Be My Valentine Marriage Challenge

Here is week two's challenge from Courtney:

This week's challenge is: be a little more creative with your praise. Surprise your husband with:

1. A love message on the mirror


2. A love message packed in his lunch


3. Use sidewalk chalk and write a love message on the driveway


4. Write a list of ten things you admire about him and then read them out loud to him.


5. Make a toast to him at dinner with friends. Or raise your glass at dinner and list the things you admire about your husband for your children to hear!


6. Buy or make your husband a trophy and engrave it with the words "The Best Husband in the World." (I found a cheap trophy at a party supplies store - the kids loved presenting it to daddy)


7. Write a poem - even if you can't write - it can be goofy. Include in it references to your favorite movies, restaurants, places to go and memories. He will enjoy the trip down memory lane and the laugh!


8- Blow up balloons and put a loving message in each one. Fill your bedroom with balloons as a surprise.


9- Take a roll of receipt tape and write a long message with the things you admire and respect about your husband - then roll it up and put it in a bottle for your husband to open and read. (I made many of these for my husband in college when we were dating long distance. I mailed them in packages.)


10. Get creative with your selflessness!

So I challenge you today to not just show your husband you love him but show him that you LIKE him!

Thanks for the challenge, Courtney. I personally like #4. Is that because it is straightforward and not too creative? Maybe it is because it doesn't require any extra cleaning like writing on the mirror would? Perhaps it is just because it is so easy to think of ten things that I like about my husband!

I have read the book "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace several times (she signed my book at a women's retreat when I was engaged!). Today I would like to share something from it. Here it is:
Eighteen Ways to glorify Your Husband
(Taken from “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace)
1.Ask your husband, “What are your goals for the week?”
2.Ask your husband, “How can I help you accomplish these goals?”
3.Ask your husband, “Is there anything that I can do differently that would make it easier for you?”
4.Be organized with cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry, and cooking. As you fulfill your God-given responsibilities, your husband is then free to do his work.
5.Save some of your energy every day for him.
6.Put him first over the children, your parents, friends, job, ladies’ Bible studies, etc.
7.Willingly and cheerfully rearrange your schedule for him when necessary.
8.Talk about him in a positive light to others. Do not slander him at all, even if what you are saying is true.
9.Do whatever you can to make him look good, to accomplish his goals. Some examples are to offer to run errands for him, organize your day to be available to help him with his projects, pray for him and make good suggestions. Give him the freedom not to use your suggestion, and do not be offended if he does not follow it.
10.Consider his work (job, goals, hobbies, work for the Lord) as more important than your own.
11.Think of specific ways that you can help him accomplish his goals. Examples are get up early in the mornings to help him get off to work having had a good breakfast, take care in recording telephone messages for him, anticipate any needs he may have in order to attain a specific goal, and keep careful records of money spent to keep up with the budget.
12.Consider the things that you are involved in. How do they glorify your husband? Ask his guidance.
13.Be warm and gracious to his family and friends. Make your commitment to him obvious to them.
14.Do and say things that build him up instead of tear him down.
15.Dress and apply your makeup in an attractive way that is pleasing to your husband.
16.When your husband sins, reprove him privately and gently, always giving him hope and pointing him to the Lord.
17.Encourage him to use his spiritual gifts in ministry.
18.Realize that just as God is glorified when man obeys Him, your husband is glorified when you obey your husband.

Let's give glory to our Lord as we glorify our husbands!

Week One-Completing Him Challenge

Click here to read more about this challenge hosted by Courtney at Women Living Well.

I have been looking all day for photos from our dating days and haven't found too many so I thought I'd write now and hopefully add some photos later.

My husband Tom and I met on January 24, 1997. My friend and I were trying to find something to do on a Friday night. We saw an ad in a Christian newspaper for a Christian Dating Service. Neither of us were interested in a dating service but since they were having a cake and coffee fellowship we thought we would just go to that. We were not sure what to expect, but figured we could make an easy escape if needed. Meanwhile Tom had received a flyer in the mail inviting him to this cake and coffee fellowship. He decided to go although he wasn't interested in the dating service either.
When we got there we sat at a table with a bunch of people, a majority of which were men. Everyone was talking and Tom was keeping the conversation going among everyone. It wasn't love at first sight, but I did feel really comfortable with him. At one point he bopped me on the head with a rolled up paper and I just looked at him. He said something about sorry it just felt right to do that. I laughed. When my friend and I were leaving, he asked if he could walk us out. It was raining and he help the umbrella for us. He knew I was planning on visiting some churches since I didn't have a home church yet, so he gave me his phone number and told me to call if I had any questions.

I did call him to tell him about a church I visited in the city. Before long we were talking for hours and I looked forward to talking to him. This went on for a couple of weeks. He asked me if I would like to go out for something to eat, as friends. I said okay. By this time, I didn't really remember what he looked like but I knew I loved talking to him. On February 8th, two weeks after we met, he picked me up and we went out to eat. After dinner, he told me that although we said we were going out as friends, it didn't feel that way. I agreed. He then gave me a Mikasa crystal heart dish and that was the beginning of our dating.

We knew early on that we wanted to get married. We started looking at rings, but financially weren't ready. We enjoyed each other's company and would do things with the Singles Ministry at church. We would go out to eat, watch movies, take long drives. It didn't matter what we did as long as we were together. On Easter I went to church with him for the first time. I then started attending church there and soon after was baptized and became a church member. My sister became engaged and I felt the right thing to do would be to wait for her to get married. This discouraged Tom a bit and it felt like it was taking forever to get engaged. Finally in August of 2000, he proposed. That is enough for a separate post, so I think I will save that for another time.

We became best friends. I remember when I wasn't with him, I would be thinking of when I would see him next. No matter what I was doing I always wanted him there. I was so excited to have him in my life. We both wanted the same things and had the same goals.

He always did such nice things for me. While we were dating we lived about 30 minutes away from each other. One morning it was snowing out and I had to go to work as a teacher. I drove 1 hour to work each way. When I went outside to clean off my car, I saw Tom there cleaning my car off. He drove out in that snow so when I came out my car would be clean. He didn't want me to see him, he just wanted to make my morning that much easier. Often times I would be running late for work and not have time for breakfast. He would go to the deli and get me ham and eggs on a bagel and meet me on the side of the expressway to get it to me. He always put me first and never complained. He enjoyed doing these things for me and he still does.

One of the things I would like to do again is spend time together alone. We really have not made the effort to get out alone. We have lots of fun with our children, but usually when they are in bed we are exhausted. It is so easy to get caught up in the daily routine of things and not make time to do the things we once enjoyed together. That is something I will be working on.

I am joining this challenge hosted by Courtney at Women Living Well. Check it out and sign up over at her blog.