Time for a little practice.........:)
Pick ONE thing that your dh does that you think is unwise,irresponsible,a bad influence,a waste of time etc.etc.
Think long and hard about this........Pick one of those things that bother you daily,or at least almost daily.
Do you have your thing? (Bet it wasn't too hard to think of something was it?) :):)
Now......
Write it down on a piece of paper, and look long and hard at it.
Finally............Crumple it up,throw it in the trash or even BURN it.
Let that thing go.Determine to STOP caring about that thing.
Let that chip fall off of your shoulder forever.
Don't EVER let it ruin another evening.......Not even another MOMENT.
Remember that you have NO idea what the Lord is doing in your husbands life OR yours.
Remember that the job the Lord gave YOU as your husbands help meet is to reverence,support,respect,love,encourage etc. etc.
Not to nag,complain,or criticize.
You will find it wanting to rest on your shoulder again but don't let it.Brush it off every.single.time.
Before you know it...........You will find that it never or atleast rarely,weighs you down anymore,AND I almost guarantee that your husband will notice it.Instead of doing that thing MORE.........
He just might do it less.
(But make sure you aren't DOING it to try to get him to do it less.Make sure you are making these changes because they are RIGHT,expecting nothing in return.)
You are practicing JOY.
Showing posts with label Selflessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Selflessness. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
No Chips......
Hello ladies!! How are you doing????
I am absolutely wonderful! I had a great weekend with my husband and children and am excited to jump back into a new week.We went from having NO milk (having to buy it elsewhere) for the last several months to having TWO cows freshen on the SAME day!! TWO calves born yesterday! lol One heifer and one bull!!! I am soooooo excited!! Butter/yogurt/cheese here we come!!!!!
So......Lets review what we have been working on.
Week 1-Greet him with JOY when he comes home and then keep your words sweet for *at least* 15 minutes.
Week 2-Start your day strong! Take time to get your priorities straight.Pray for strength and read your Bible.
Week 3-Never scold your husband.
Week 4-Be determined to be what the Lord desires you to do be regardless of what your husband does or how he acts.
Week 5-Keep the fire fueled.
My update on how *I* have been doing!
I have been doing great at greeting my husband and keeping my words sweet! This last week I had a really FUN opportunity that fit into to the greeting him with JOY category,keeping my words sweet AND keeping the fire fueled! He called me to tell me that he was coming home but that he had to stop at the neighbors house to discuss feed prices etc.(farmer stuff and I KNEW that they would talk a while because our neighbor is a TALKER lol).
Well,I decided to surprise him lol.......I took off walking *hoping* that I could get to his truck (he drives truck) and get IN it and be waiting for him lol.He drives truck and brings his truck home every night so it was parked out in front of the neighbors barn,still running and nice and WARM thankfully because I was COLD! (It is a mile to the neighbors house.)
I got in the truck and waited for him for 1/2 an hour! lol I was SOOOO excited that I made it! lol I as just listening to music and enjoying myself.He had his cell phone in his truck still too so I was able to call the children (my 16yo sister was watching them) and let them know that I made it and that Daddy still didn't know I was there lol (they were all excited that I was going to surprise him).
You should have see his face when he hopped up into his truck!!!!!! lol I also had some underthings um......laying across his steering wheel!! *wink* :):) It was a pretty fun time! :):)
#2 I have been doing better than EVER at reading my Bible and praying every morning.I have NOT done perfect.I am going to keep on being determined to make this a habit though! I have made about HALF of the mornings is my guess but I am not giving up.....
#3 Doing great here.......This isn't a hard area for me.
#4 Doing pretty good here too! The more I practice this,the easier it becomes but I always have to be careful to keep it in my head all the time.
#5 Great in this area! We have kept up with our Valentines Day challenge and have been having a blast! I have also been making a concentrated effort to be with him whenever I can.When he is outside working or just whatever he is doing,He loves to have me with him.......helping him or just being with him.If he is on the internet looking at tractors,cleaning his shop,mucking the barn out,feeding the cows,walking in the woods looking for rubs or sheds(deer),sitting in his tree stand (YES.....we did that recently! He is already picking out his hunting spot for NEXT year!) *whatever* he is doing.......He loves to have me with him.(I am SORE from helping him clean the barn out this weekend! lol) We used to do EVERYTHING together and over the last several years and babies well,I stopped going with him as much and he doesn't like that.That is going to CHANGE now though.We are having a BLAST together!!!
Soooooo that's my update!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THIS weeks challenge?
"Never carry a chip on your shoulder no matter how much of a right you have to be offended or hurt."
Those wise words are NOT mine but belong to someone else that I respect in the marriage area and they are SO true.I have been working on this for *years*.Ever since I first heard about it.I finally feel that I am making progress although it is still HARD.
You all know how it is.......Attitudes.....He did something that he knows you don't like, or he used a harsh tone with you, or you thought he was wrong in how he dealt with one of the little ones, or he didn't come home when you wanted him to, or he isn't spending enough time with you etc. etc. etc. The list goes on and on and we women,well we are really good at giving the cold shoulder.
Holding grudges.
Carrying chips.
Those chips can get really heavy too and can absolutely RUIN the rest of a perfectly good evening......or weekend.......or your entire marriage.
Refuse to carry a chip on your shoulder.............Forgive forgive forgive.......
Matthew 18:21,22 Then came Peter to him,and said,Lord,how oft shall my brother sin against me,and I forgive him?till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him,I say not unto thee,Until seven times:but,Until seventy times seven.
I like to literally picture an offense hitting me and seeing it roll right off.....Not able to stick.Not able to take root.Not able to get in between my husband and I.
Forgive over and over.......
Every day.
Every moment!!!!
I am absolutely wonderful! I had a great weekend with my husband and children and am excited to jump back into a new week.We went from having NO milk (having to buy it elsewhere) for the last several months to having TWO cows freshen on the SAME day!! TWO calves born yesterday! lol One heifer and one bull!!! I am soooooo excited!! Butter/yogurt/cheese here we come!!!!!
So......Lets review what we have been working on.
Week 1-Greet him with JOY when he comes home and then keep your words sweet for *at least* 15 minutes.
Week 2-Start your day strong! Take time to get your priorities straight.Pray for strength and read your Bible.
Week 3-Never scold your husband.
Week 4-Be determined to be what the Lord desires you to do be regardless of what your husband does or how he acts.
Week 5-Keep the fire fueled.
My update on how *I* have been doing!
I have been doing great at greeting my husband and keeping my words sweet! This last week I had a really FUN opportunity that fit into to the greeting him with JOY category,keeping my words sweet AND keeping the fire fueled! He called me to tell me that he was coming home but that he had to stop at the neighbors house to discuss feed prices etc.(farmer stuff and I KNEW that they would talk a while because our neighbor is a TALKER lol).
Well,I decided to surprise him lol.......I took off walking *hoping* that I could get to his truck (he drives truck) and get IN it and be waiting for him lol.He drives truck and brings his truck home every night so it was parked out in front of the neighbors barn,still running and nice and WARM thankfully because I was COLD! (It is a mile to the neighbors house.)
I got in the truck and waited for him for 1/2 an hour! lol I was SOOOO excited that I made it! lol I as just listening to music and enjoying myself.He had his cell phone in his truck still too so I was able to call the children (my 16yo sister was watching them) and let them know that I made it and that Daddy still didn't know I was there lol (they were all excited that I was going to surprise him).
You should have see his face when he hopped up into his truck!!!!!! lol I also had some underthings um......laying across his steering wheel!! *wink* :):) It was a pretty fun time! :):)
#2 I have been doing better than EVER at reading my Bible and praying every morning.I have NOT done perfect.I am going to keep on being determined to make this a habit though! I have made about HALF of the mornings is my guess but I am not giving up.....
#3 Doing great here.......This isn't a hard area for me.
#4 Doing pretty good here too! The more I practice this,the easier it becomes but I always have to be careful to keep it in my head all the time.
#5 Great in this area! We have kept up with our Valentines Day challenge and have been having a blast! I have also been making a concentrated effort to be with him whenever I can.When he is outside working or just whatever he is doing,He loves to have me with him.......helping him or just being with him.If he is on the internet looking at tractors,cleaning his shop,mucking the barn out,feeding the cows,walking in the woods looking for rubs or sheds(deer),sitting in his tree stand (YES.....we did that recently! He is already picking out his hunting spot for NEXT year!) *whatever* he is doing.......He loves to have me with him.(I am SORE from helping him clean the barn out this weekend! lol) We used to do EVERYTHING together and over the last several years and babies well,I stopped going with him as much and he doesn't like that.That is going to CHANGE now though.We are having a BLAST together!!!
Soooooo that's my update!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THIS weeks challenge?
"Never carry a chip on your shoulder no matter how much of a right you have to be offended or hurt."
Those wise words are NOT mine but belong to someone else that I respect in the marriage area and they are SO true.I have been working on this for *years*.Ever since I first heard about it.I finally feel that I am making progress although it is still HARD.
You all know how it is.......Attitudes.....He did something that he knows you don't like, or he used a harsh tone with you, or you thought he was wrong in how he dealt with one of the little ones, or he didn't come home when you wanted him to, or he isn't spending enough time with you etc. etc. etc. The list goes on and on and we women,well we are really good at giving the cold shoulder.
Holding grudges.
Carrying chips.
Those chips can get really heavy too and can absolutely RUIN the rest of a perfectly good evening......or weekend.......or your entire marriage.
Refuse to carry a chip on your shoulder.............Forgive forgive forgive.......
Matthew 18:21,22 Then came Peter to him,and said,Lord,how oft shall my brother sin against me,and I forgive him?till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him,I say not unto thee,Until seven times:but,Until seventy times seven.
I like to literally picture an offense hitting me and seeing it roll right off.....Not able to stick.Not able to take root.Not able to get in between my husband and I.
Forgive over and over.......
Every day.
Every moment!!!!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The World's Way
Or God's way?
The world says that marriage should be 50/50. That *sounds* good, but it isn't.Just look around at the world's marriages.Most marriages are bad.It's true.How many people do you know of with a blissfully happy marriage?
Marriage should be 100/100.Each of you should be putting 100% into your marriage, always.
If he only puts 10%,you *still* put 100%.
It may sound crazy, but it isn't.
It is a perfect and wonderful plan.
Week 1-Greet him with JOY when he comes home and then keep your words sweet for *at least* 15 minutes.
Week 2-Start your day strong! Take time to get your priorities straight.Pray for strength and read your Bible.
Week 3-Never scold your husband.
Week 4-.Be determined to be what the Lord desires you to do be regardless of what your husband does or how he acts.
How has everyone been doing? Have your husbands noticed and differences?How are *you* feeling?What have you learned?
I have been doing great on 1&3......They aren't issues for me.
2- I have been having a harder time remembering! The morning just slips away from me sometimes! I have only missed a couple of days though! Sometimes I start later than I would like.I WILL keep working at it!
4- I have been doing great but this is something that I *always* have to work on.
On a fun note,what is everyone doing for Valentines day? :)
Guess what we are doing? lol We are planning to *get together* (if you know what I mean *wink*) :) every.single.day this month! lol It will be fun! I dare you to try it with your husband! :)
I am off for now.......Scott will be home soon and I want to be in decent clothes! :):):)
The world says that marriage should be 50/50. That *sounds* good, but it isn't.Just look around at the world's marriages.Most marriages are bad.It's true.How many people do you know of with a blissfully happy marriage?
Marriage should be 100/100.Each of you should be putting 100% into your marriage, always.
If he only puts 10%,you *still* put 100%.
It may sound crazy, but it isn't.
It is a perfect and wonderful plan.
Week 1-Greet him with JOY when he comes home and then keep your words sweet for *at least* 15 minutes.
Week 2-Start your day strong! Take time to get your priorities straight.Pray for strength and read your Bible.
Week 3-Never scold your husband.
Week 4-.Be determined to be what the Lord desires you to do be regardless of what your husband does or how he acts.
How has everyone been doing? Have your husbands noticed and differences?How are *you* feeling?What have you learned?
I have been doing great on 1&3......They aren't issues for me.
2- I have been having a harder time remembering! The morning just slips away from me sometimes! I have only missed a couple of days though! Sometimes I start later than I would like.I WILL keep working at it!
4- I have been doing great but this is something that I *always* have to work on.
On a fun note,what is everyone doing for Valentines day? :)
Guess what we are doing? lol We are planning to *get together* (if you know what I mean *wink*) :) every.single.day this month! lol It will be fun! I dare you to try it with your husband! :)
I am off for now.......Scott will be home soon and I want to be in decent clothes! :):):)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
And whatsoever ye do..........
do it heartily,as to the Lord,and not unto men.
We need to always remember what the #1 reason is for being an excellent wife.
We do it because it is RIGHT.Not because our husbands deserve it (sometimes they don't).We most definitely do not always deserve to be loved "as Christ loved the church....." either do we?
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do,do it heartily,as to the Lord,and not unto men.
Ephesians 5:22 Wives,submit yourselves unto your own husbands,as unto the Lord.
I personally think my husband is pretty perfect (wink) and being an excellent wife to him is EASY most of the time because he is such a wonderful man AND I know his heart.
BUT.......We all have those times when we don't want to bite our tongue.We don't want to respect him.We don't want to keep quiet.We want to throw a little fit.We don't LIKE the decision he is making.
At those times we need to remember to look past him and unto Christ.
Our men are carnal,we are carnal.
The Lord ALWAYS deserves our obedience,our respect,our honour,our love.
So next time you find it hard to do what you SHOULD do,be it to your husband, your mother-in law,your next door neighbor, your child, or the lady at the grocery store.Try to look past them and see the LORD.
HE is why we do what we do and HE will give us the strength to be able to do it.
Psalm 18:1-2
I WILL love thee,O Lord,my strength.
The Lord is my rock,and my fortress,and my deliverer,my God,my strength,in whom I will trust;my buckler,and the horn of my salvation,and my high tower.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,a very present help in trouble.
Our new habits........
Week 1~Greet our husbands with Joy and keep our words sweet for 15 min (at least!).
Week 2~Start our days in prayer and with scripture.Drawing strength from the Lord.
We need to always remember what the #1 reason is for being an excellent wife.
We do it because it is RIGHT.Not because our husbands deserve it (sometimes they don't).We most definitely do not always deserve to be loved "as Christ loved the church....." either do we?
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do,do it heartily,as to the Lord,and not unto men.
Ephesians 5:22 Wives,submit yourselves unto your own husbands,as unto the Lord.
I personally think my husband is pretty perfect (wink) and being an excellent wife to him is EASY most of the time because he is such a wonderful man AND I know his heart.
BUT.......We all have those times when we don't want to bite our tongue.We don't want to respect him.We don't want to keep quiet.We want to throw a little fit.We don't LIKE the decision he is making.
At those times we need to remember to look past him and unto Christ.
Our men are carnal,we are carnal.
The Lord ALWAYS deserves our obedience,our respect,our honour,our love.
So next time you find it hard to do what you SHOULD do,be it to your husband, your mother-in law,your next door neighbor, your child, or the lady at the grocery store.Try to look past them and see the LORD.
HE is why we do what we do and HE will give us the strength to be able to do it.
Psalm 18:1-2
I WILL love thee,O Lord,my strength.
The Lord is my rock,and my fortress,and my deliverer,my God,my strength,in whom I will trust;my buckler,and the horn of my salvation,and my high tower.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,a very present help in trouble.
Our new habits........
Week 1~Greet our husbands with Joy and keep our words sweet for 15 min (at least!).
Week 2~Start our days in prayer and with scripture.Drawing strength from the Lord.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Phone tone!
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?"
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
.......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?
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?
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