I have been with a man for four years. The problem that I have is with his mother. She came to New York for my husband's college graduation and took over my home. She also would touch him the way a mother does not touch a child. She would rub his chest, leg and kiss his neck. I explained that that is not normal. My husband and I would fight until the day she left. We had our first and only baby together. I cannot have another. We travelled to Florida to see her. She bought very little for the baby.

She spent about US$50 on the baby but, for my husband, she spent over US$1,000. She bought him a new cell phone because I gave him the one he had. She bought him a whole new wardrobe because the one he had was not good enough.

For Christmas, she only bought the baby one thing. His father lives in New York. And he is not with the mother. He spent tons on the baby. She has money. So to treat the baby the way she does is just not right. In what way can I show my husband that the one suffering is our child? I am afraid that, as the baby gets older, there will be problems between my baby and my husband.

C.E., New York, USA

Dear C.E.,

You must not come between a mother and her son. Have you considered that perhaps this woman loves her son more than anybody else in the world? Have you also checked up on yourself? Do you consider that you are very jealous and you are reading into every little thing that is happening with your husband and his mother?

Your baby is all right. If the woman wants to shower gifts on her son, say nothing about it. It is her son. Don't allow jealousy to destroy your marriage.

Pastor