Husband blames himself for wife’s three affairs

DEAR ABBY: I am a 47-year-old male, married for 26 years. I am hopelessly in love with my wife and still see her as the most beautiful woman in the world. I have always been self-employed and have sometimes been at the extremes of feast or famine. During the bad times, I often worked 110-plus-hour weeks to save the ship.

Don’t let bad examples keep you childless

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are contemplating starting a family. When I was younger I wanted children, but over the years my personal experiences have caused trepidation. Because of divorce and the custody battles of my older siblings, I know the amount of blood, sweat and tears that go into children.

Focus on Christ’s truth, not your doubts

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: I want to believe in God and I’m trying to, but every time I think I’m about to get there I become filled with doubts and I’m right back where I started. How can I overcome my doubts? — K.G.

Wife prefers her cellphone to sex

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been married 17 years. For the most part, our marriage has been great, and I love her very much. Lately, though, I have felt that our sexual and emotional intimacy has been lacking. I spoke to her about it recently and tried to explain how I feel. She has responded, and things are improving.

Feeling slighted by ‘friends’ label

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a 43-year-old woman who has been dating a 61-year-old man for about 18 months. At a gathering of his family, his 96-year-old mother introduced me to the attendees, all of whom I was meeting for the first time, as her son’s “friend.”

Don’t turn from God based on the bad example of others

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: My parents were active in church and all that, but even as a child I knew it didn’t make any difference in the way they lived. Shouldn’t believing in God make someone a better person? I have lots of friends who aren’t religious but they’re still good people. Why should I bother to believe, if it doesn’t make any difference? — H.N.

Celebrate your birthday or else

DEAR ABBY: I was raised that a person’s birthday is his or her day to do whatever he or she wants, but my wishes are being ignored by a close friend I’ll call Wade. For the last 10 years I have ignored my birthday and tried to avoid all celebrations. I’ll take a vacation alone and have a great time. My family understands how I feel and gives me no grief.

So many chances to be rude

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We hosted a dinner for a female friend of ours, and after dessert we retired to the family room to watch a one-hour episode of a top-rated program. Our guest wasn’t interested in the show and proceeded to take out her phone and check email, or something.

Grandmother doesn’t want to watch ‘rudest child ever’

DEAR ABBY: My daughter died in a car accident two years ago. She and her boyfriend, “Reed,” had a 4-month-old daughter, “Angela.” Since then, Reed has been very understanding and liberal with visitations. However, it didn’t take him long to find another girlfriend, who has a 4-year-old daughter I’ll call Madison.

You can pass your faith on to your grandchildren

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: Can grandparents do anything to influence their grandchildren spiritually? We live away from our grandchildren and only see them a few times a year, but we want to encourage them to become followers of Jesus. — J.K.

Think for yourself, but respect others

DEAR ABBY: I’m a 14-year-old girl. I don’t understand why adults tell me to be an independent thinker, to embrace myself, and then put me down for not conforming. Why is it outrageous to come to your own conclusions, speculate, challenge accepted ideas or find your own faith?

Those with faith in Christ know there is life beyond the grave

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: I went to a memorial service for a neighbor the other day, and the people who spoke didn’t even mention God, heaven, or anything like that. Everything was about the person who’d died and how we should try to be like she was. Is this the trend in funerals and memorial services today? — S.Q.

Prisoner’s life of bad choices has left him alone

DEAR ABBY: I’m a 50-year-old man who is serving time for robbery in West Virginia. Every day I wake up acting as if I am in control and don’t have a care in the world. The truth is, I’m scared, lonely and feel totally helpless. All my life I have lived on the dark side of the street, taking for granted the values in life and the love so many people tried to give me.

Attend son’s wedding reception to support him, not a cause

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My son’s wedding reception will be themed around a politically charged topic on which I hold the opposite view from him. Should good manners preclude having issues, even heartfelt ones, involved in an unrelated celebration to which people of a variety of viewpoints are being invited?

Christ became a man to save all men from their sins

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: I don’t understand how Jesus could be God and yet also be a man, like Christians claim he was. Human beings are limited and imperfect, while God is perfect and can do anything he wants. How could Jesus be both? — T.B.

Help granddaughter who may be in peril

DEAR ABBY: I have just discovered that my granddaughter’s mother helped her get a Facebook page on which she is listed as 17, interested in men and in a relationship. The child is only 11, but you’d never know it from the makeup and hairdo in her photo.

Home is not a hotel

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My daughter-in-law washes sheets and towels every day. We do that washing once a week, primarily to save time and money. Her rationale is that if hotels do it daily, it must be the proper thing to do. What is proper for guests as well as for your immediate family?

Pride blinds us to our faults and cuts us off from God

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: Why are some people so stubborn? My sister is married to a man who’s very stubborn and opinionated, and no matter what the issue, he won’t change his mind. Why do some people always have to be right, even when they’re obviously wrong? — J.H.

Encouraging a coming-out

DEAR ABBY: I am writing in response to your answer to “Bi in the Deep South,” the woman who is happily married to a man, but who now realizes she is bisexual and wants to come out. My wife is an out bisexual woman.