Put up...

I see people thinking about finding the right person to marry.

They have lists of quality traits that they look for in prospective beaus.

I can't help but think this is a list of what the spouse will need so they can put up with them for the rest of their lives.

The longer I am married the less I think about if I married someone that I can put up with for the rest of my life.

It is more about amazement that this other person would choose to put up with me and forgive my mistakes.
God has you married to the right one.

Challenge

-Write down 3 things you are grateful your husband puts up with or forgives you for

Maybe you smack your gum, leave hair in the shower, yell at the kids, have supper late or not at all, be a bear, belittle others, leave your things out, etc.

Regardless...

You expect your husband to love you, regardless.

Do you respect your husband, regardless?

Challenge

-How do you think about your husband everyday?  Write down three things you appreciate or admire in your husband.  Thank him or praise him for one of them.

Pride

Challenge
-Tell your husband how proud you are of him

Maybe you will leave a post it note on the bathroom mirror, or the rear view mirror of his car telling him you are proud of his desire to take care of you.

Or maybe you will call him and tell him you are proud that he is an ethical hunter.

Or good at video games.

Or good at reading bedtime stories to little ones who are not sleepy.

Or maybe you're proud of the way he looks.

Friendly...

Are you someone that your husband wants to be around?
Are you cheerful?
Do you keep it together until he get home and then collapse into a heap of grouchiness, weepiness, and irritability?
Do you dress up for other people in Walmart, but just throw on some sweat pants for the rest of the day?
Do you nag him or are you secretly irritated with him?

I am not saying these things won't ever happen, or even that some of them shouldn't ever happen.
One of the most beautiful parts of marriage is when the other person loves you, regardless of how you look, or act.
There should be nights when you just pour out your heart, or times when you both kick back in pajamas to watch the football game.

I'm just saying not to take your husband for granted.
Thank him for holding you when you are weepy.
Make a concerted effort to be less grouchy when he is home.
Dress up for him.
Listen to how his day went before telling about yours.
Take a night to refrain from saying anything negative.

Challenge
-Look at the way you act around your husband.  Are you someone that he would want to be around?

Clothing

Challenge
-Wear something you think your husband will enjoy

It doesn't have to be lingerie.

Maybe your husband has said he likes it when you wear a ballcap, skirts, his favorite team's jersey, leather boots, lipstick, _____________(Fill in the blank)

If in doubt, wear no underwear and make sure he knows it.

Oldies but goodies...

Challenge
-For every year your husband is old, write down something you like about him

Evaluation

Evaluate your heart toward your husband.

Are you harboring bitterness in the form of disappointment?  

Are you frustrated with him more often than not?

Are you constantly thinking he is making mistakes?

Are you getting lazy and not making an effort to put him first?

Remember that God loves you and your husband.  

God still knows what your husband does and doesn't do.

He still watches your reactions and responses to your husband.

He is still teaching your husband, still shaping him.

Be patient.

Enjoy your time with your husband.

Be his smiles and his encouragement.

Believe that God will enable him.

Believe that he can take on the world.

Fall in love with him again by serving him, remembering all the good things about him, and laughing together.

Challenge

-Evaluate your heart.

-Ask God to show you where you need change and that he would help you change

-Ask God to give turn your heart wholly toward your husband

Helper...

Challenge
-Do 3 things that will be helpful to your husband today

Compartments...

Assume the best

If your husband is frustrated, don't take it personally.

My husband describes men as having compartments.  They put their fear in one, their work in another, etc.  They are able to just shove feelings and events into their compartments and not think about them.

But when some of these compartments (Stress and fear mainly) get full, they overflow with frustration and anger.

Understand that you, as a person, are probably not the root of his anger.

If you have done something wrong, apologize and work on fixing the problem, but don't walk on eggshells.

Believe that your husband has good intentions, even when he is a bear.

Most men have a desire to be a good husband and father.

Most of them do not have a desire to get angry.

Love him anyway.

Pray for him.

Even if he is angry, he would still die for you, the greatest act of love.

He still loves you when he's angry.

He probably even still likes you when he's angry.

Challenge

-Next time your husband is grouchy, angry, or frustrated pray for him

PIck 2...

Challenge
-Pick two of the following

-Send him a letter, text message, or e-mail praising or thanking him
-Make his favorite food for dinner
-Wear his favorite lingerie underneath your regular clothes (And make sure he knows it)
-Clean the area he spends the most time
-Spend the whole evening with him
-Give him an entire body massage

Love...

True love is not a feeling, or an emotion.

It's choosing to stick with someone, no matter what.

Respect someone, even after they've fallen.

It's putting them first, period.

Regardless of the finances, you laugh together.

Regardless of how insensitive he seems, you serve him cheerfully.

Regardless of how many things have been broken, how many kids have thrown up, how many minutes he was late, you still kiss him and tell him he's hot.

Regardless of how unspiritual he seems, you let God convict him.

Regardless, he is yours.

No one can love him the way you can.

No one's respect will mean more.

Be his one true love.

Challenge

-Come up with a creative way to say I love you or I respect you.

15 Minutes...

Challenge
-Spend 15 minutes a day this week doing something that will bless your husband

Examples:

~Spend 15 minutes a day~

Massaging his back and feet

Practicing belly dancing

Mending his socks

Praying for him

Helping your kids make a poster of why they love their Daddy

Kissing him all 15 minutes

Be creative and have fun!

Bedtime...

Challenge
-Pick a night this week and plan to give him lots of laughs and lovin's in bed

Thank you...

Challenge
-What has your husband done today that you can appreciate?  Tell him thank you.

love...

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.

1 Corinthians 13:4

Are you kind after you have suffered long?

Do you envy other women or the time your husband spends with other people?

Do you think you are better or have better ideas?

Challenge

-Take a critical look at how you love your husband.  What needs work?

To-Do...

Challenge
-Ask your husband if there is anything you can do for him today

First...

Challenge
-Put your husband first tonight.

Regardless of how your day went or how tired you are, put your husband first.

He's sexy and you know it...

Challenge
-Write down three things you love about your husband's body

I accept you except...

Are you accepting your husband completely?

Are you showing Christ's love by forgiving him?

Will you be content if he never loses those extra pounds, and maybe even gains a few more?

Do you secretly despise the way he __________?

I am not saying that you should love his sins, or accept his behaviour.

I am saying that he is human and he will make mistakes.

God has forgiven you.

God loves you regardless.

Are you striving to forgive your husband?

Are you striving to love him without changing him?

You cannot change your husband.

Only God can do that.

You are free from that responsibility.

You are free to just love and respect your man and have fun with him.

Challenge
-Look critically at how you think about your husband
-Are you accepting him completely?

One...

Challenge
Do one of the following:
-Clean the bedroom for your husband
-Cook his favorite meal
-Have your children make posters saying how awesome their dad is
-Make a point to touch him (Touch his shoulder as you walk by, hold his hand, touch his arm when you talk to him, etc.)
-Give him some fun in bed tonight (Be creative!)
-Hide love notes in his work pants pockets
-Clean out his car
-Let him go fishing