Adding to my list.........:):):) (Happily) (I copied everything from the past 6 weeks here because I didn't want to keep repeating myself lol......The underlined and bold stuff is from this week......:) )
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!
6.I love that the other day he told me on the phone that he was talking to the most beautiful,wonderful,sweetest lady in the world.
7.I love that when I answer the phone and say "Hello!" He says "Lover....." lol
8.I love how he is really trying to make a point for us to take more showers together because we love it.(But have gotten out of the habit)
9.I love that he loves to have me near him whenever he can and NEVER gets tired of me or needs time away from me.
10.I love that he would never refer to me as his "old lady" or anything else like that.He hates those disrespectful labels.
11.I love that he loves people as much as I do.We both love having company/socializing.*Especially* with other christians.
12.I love that he is not bossy.I love that he doesn't tell me what to do 99% of the time.He is very easy to please in this area.He doesn't tell me how to cook,clean,decorate,garden etc.(He DOES tell me how to drive! roflol)
13.I love that he loves little ones so much.He is constantly pointing out darling things that the children do and talking about how cute they are.
14.I love that the other day he told me that he wouldn't give up these years with the children for any amount of money in the world.
15.I love that he is firm in his spiritual beliefs and firm about passing them down to his children.
16.I am thankful for all of the sweet thing my dh is insisting on doing for me lately like opening my doors etc.
17.I am thankful that he takes his job very seriously and that we have never NOT had our needs met.
18.I love how he calls me several times each day always telling me how much he loves me.
19.I love how he started a Bible Study for the older children so they can get into some deeper studies with us.
20.I love that he is really determined right now to spend more time with the children and I and it's not because I nag him about it!
21.I am thankful that my husband is just treating me EEEEEEXTRA special lately.He has written me a note,planned an evening for me,helped me with all sorts of things,said so many sweet things and the list goes on and on!!!! I am so blessed!
22.I am thankful that he likes me to be with him ALL the time and never gets tired of me!
23.I am thankful that it is important to him to instill an excellent work ethic in his boys (and girls).
24.I am thankful that he loves to bring me home chocolate even though that is the LAST thing I need lol.(He knows how much I love it.)
25.I am thankful that he never puts me down to other people.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Forgiveness
Hi ladies! How is everyone? I am doing just great here.......I just wanted to throw a couple thoughts out there for you to think about......
We all know that the negative things that our husbands do over and over and over again are the things that really get to us.They tend to BUILD up and every time the offense occurs again,all of the past offenses come rushing back in too and it can REALLY get you mad if you are not careful.
How do we want the Lord to deal with *our* repeated sins though? We ALL have areas that we struggle with consistently.We need to make sure that we are giving our husbands the same mercy and forgiveness that we wish the Lord to give us.
The second thing.......Are you able to forgive your husband without an apology from him? It's a really good thing to practice.Sometimes he may not realize he is wrong.You can tell him how he makes you feel when he does this or says that but sometimes he won't SEE it or understand.It might take him YEARS to understand you in some areas and then again,you might find out down the road that YOU were the one in the wrong! That's happened to me *many* times.
Or he might KNOW that he's wrong but just be too hard headed to apologize.:) Can you still forgive him?
I can't help but look to the Lord again and be SO thankful for all of the times he has forgiven me and had mercy on me.Even when I was living in sin for years and didn't realize it.Or the times that I know I am wrong but am too lazy,careless or frustrated to truly repent to the Lord.
Lets be SURE to give the same forgiveness to our men (and others) that WE ourselves receive from the Lord!!
Matthew 18 is an amazing chapter on forgiveness.........It can really straighten up your wrong attitudes (something I need daily).
We all know that the negative things that our husbands do over and over and over again are the things that really get to us.They tend to BUILD up and every time the offense occurs again,all of the past offenses come rushing back in too and it can REALLY get you mad if you are not careful.
How do we want the Lord to deal with *our* repeated sins though? We ALL have areas that we struggle with consistently.We need to make sure that we are giving our husbands the same mercy and forgiveness that we wish the Lord to give us.
The second thing.......Are you able to forgive your husband without an apology from him? It's a really good thing to practice.Sometimes he may not realize he is wrong.You can tell him how he makes you feel when he does this or says that but sometimes he won't SEE it or understand.It might take him YEARS to understand you in some areas and then again,you might find out down the road that YOU were the one in the wrong! That's happened to me *many* times.
Or he might KNOW that he's wrong but just be too hard headed to apologize.:) Can you still forgive him?
I can't help but look to the Lord again and be SO thankful for all of the times he has forgiven me and had mercy on me.Even when I was living in sin for years and didn't realize it.Or the times that I know I am wrong but am too lazy,careless or frustrated to truly repent to the Lord.
Lets be SURE to give the same forgiveness to our men (and others) that WE ourselves receive from the Lord!!
Matthew 18 is an amazing chapter on forgiveness.........It can really straighten up your wrong attitudes (something I need daily).
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Practice Makes Perfect
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.
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.
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!!!!
Friday, February 10, 2012
What are we thankful for this Friday!!
About our men???
1.I am thankful for all of the sweet thing my dh is insisting on doing for me lately like opening my doors etc.
2.I am thankful that he takes his job very seriously and that we have never NOT had our needs met.
3.I love how he calls me several times each day always telling me how much he loves me.
4.I love how he started a Bible Study for the older children so they can get into some deeper studies with us.
5.I love that he is really determined right now to spend more time with the children and I and it's not because I nag him about it!
We are really having fun with our Valentines day challenge!!!!! lol
1.I am thankful for all of the sweet thing my dh is insisting on doing for me lately like opening my doors etc.
2.I am thankful that he takes his job very seriously and that we have never NOT had our needs met.
3.I love how he calls me several times each day always telling me how much he loves me.
4.I love how he started a Bible Study for the older children so they can get into some deeper studies with us.
5.I love that he is really determined right now to spend more time with the children and I and it's not because I nag him about it!
We are really having fun with our Valentines day challenge!!!!! lol
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Bedtimes For Children
I would love to encourage you ALL to make sure that your children are not coming before your husband.
You need to keep your marriage first.
This is best for your children.
One of the best things you can do for your children is to keep your marriage strong.
Children are miserable when Mamma and Daddy aren't happy.
Are your children up too late at night? Have you ever considered putting them to bed early enough so that your husband and you have at least an hour together every night ALONE ?
Maybe it won't work for some and that's ok.........I don't want anyone writing me and telling me how it is impossible for them to do that because of xyz.That's fine....I understand that there are unique situations.
Most of us though, could definitely put the children to bed earlier.They don't have to go to sleep right away.
My children LOVE books on tape at night!
My little boys go into their beds to be read to and tucked in by Mamma at 8:00.This gives my husband and I some time with just the older children who go to their rooms at 9:00.That gives us time alone then for at least an hour.Sometimes we even stay up later........We read together/talk/watch movies/eat dessert......:):)
We don't allow the children to call out to us every 5 minutes asking for a drink or to use the bathroom either.They are usually out in no time.
Try it!
You need to keep your marriage first.
This is best for your children.
One of the best things you can do for your children is to keep your marriage strong.
Children are miserable when Mamma and Daddy aren't happy.
Are your children up too late at night? Have you ever considered putting them to bed early enough so that your husband and you have at least an hour together every night ALONE ?
Maybe it won't work for some and that's ok.........I don't want anyone writing me and telling me how it is impossible for them to do that because of xyz.That's fine....I understand that there are unique situations.
Most of us though, could definitely put the children to bed earlier.They don't have to go to sleep right away.
My children LOVE books on tape at night!
My little boys go into their beds to be read to and tucked in by Mamma at 8:00.This gives my husband and I some time with just the older children who go to their rooms at 9:00.That gives us time alone then for at least an hour.Sometimes we even stay up later........We read together/talk/watch movies/eat dessert......:):)
We don't allow the children to call out to us every 5 minutes asking for a drink or to use the bathroom either.They are usually out in no time.
Try it!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Keep the Fire Fueled
I am SO sorry that I have not updated!!! I had something else come up that NEEDED my attention.I hope that does not happen again!!
So......How is everyone doing? I am doing great at the first 4 new habits.It makes me so happy!! :):) I have been doing great at starting the day with prayer and scripture!! I have missed a few days but not many and I *am* getting better!
Week 5 is to Keep the Fire Fueled
After several years of marriage,it starts to take alot more effort and sometimes downright *work* to keep the flame burning strong.Don't accept the idea that your marriage has to get boring,cold or stale.You *can* keep it hot! :):):)
I have lots of tips here but the one I want to suggest today is to take it upon yourSELF to keep it going.
Don't say "Honey......Lets go out on a date tonight!!"
You may be disappointed when he doesn't take initative to do that.
Instead say.......
"Honey,meet me in the bedroom at 9:00 tonight for a big surpirse." :)
YOU get the children to bed early,make a special meal,get dressed up,have a fun dessert,wine,music.......whatever.......
If he *wants* to help thats GREAT but if not thats fine too! The point is to not wait for him to do it.I have heard women say "I have tried to plan romantic times but he just isn't interested....."
I don't know many men who would refuse being dragged into the bedroom by their wives:).
So,take it upon yourself to set up some romance......Don't nag and say "Honey.......Are you going to put the children to bed? Honey are you going to help with supper so we can have time together? Honey are you going to........"
Set it up and make it happen!! :):)
So......How is everyone doing? I am doing great at the first 4 new habits.It makes me so happy!! :):) I have been doing great at starting the day with prayer and scripture!! I have missed a few days but not many and I *am* getting better!
Week 5 is to Keep the Fire Fueled
After several years of marriage,it starts to take alot more effort and sometimes downright *work* to keep the flame burning strong.Don't accept the idea that your marriage has to get boring,cold or stale.You *can* keep it hot! :):):)
I have lots of tips here but the one I want to suggest today is to take it upon yourSELF to keep it going.
Don't say "Honey......Lets go out on a date tonight!!"
You may be disappointed when he doesn't take initative to do that.
Instead say.......
"Honey,meet me in the bedroom at 9:00 tonight for a big surpirse." :)
YOU get the children to bed early,make a special meal,get dressed up,have a fun dessert,wine,music.......whatever.......
If he *wants* to help thats GREAT but if not thats fine too! The point is to not wait for him to do it.I have heard women say "I have tried to plan romantic times but he just isn't interested....."
I don't know many men who would refuse being dragged into the bedroom by their wives:).
So,take it upon yourself to set up some romance......Don't nag and say "Honey.......Are you going to put the children to bed? Honey are you going to help with supper so we can have time together? Honey are you going to........"
Set it up and make it happen!! :):)
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