Are you his safe place?

Thats what I want to be for my husband.

He has many trials to face in the world and I don't want one of them to be me.

I want him to know that no matter how stressful his day,he has a safe place with me.

I won't look into his words,I won't hold grudges if some of his stress comes out on me,I will overlook his faults,I will forgive and forgive and forgive,I will not criticize,I will ALWAYS be there.He can trust me.He can depend on me.He knows that I love him with all of my heart.He knows that he has my respect.

A wife can be there for her husband in ways that no one else in the world can be.

Are you that for your husband?

If you are........He will be as happy to see you when he gets home as you are to see him!

How are you doing at greeting him and keeping your words sweet?????

I have been doing great!

We are just about done with week 1!

Are you going to have a great weekend?

Decide NOW that you will!

Atleast that you won't let YOUR attitude ruin the weekend.

Fridays are going to be our "Thankful list" day.Every week we will add 5 things to the list for a total of 40 traits our husbands have that we are thankful for.Try to be specific.Instead of just saying "He is a godly man",make it more detailed.

Read your list often.It is so easy to fall into thinking negative thoughts about our men.We need to remember all of the wonderful things about them.It really helps you to be less critical and MORE thankful.

I will start mine!

1.I love that he loves to talk to me and calls me several times a day.

2.I love that he worries about us when we are out grocery shopping or ANYWHERE away from home.

3.I love that he is such a good worker that everyone wants him.Sometimes that takes him away from me but I have learned to be thankful for that.I have a man who takes providing for us very seriously.

4.I love the way he takes care of the evening chore routine.He makes sure everything is done correctly and just takes care of the whole situation.It is such a huge help to me.One thing I don't have to worry about.It is so nice to go down to the childrens rooms and see them so clean lol.They know Daddy won't accept any excuses! :):):)

5.I love how his little boys melt him.I love how he loves on them all the time and how much THEY love him!

Post your lists here for all of us to see! Here is your chance to brag on your man! Every week on Friday you can update your list!

Phone tone!

How is everyone doing? I am posting TOMORROWS encouragment tonight because I have the time! :)

So remember,the new HABIT we are learning is to greet our husbands with obvious JOY when they come home at night and be sweet for *atleast* 15 minutes.(Horray to the mamma who left a comment saying that she was tempted to complain but stopped because her 15 min was not up lol and then forgot to complain after her time was up!)

Here is another area to think about though.......

How does your voice sound on the phone?I don't know how many of you talk to your husbands on the phone throughout the day but I know many of us do.Do you sound happy to hear from him?

I always answer my phone with a cheerful "Hello?".I always have.I have always been big on making sure that the person who is calling me does not feel like they are inconvienencing me in any way.Even in the middle of the night.I have talked to too many people on the phone who make it clear by their tone that you are being a big burden to them.I can't stand it.It makes you want to say "Nevermind." click.

I have found though that although I am super polite to strangers/friends/family etc. I  sometimes found myself using kind of a drab/boring/sometimes overwhelmed tone with me dh when saying "Hello?" .

When I realized I decided that it was going to STOP.When he calls me I want him to hear a happy tone.I want him to know that I am thrilled to see HIS number on my caller ID.Always!

Tone makes all the difference in the world.Practice your phone tone! Not only with your dh but with everyone.Does your tone say "I am happy to hear from you! What can I do for you?"

Are you good at SHOWING your joy?

I am a people watcher.When I am in town,shopping etc. I just automatically notice people and peg them.I *know* that my impressions could easily be wrong.It isn't that I am judging them but I DO get an impression.

Some people just LOOK happy.Some look absolutely miserable.

Sometimes,even if our heart IS happy,we don't do a good job at showing it.I am practicing SHOWING joy.Smiling more.I already smile AND laugh alot lol but I want to smile even more.I definitely have room for improvement.

I am amazed at the transformation that goes on when someone smiles.

There is nothing that makes a woman more beautiful.

Now I don't mean you need to keep a smile pasted on your face 24 hours a day lol but I have yet to see a truly happy,content and joyful person who doesn't smile alot.


Look at yourself in the mirror with 3 different faces.Better yet,have someone take a picture of you with 3 different faces.

Frowning/angry face
Your *normal* face
Smiling face

You will see just how much better you look with a smile!

Sometimes we can feel perfectly joyful and are just to busy to take the time to smile.So make sure that your joy is visible and do it often.Smile for no reason! When you pass your husband in the hallway SMILE.When you wipe your little child's face SMILE.When you pay for your groceries SMILE.

Smiles do amazing things for an atmosphere.Even forcing yourself to smile for 1 full minute can change your OWN mood lol. Try it next time you are feeling grumpy!



Get in the habit of SHOWING your joy!

.......all things whatsoever ye would........

that men should do to you,do ye even so to them:for this is the law and the prophets.(Matthew 7:12)

What do you want to see in HIS face when he lays eyes on you?

We could say "Well,he doesn't greet ME with smiles and hugs so why should I do it for him?"

That is anti-scriptural and should never be part of a christian woman's thought process.Sadly though,it is.It is SO easy to get caught up in that mentality.SO easy.We have ALL done it.You can get sucked into it before you even REALIZE it.I can't even count the times that I have done it.I do *much* better now but I still do it.It is something that I think every christian will have to work on every day of their life.I have never yet met a person who is 100% selfless.Maybe they are out there and I just don't see them because they stay far away from selfish people like me! lol

Anyhow..........:)

I personally love it when Scott shows obvious happiness at seeing me.Sure,we are all different.Our husbands are different.We need to KNOW our men.Know what *they* like.My husband might love for me to tackle him when he comes in the door and yours might prefer a smile from accross the room.(I don't know many men like that but hey......) I am pretty sure that no man wants to come home to a wife who pretends that he didn't even come home,and I am also pretty sure that we *all* enjoy being *wanted*.

So today,make sure you aren't swimming in the "poor me" pool.Remember that your job as a CHRISTIAN is to treat others the way you would like to be treated.ALWAYS.

How are you doing at greeting your husband?How are you remembering to keep your words sweet for 15 minutes?

Really FEELING the greeting......

It is great to make an effort to put on a smile for our husbands when we see them,no matter HOW we are feeling  BUT.......

Wouldn't it be even better if the smile/kiss/hug/whatever you do to show your happiness at seeing him, came naturally because we ARE so thankful to see them?

So often we forget JUST what kind of men we have.We concentrate on all of the things that we think they do wrong,all of the things they DON'T do for us,all of the ways we think they should change,all of the things they do that are irritating.

In turn,we aren't always feeling as thankful for them as we should be.

Philippians 4:8

Finally,brethren,whatsoever things are true,whatsoever things are honest,whatsoever things are just,whatsoever things are pure,whatsoever things are lovely,whatsoever things are of good report;if there be any virtue,and if there be any praise,think on these things.

Lets practice at not thinking negative thoughts towards our husbands.When your mind starts to go "there"-STOP and be thankful for him.You will find that your smile comes much more naturally when you lay eyes on him.:):)

Just imagine if he didn't come home ever again......

Look at the above photo.Does your husband see you look at him like THAT and often?

These are just thoughts but remember what the goal is for this week.

Greet your husband when he comes home at night with obvious JOY and keep your words sweet for atleast 15 min.

Not just after work........

The goal we are working on this week is simply this......

1. When your husband gets home from work,greet him like you are thrilled to see him and then keep your words sweet for 15 minutes *atleast*.

BUT I want to go a little bit further and encourage you to greet him every time you see him (after a time apart) with joy.

I have noticed in happy couples that they are always happy to see each other and show it.I have some wonderful neighbors that are not even christians, but they have been married for many years and they are very happy togther.Once when we were at their house helping them with something the husband had run to get something and when he got back he was greeted with a sweet "Hi!" and a smile by his wife.hmmmmmmmm I simply don't see that much in couples that have been married for a while.It really speaks alot.

If your husband has been outside working for a while or has run to town for something or just ANY time that you have been apart for a time,show him how happy you are to see him again! Imagine if you got a phone call from a wonderful friend that you have not talked to in a few years.What would your tone be like when you heard her voice and knew it was her.How would you say "HI!"? Use that kind of tone with your husband.Let him know that you are always happy to see him! When my husband comes in the house from being outside working for a little bit or whenever we are apart for a while I almost always say atleast "HI Daddy!" :):) I mean,I don't scream it or anything lol.It is hard to show tone here lol.But I always let him know that I am happy to see him.Well,I better not say ALWAYS because believe me,I can get side tracked and busy too just like the rest of you :) but even if you are very busy,you can still take time to show joy at seeing him.

You can always say "HI!" with a smile on your face no matter WHAT you are doing.Throw some kisses and hugs in their alot and you will make a big difference in your marriage.

Let me know how you are doing at greeting your man! :)