Forever Friday

I think I want to start a new Friday thing on my blog.  Forever Friday.  I'd like to take the time and write about something that is very important to me, and that has utmost importance...and something that will impact my "forever".

Did I lose you?

Today I want to write about marriage.  Marriage impacts our today's and our tomorrow's...for as long as the Lord tarries.

Marriage is a gift from God.  Even on our very worst days.  I don't know about you, but Todd is just about the only one who still loves me after he sees all my different sides.  I'm not always in a good mood, I am not always positive, I don't always take the time pray before I speak...and yet he loves me.  He comes home to me night after night and genuinely wants to spend time with me.  And our boys.  That's more than a lot of people I know can say.

Last night, Todd and I had a conversation about marriage...ours, and the marriage of another couple we know.  I won't go into details, because I don't want to betray any confidences, but I woke up with this on my heart this morning.  I also took the time and prayed for our marriage and the marriage of our friends'.

Ours is nowhere near perfect.  I need to say that again.  OURS IS NOWHERE NEAR PERFECT.  Did you get that?  But God is not finished with us.  We are constant works in progress.

That being said, there are a few things I do everyday that can't do anything but help our daily life.  I thought I would share, and I pray that this reaches exactly the person it needs to reach.

I pray for Todd every single day.  It is impossible to be mad at someone you pray for them.  Not that I'm mad at him everyday, but when I am, I pray for him.  (I pray for myself then, too.)

I always say 'good morning' to him.  Even though some days he doesn't respond back.  He is NOT a morning person. 

I hug him every night before I go to bed.  For a long time, too, not just a quick little meaningless hug.  (We go to bed at different times.  Because I get up during the 5a.m. hour, I am required to get into bed somewhat early each night.  He is a night owl.)

I kiss him each night when he comes home from work.  Who in the world wants to come home feeling unwelcome??  Not me.

I also bug call him often during the day.  Hee hee.  Some days it's way more than he's happy about, but I can't help myself.  He also happens to be my best friend.

One last thing, and then I have to leave for work.  I read this next portion in a book a long time ago.  My favorite author, Karen Kingsbury, is who wrote this...NOT ME.  You see why I pray that God continues to bless my favorite authors with stories...they do NOTHING but strengthen the one who reads them.  Enjoy!

Ten Secrets To A Happy Marriage (as written by Karen Kingsbury)

1. God has us here to serve one another. Love acted out is serving.
2. Women need respect and nurturing. Love your wife so she knows you'd lay your life down for her. Continue to date and admire her. Share a hobby~find something you can do to have fun together.
3. Laugh often.
4. Be patient. Love crumbles quickly under the weight of unmet expectations.
5. Spend more time trying to fix yourself than your spouse.
6. Keep short accounts. The Bible says, "Do not let the sun go down while you are angry." Make it a habit to forgive.
7. Determine up front that divorce is not an option.
8. Learn about love languages. Not all people show love or receive it the same way. You want a back rub and your wife wants a clean kitchen. The love languages are fairly simple: acts of service, time, physical touch, gifts and words of affirmation. Learn them. Love is better received when it's in the language the person speaks. (The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman)
9. Words of affirmation are a love language for all men. Use them often!!
10. Men are born to be leaders. He cannot lead unless she gives him the confidence to do so. If you love your husband, build him up. Confident men do not seek love outside the home.

Love to all.