Goal #2 Loving My Husband

My 2nd goal I'm working on this year is my relationship with my husband. Nathan and I have been married for 10 1/2 years. It sure doesn't seem that long! Through our 10 years there have been great times and not so great times.
I think so many people go into marriage thinking that it's going to be a piece of cake, you love each other, you love God, you add sweet little children to the family and it's perfection. Then comes the wake-up call! Sometimes you may not even make it out of the honeymoon before you start learning things about your spouse that you didn't know before and guess what....they annoy you! LOL Who knew that he left his dirty clothes on the floor right next to the hamper? Who knew that he would put barbeque sauce on EVERYTHING you slave over the stove to make? ;^) All of his little silly things that you never knew, now start popping up! Do you fume over how he "wrongs" you? Do you constantly complain about his bad habits? Or do you laugh and thank God for this man and his dirty laundry as you pick it up and put it in the hamper?
Then you start adding children, those sweet little beings who take up so much space in your mind and in your heart. Now, instead of weekly dinners out and talking, it's rushing through dinner at home, hoping to scarf your food down before someone wants seconds or gives you a call for help from the bathroom (are my children the only ones who ALWAYS do this at meal times??). It's no longer lying awake talking into the night, it's falling into bed exhausted then waking up every night to a crying baby or a screaming toddler. And somewhere in the midst, you lose sight of your marriage. Of course, you still love your husband, but how well do you still know him? Do you still strive to fix things he likes for supper (even if he then douses it in b-b-q sauce)? Do you remember that before before you where their mother, you were his wife??

I've been there, I've lost sight of the fact that God intends my husband to come FIRST (after God of course) and I tell you, it became a harmful part of our marriage! Thanks be to God, we aren't in that place now, but it can happen to anyone and it could happen again if I'm not on watch!! God gave me this man, this man that I'm married to was chosen by God for me! And I, in all of my imperfections, was chosen for him. My job is to continuously be striving to be the best wife that I can be.

My list for loving my husband:
1. Pray for him!! There is NOTHING more important that I can do.
2. Encourage him in word and in deed. I can call him just to tell him I'm proud of him, I can leave him notes and help him whenever I can. I can also encourage him just by being positive, by not complaining and looking for the bright side in every situation.
3. Date night! A dear friend who has the wonderful gift of encouragement made this suggestion. We have an at-home date night every week. Some weeks that just means a special dinner after the children are in bed and watching a movie. Sometimes we'll play a game. As the weather warms up I look forward to sitting outside with our dinner to make it more like we're on a "real" date rather than in the house.
4. Marriage challenge! The same encouraging friend (you're amazing Angie!!) started a marriage challenge on her blog. Every week we add a new habit to form and she posts encouragement through the week. Last week we worked on welcoming our husband home with a big smile and smooch and NO complaining or venting for the first 15 minutes that he was home to make sure he was coming home to a safe place. :) This week we are working on starting our day out on the right foot, in the word of God, to set our minds on the right things.

God loves families! He delights in happy marriages and I desire to please God. I want my marriage to be one that is honoring to God, to the one who put Nathan and I together! I'm thankful for my husband and he deserves the best that I can give him. :)