Do you remember that Prince Charming who enthralled you while you were dating him? Many wives find that at some point after the honeymoon, their Prince Charming mysteriously mutated into the most exasperating person they know. A person with all kinds of irritating habits that drive them crazy:
- He leaves the cap off the toothpaste.
- He doesn’t like eggplant, your favorite vegetable.
- And the most horrifying thing by far: He leaves the toilet seat up in the bathroom.
When we feel like our husbands are driving us crazy, we have two choices:
- We can harp on every little irritation, correct him, and remind him every time he does it.
- We can get over it and remember why we married him in the first place!
Oh girlfriends, I’d be the first to admit that my default choice is to harp, correct and nag. But I want to get more intentional about GETTING OVER IT –yes, even the toilet seat – and about remembering why I love my husband so much.
What was it that you loved about your husband when you were dating?
His smile? The way he held your hand? The conversations you had over coffee?
What do you appreciate about him now?
The way he’s crazy about your kids? The way he works to provide for your family? The next time you’re irritated because he forgot to call and let you know he’d be late for dinner, review his good points in your mind.
and he receives favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 18:22 (NLT)
From this Proverb, I draw the following conclusion:
Did you get that? We found a TREASURE when we found our husbands! And what do we do with treasure? We value it. We appreciate it. We give thanks for it.
How can you express appreciation for your husband today? How about calling him up during his lunch hour to tell him how grateful you are that God gave you such a treasure. Or buy him a card and list all of his qualities inside. Cook his favorite dinner to celebrate your relationship.
What about you? Do you have any ideas about how to let our husbands know we appreciate them?
Well, I decided not to be subtle about it and posted it on FB: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=777576562264493&set=a.257923267563161.69564.100000364700748&type=1&theater
This was back in August when we were visiting my parents and my mother got sick. My husband willingly took over the main burden of kid-care as my dad and I were going back & forth to hospital every day. He is now about to “hold down the fort” for 8 days while I visit my parents again — I’m leaving tomorrow to travel alone for the first time in about 3 years. I feel a strange and slightly guilt-producing mix of anxiety, sadness, and, I admit it, excitement at this prospect. So I am grateful to my husband for making a sacrifice so that I can be where I need to be, when I need to be there.
Wow, Jeannie, it sounds like you have “a keeper” for sure! A gem! I’ve continued praying for your family as you come to mind. God has put it on my heart.
This is such good advice Betsy. Sometimes we need to make a little list of what we love about our fella. I sure hope he does that for me. Through the ups and downs, he still makes my heart melt when he smiles at me. Thanks for asking us to take the time to remember.
That’s right Carmen. Through the ups and downs, we need to remember his good points!
For years my way of showing my hubby appreciation (besides telling him) was to rub his back while he watched TV in the evening. But most recently, he discovered why I like foot rubs so much. So that is my new go-to when I want to make him feel special. Taking the time to do something little each day to say “thank you” and “I love you” is so important. Thanks, Betsy, for this encouragement.
That’s a great idea Sabra, to think of something practical! Actions speak louder than words!
I wrote about daddy as King of Our Castle a few years back and I admit that I was more diligent about certain things before having my third {special needs} child.
That being said, we still try to make daddy’s homecoming each day a highlight and something we all look forward to!