ.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad, Bob that you pointed that out because the love of Christ is colorblind.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I just want to find out, you had a baby boy back in July right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Your name is Marla, your husband\u2019s name is Catalin, so what is your son\u2019s name?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Evan Christian.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>So you picked American names.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Did you even talk about \u201cNikolae\u201d?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>There\u2019s a look on her face. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I was just wondering if\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We talked a lot about it!\u00a0 Let me tell you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I\u2019ll bet!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>For years we discussed this.\u00a0 It was a difficult choice we wanted to have something that sounded good in both cultures that was easy to pronounce and went well with a name like Alupoaicei, so that limits your options.\u00a0 He actually was born a bit early so we had to rush to pick the name, but that\u2019s the one we decided on, and we\u2019re happy with it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Since Bob asked a really tough question.\u00a0 Here\u2019s another one.\u00a0 Have you and your husband ever talked about changing your last name because of the difficulty of spelling and pronouncing it in this culture?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We have talked about that, and came up with a few suggestions.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Dennis would like you to do that so he can pronounce it next time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>But, you realize that the name is so fundamental to a person\u2019s identity and who they are, even scripture talks a lot about that.\u00a0 A person\u2019s name has so much importance and the meaning of the last name, actually is special.\u00a0 I felt like taking my husband\u2019s name is something that is meaningful to me, and it\u2019s definitely a conversation starter.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>It sure is.\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell you what will start a lot of conversations, your book on intercultural marriage.\u00a0 I\u2019d just like to encourage couples who are in marriages where perhaps there\u2019s a clash of values and backgrounds.\u00a0 You may have never thought about your marriage being between two different cultures, but this may be very, very healthy for you as a couple to be able to spend some time in.\u00a0 On the cover, I\u2019m still trying to figure out\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>That\u2019s what I want to know.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>There\u2019s a cheeseburger at the bottom\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We got the cheeseburger, what\u2019s in this bowl here?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Is this Romanian food?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>No.\u00a0 It looks like some kind of Japanese food.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>It looks like it might still be alive.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I was not involved in the cover design.\u00a0 I love the cover design but\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>This kind of stuff here grows on the bottom of the ocean.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>There is a bowl of...\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Marla:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>I think it\u2019s star anise but I don\u2019t know what this is.\u00a0 Some kind of Asian food.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>There\u2019s something here that I might be afraid to eat along with the cheeseburger.\u00a0 We do have copies of the book which is called <em>Your Intercultural Marriage<\/em> available in our <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Resource Center.\u00a0 Go online at FamilyLifeToday.com for more information on how you can get a copy of the book.\u00a0 Again it\u2019s FamilyLifeToday.com, or call toll-free at 1-800-FLTODAY, 1-800-358-6329.\u00a0 You can get more information about how to get a copy of this book.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget you can also find information about the <em>Preparing for Marriage<\/em> workbook on our website FamilyLifeToday.com, or you can call 1-800-FLTODAY for more information about that workbook as well.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd with that we\u2019ve got to wrap things up for this week, Marla thank you for being here, thanks to all of you who tuned in, hope you have a great weekend.\u00a0 I hope you can join us back on Monday when we\u2019re going to have physician Dr. Meg Meeker join us to talk about the epidemic that nobody\u2019s talking about.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dr. Meg Meeker:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>And I said \u201cWhy doesn\u2019t somebody tell the kids out there that having sex when you\u2019re a teenager is extremely, extremely dangerous?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We\u2019re going to talk about sexually transmitted diseases coming up Monday and I hope you can be here for that conversation.\u00a0 Thanks today to our engineer Keith Lynch and our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We will see you back on Monday for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>\u00a0<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelp for today.\u00a0 Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts for you. However, there is a cost to transcribe, create, and produce them for our website. If you've benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright \u00a9 FamilyLife. 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