Loving Your Husband Friday- What a Great Hubby!

Today is another Friday to focus on loving our hubbys. I love how flexible my husband is about watching our 7 children, when I need or want to do something. Last night he rushed home so I could go to a monthly girls night out that some of the ladies of our church have. We've been really busy lately, and haven't seen a whole lot of each other recently, but instead of insisting that I stay home because he's tired....he let me go, and took care of getting all the kids into bed! I'm very blessed to have him!

Join Shannon over at the Peer Review for more Loving Your Husband Fridays!

Loving your Husband Friday- Brag Session

It's time again to focus on Loving our Husbands! I'm going to brag a little bit about my husband. On Monday I was not feeling well at all. Rob decided to take the day off so that I could rest, and so that I wouldn't be breathing on the baby all day. So, he was here all day while I got to stay in bed and rest. But....it get's better. Not only did he stay home and take care of the kids, but he worked with the older kids all day and got the house really cleaned up! By the time I came out for supper on Monday night...the main areas of the house were sparkling clean and organized! Yea Hubby!! I really appreciated this as we were gone alot over the weekend and the housework had been neglected! It set me up for an easier rest of the week, because the house just needed to be maintained. I'm so thankful for him doing this.

If you have a something to brag about your hubby today, or some insight into marriage...head over to Shannon's blog for more Loving your Husband Friday!

Loving Your Husband Friday- Purity

It's Loving my Husband Friday, and I'm glad to be finding some time to participate again this week! Shannon is the host for Loving my Husband Friday, and as a personal testimony to some dear friends of mine, I wanted to make sure to stop and praise her for being such a godly wife. She is an example to me and to many around her I'm sure. Thank you Shannon for your example, and for reminding every week of our roles as wives!

Last Sunday our pastor preached on keeping purity in our marriage. It was a wonderful reminder for me of all the ways that I need to work to keep myself pure for my husband! He reminded us women that we need to keep our emotions for our husbands and not give them away to other men. Let's face it ladies, although many of us do not struggle with the visual lust, we get trapped when it comes to emotions. If you allow yourself to get emotionally close to another man...then you are giving yourself away to him. I believe that this can often even include fictional characters (such as tv characters, or characters in a novel). Anytime that we find ourselves wishing that our man was like THAT man, we have crossed the line. " But....he treats me so much better, or....can't I just fantasize a little that that fictional character is real and he loves me??" If we are thinking these questions in our minds at any time...then we are putting our marriage in danger!

Some ways that I have worked over the years to avoid these pitfalls in my marriage, and kept myself from temptation are these:

1) I stopped watching soap operas years ago. Not only are they immoral on so many levels, but they also are notorious for causing us women to put our real life men up to impossible standards!

2) If any other tv show or movie causes me to emotionally lust after the main male character, then I have purged it from my viewing list, and my daughters!

3) I purposefully choose not to be alone with a man that is not a relative, or someone who is basically like a relative to me. I know in my heart the men that I can "safely" be alone with, and which ones I cannot. Most apply to this rule!

4) I do not call/email/facebook with any man that I know might be a stumbling block to my emotions. If I feel that they are "safe", and yet I find myself having improper thoughts about them.....I let them go! Better to hurt some feelings and be pure than to compromise what belongs only to you and your husband!

These are some of the ways that I have chosen to safeguard myself, and one of the biggest ways I know of, is what brings us together every Friday, is to work on staying focused on loving our husbands daily. If we stay focused on their needs, and what we love about them...we are less likely to stumble.

And I want to share too, that one thing I love about my husband is that he also has a list of "safeguards" for himself to keep our marriage pure, and keep outsiders from causing him to stumble. Let's remember to pray for our hubbys in this area as well. It matters to my guy, and I'm very grateful for him, and his example to our four boys!

Join Shannon for more Loving Your Husband Fridays!

Loving Your Husband Friday- Laughter

It's Friday again...and today was the day for loving our husbands. I spent most of my day at the Right to Life Booth at the fair, and so, again, a late post!

But I wanted to be sure to talk today about laughter. I can't tell you how many times laughter has been the medicine to help heal wounds in our home. I can't tell you how often Rob and I have laughed together, and subsequently forgotten what we were upset with each other about. I believe that God gave us laughter to comfort and heal us.... and it is so important to a marriage. We are all going to fall, we are all going to let each other down. Marriage is about committment. You stay with someone even when they are unlovable, because that is what it means to be committed. Sometimes that committment is really hard, when times are hard, and when that spouse lets you down. Our husbands are going to let us down, and we are going to let them down. But, one thing that I know of that can help to heal the hurt in our marriages is laughter! When my children come to us for advice about whom they should marry, one of the first questions Rob and I would ask them about that person (other than the obvious, are they a believer, do they have the same goals), would be if you can laugh together! If you can't laugh together, and have fun together, you will be hard pressed to make it through the hard times together!

Now, obviously, a good laugh cannot undo all the pain and hurt of your spouse hurting you or letting you down, but it's a good start. If your marriage is hurting, find something to laugh about! Think about the good times you had in the past....reminisce. What did you laugh about when times were good? Spend some time thinking about those times. It might just help you start to heal and move on! I can't tell you how many arguments that Rob and I were so serious about, were forgotten simply because something else made us laugh!

This is one thing that I love about my husband, that I can still laugh with him, even in the hard times!

I hoped you joined Shannon today for more Loving your Hubby Fridays.

Loving Your Husband Friday- Selflessness

It's Friday...and that means time to focus on our marriage, and things that we love about our husbands.

This last week, Rob decided that we should go on a trip to Michigan's Adventure ( an amusement/water park) in Muskegon. It is something that I had requested to do. Since we can't go on a regular vacation this year, I was hoping for just one day of fun. So we went and took the five oldest kids. One reason I wanted to go to the amusement park was because the last two or three trips that we have made to an amusement park...I have been pregnant. It is no fun to go to an amusement park when you are pregnant. It's hot, you are miserable, and you can't ride anything! But, I've gone and watched Rob and the kids have fun (which I do enjoy). So, Rob informed me on the way to Muskegon, as we were kind of planning out who would ride what when, that this trip was for me, and he wanted me to be able to fit in all of my rides, even if it meant he didn't get to ride anything. Now, this is a big deal, because Rob is a bigtime rolller coaster enthusiast. He stuck to it the whole time we were there. He did get a chance to ride his favorite coaster, but for the most part, he stuck with Elias, while I rode rides with the other kids. Once again....thinking of me above himself! I so greatly appreciated that, knowing that likely the next time we get to an amusement park...I may very well be pregnant again!

Be sure to link up with Shannon, for more Loving Your Husbands Fridays.

Loving Your Husband Friday- Putting Me Above Himself!

Today is Friday...which means focusing on our hubbys and what we love about them. I'm thanking the Lord today for a husband who stayed home with all seven of my kids for two whole days, while I went with my Dad to Dayton. The trip meant a lot to me, and he didn't even flinch about allowing me to go. He took good care of the kids while I was gone, and that even including getting them to church on time Sunday morning (even though the power went out). I knew it was going to be rough on him, but he was thinking more about me, and not about himself! I praise the Lord for a husband who is not only capable of taking care of our children when I need to be gone, but for a husband who cares enough about me to allow me to be gone when it is needed! He's a caring husband, and a great daddy! All 7 of them were alive and even dressed when I got home :-)!!

Join Shannon at The Peer Review for more focus on our husbands today!

Loving Your Husband Friday- Stand By Me

I love my husband today because he loves me enough to want to help me make things right. When I do or say something that causes hurt or offense, even if I did not intend it that way, he gently helps me to see how I could have done better. He does not get angry with me, even if I have done something that reflected badly on him. He is willing to listen and understand that my intentions were good, and he looks at my intentioins, not on the negative action. He gives me the benefit of the doubt, because he knows me, and wants me to be the best person I can be. He's a great husband for this. I've been very thankful for him this week, in being so understanding, when I have had one of those kind of weeks where it seemed even my best intentions ended up coming out the wrong way!

And even better, in the past when I have said or done something, and my intentions were not good, he is always willing to forgive, because he understands that we all fall short, and we all will do things to let each other down. I only hope that I do as good a job at this as he does!

Hopefully next week will be better, and he can only be proud to say that I am his wife, the same way that I am proud that he is my husband!

Please Join Shannon for more Loving Your Husband today, and pray for the marriages of others!

Loving Your Husband Friday- Sharing my Values

Good morning on this Friday morning! It's time to focus on our husbands today, and why we love them. This morning, I was thinking of some of the basic reasons why I love my hubby. I love the way that Rob and I believe in the same things.

Of course, there are times when we disagree on this or that, but overall, for the big stuff, we are always on the same page. We have always wanted the same things in life. To love and serve God, to raise a large brood of children, to homeschool, to live as simple a life as possible. We generally laugh about the same things (although, not always :-)), and we get upset about the same things. We share our faith, our political ideas, and our ideas of what a Christian family should look like. Even though we are different people in personality, he is definitely a Kindred Spirit. This may sound a little silly, but it sure does make life more enjoyable to be married to someone who shares the important views of life with me! Makes me feel very blessed that God introduced us.

Share today what you love about your husband. Join Shannon for more Loving Your Husbands Friday.

Loving Your Husband Friday- My Hero

Hi all! I'm loving my husband this morning. Of course I do every morning, but this morning I'm feeling very grateful for His coming to my rescue! I have been having a nasty flare up of my Psoriasis in the last few weeks. I finally got to the point where I can't take it anymore, and I decided to call my dermatologist. and get an appointment so he can prescribe me some of the nasty steroid cream that will help clear this up. Well, I called, and the receptionist promptly told me that there is nothing available until December 2nd!!! What!!?? I couldn't believe that, and I was frustrated at the idea of having to wait that long to do something about this. But, I took the appointment and figured I would talk to my family doc, and see if there was anything he could give me to tide me over. .....for 6 months!! I was feeling quite irritated with this as I know my dermotologists office does a lot of botox and plastic surgery, that kind of thing. I couldn't believe that they would not get me in to see the doc, while all these botox women were getting their appointments.

When I got off the phone, and told Rob, he was upset, and promptly got on the phone with the office, and in a calm manner, managed to get me an appointment for this coming Tuesday!! My hero!!! I felt very loved, for him to care enough to make a stink, and make sure that I was seen, as he knew how badly this flare up has been affecting me (very itchy,and burns). He's my knight in shining armor, and I just wanted to take this day to brag about him a little. He stood up for me, when I didn't have the courage! Now, just so everyone knows two things. He was not beligerant with the lady at all, just insistent. Also, it turns out they do have a seperate appointment list for medical issues, and botox/plastic surgery issues. I was glad to hear that!!

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Loving Your Husband Friday

Yesterday I spent almost the entire day alone with my husband. That was the first time we had been alone together like that in many months. It was such a nice day. It was strange though. We quickly realized, that we barely knew what to talk about. It is hard to reconnect sometimes when you go for a long time just being mom and dad, and not cultivating the husband and wife relationship. It made us realize how important it is that we take steps to cultivate our relationship more, even if we can't find time to be alone. Our relationship has to come first, not just for us, but for our kids. It's easy to forget this in the busyness of life and raising kids. I'm fortunate that I have a husband that is concerned about this, and wants to take steps to make sure that our relationship stays strong. I am truly blessed!!

I hope that you all out there will do the same. Take the time to do things that will cultivate your relationship with your husband....find ways to maintain your friendship, and your intimacy. Read a good marriage book (together)...or look up scripture together about marriage, to remew your marital vision. Someday the kids will be gone, and you will have to remember how to relate to each other! I'm hoping those will be good years together, instead of years in which we are just going our seperate ways....as I sometimes see with retired couples. I hope that we are still friends who enjoy each other's company. I believe that in order for that to happen, we have to work on it now! Remember, love is a choice that we make, and it takes hard work to keep that love strong and growing.

For more Loving Your Husband Fridays.....join Shannon by clicking the banner above!

Loving Your Husband Friday

Today is Friday, where Shannon at the Peer Review encourages us to find ways and things that we love about our husband. This week I've been thinking about 1Corinthians 13. This gives us the definition of love. We need to remember that love is not a feeling, it's an action. It's the things that we do to show love that count.

1Corinthians 13 talks about being slow to anger....I've not been thinking so much about anger this week, but irritation. When summer comes it is often a transition for all of us. He is off his normal routine, and we are adjusting to having daddy home all day every day. It's easy to get irritated with him, for little things. It's ironic, because I so look forward to having him home all the time, but then I find myself feeling irritated at the little things he might do, that drive me nuts.

So, this week, I am focusing on being slow to irritation with my husband. Not letting those little things get to me, and just enjoying the time that we have. He's a great and thoughtful husband, and those are the things that I need to focus on during this summer....not the little irritations, that can spoil our time together, and cause me to flounder in my actions of love! Let's all be slow to anger/irritation with our husbands, and I think we will find that God's ways our better than ours in our marriages. After all, God did create marriage, and the guidelines for our love, so I tend to think He knows best!

Loving Your Husband Friday

It's Friday, time to focus on loving our hubbys again. I want to thank Shannon for hosting this, and wish her and her husband Aaron a Happy 10th Anniversary. I was at their wedding, and I can't believe it's been 10 years ago now. But then....I can't believe that Rob and I celebrated 12 years back in March. Time flies.....It really reminds me that the time is short. There is only so much time for us to show our husbands that we love them. There is only so much time for us to let them know how much we appreciate them. There are only so many opportunities to honor them. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, we learned that last year when my mom passed away very suddenly at the age of 58. I know that my dad felt that there were things that should have been said, more love that could have been shown.
Let's not let the time slip away, when we could be giving everything we have to the man that God gave us to be ours. Let's focus on the positive and not the negative. Let's pray for our husbands while we have an opportunity to make a difference in his life. I pray that we all will have many more opportunities to show love and respect to our husbands, but it will only happen if we "redeem the time for the days are evil".

Lord, thank you for my husband, thank you for his giving spirit. Thank you that he takes such care with our children, and always thinks of ways to show me he cares. Thank you that he works hard for our family! Please keep him in your protection, and keep a hedge around him. Give him wisdom when he needs to make decisions for our family, and help me to show him love at all time, and do only good for him. Amen!!

Don't forget to join Shannon for more Loving Your Husband Friday.

Loving My Husband Friday

Today is a day to focus on your husband and what you love about him. Share something that you love about your husband, or a tip to help make your marriage stronger.

"For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is not law." Galatians 5:22-23

I don't know about anyone else, but sometimes when I think about the fruit of the Spirit in my life, I think about it in respect to other people. I need to love my neighbor, be joyful around others, be peaceful, and gentle....when outside of my house. I always tell my children that our families were created for us to practice these 'fruits" on before we leave our home. As I look over this list of Godly character qualities, am I really loving my husband? Do I exhibit joy in his presence? Am I longsuffering (or not easily angered) with him? Am I gentle with him, do I seek to do him only good. Do I have faith in him, and treat him with meekness? I think that the fruits of the spirit can be used a template for a wife as to how she should treat her husband, not just those people that you pass in the grocery store, or the people at church. So, let's practice these attributes first on our husbands as he should be our first priority.

Now, to give an example of what a great husband I have. Last night Rob came home from work in the auditorium at around 10:30. He came in bearing a Wendy's frosty. He remembered that I had made a passing statement several days ago about how I haven't had a frosty in ages! It was a very welcome sentiment, and I appreciated that he had not only picked up on me saying that, but he took the time to stop after a long day of work simply because he knew that I had not had a frosty in a long time!

To hear more about Loving your Husband Friday, join the host Shannon by going to http://www.mominin-thepeerreview.blogspot.com/. Leave a comment with me today if you have something to share about your husband or a good marriage tip!! Keep loving your husband!