Archive for the ‘Wednesdays for Wives’ Category:
Wednesdays for Wives
If you came by looking for the latest edition of Wednesdays for Wives yesterday you didn’t find it. You’d think 10 years of marriage would give me plenty of fodder, but I just haven’t been feeling inspired lately when it comes to that topic for some reason. So I’m going to take a break from it for a while. It may pop up now and again if I have something to say. Or if you’re interested in taking the reins over and being a guest writer let me know. I’d love to have you. In the mean time, I hope you’ll keep stopping by and visiting, especially on Thursdays. I’ve got something new and exciting planned for Girl Talk each week. Say tuned!
Wednesdays for Wives: Waiting for Half Time
I am totally uninspired today when it comes to finding a subject for Wednesdays for Wives. I feel like the Cleveland Indians in a summer slump. (Sports reference courtesy of watching ESPN with my husband the other night.) I would have come up blank last week too if someone hadn’t published that on-line 1930’s Marriage Test.
Hmmm…
Sports — husband — I have a story brewing in my head now, but I can’t think of a point to tie it into neatly. Oh, well. I’ll just start telling it, and maybe I can bring it around home in the end.
I’m not really into sports. I don’t have any athletic ability. I was the kid who threw herself in front of the ball during elementary school dodgeball games, so that I could spend the rest of gym class watching from the sidelines. Occasionally I’ll watch a college basketball or football game on TV if I like one of the teams that’s playing. ESPN with all it’s stats and scores is Greek to me. What I really don’t get is ESPN Classic. Aren’t sports exciting mainly because you don’t know how the game is going to end? It’s the whole Any-Given-Sunday thing, right?
“What are you watching?”
“Dallas at Pittsburgh.” (If it’s impossible for Dallas and Pittsburgh to ever actually meet, sorry. I’m taking some poetic license here, and don’t know what I’m talking about.)
“In June? I thought football season was over, and why is it snowing?”
“It’s the ‘82 playoff game. Dallas wins with a 40 yard field goal with less than a second on the clock during a huge snow storm.”
“Why are you watching it if you already know who’s going to win?”
“It’s historic.”
O.K. Well, my idea of historic is a documentary about the sinking of the Titanic on the HISTORY channel. But, whatever.
I know a lot of wives don’t like it when their husbands watch sports on TV. Mine actually doesn’t that often, but when he does turn on a game or ESPN, I’ve stopped complaining. Oh, it’s still boring and I don’t understand most of what’s happening. And it’s not because I’m just being a kind wife. It’s because I know that by half time or the fourth inning or the 6th hole, he’ll get bored and change the channel or go do something else. Unless the game is close, it doesn’t hold his interest that long. So, instead of complaining and arguing, I just wait it out.
Now for the point…
I think I should apply the wait-and-see approach more often. I know I complain and start arguments that could have been avoided had I only waited for more information or events to play themselves out. Sometimes it’s better to keep my opinions to myself, and trust my husband to work it out. I don’t know all the plays he’s going to call, and I don’t always agree with them, but somehow he usually comes out on top.
I watched ESPN with with my husband long enough the other night for me to pick up that baseball reference, the inspiration for this entire post. It wasn’t long before he’d heard enough scores. Then we watched one of our favorite shows together on the DVR.
I guess you’d call that a win-win.
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe in a reader and get more Mommie Daze every day!Wednesdays for Wives: Take the 1930’s Marriage Test
A few weeks ago I posted about the 1930’s Marital Rating Test that caused a sensation all over the web when Monitor on Psychology from the American Psychological Association put it on their site. Well, now you can take the entire test on-line here, and find out how you’d rate 80 years ago. I did manage to get a superior score, but missed very superior by 7 points. Mostly due to my penchant for wearing pajamas, I think. Anyway, it’s good for another chuckle. Men can take the husband’s test too.
 |
69 As a 1930s wife, I am |
Wednesdays for Wives: Let’s Hear it for the Boys
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
When I was in junior high, MTV was all the rage and actually still played music videos. I wasn’t supposed to watch MTV, but I’d sneak peeks at friends’ houses or when my parents weren’t around. One of my favorite videos was the one hit wonder “Mickey”. Dressed as a cheerleader, singer Toni Basil danced around singing, “Oh Mickey, you’re so fine! You’re so fine you blow my mind! Hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!” I wanted to be a cheerleader, but my really, really bad haircut, and complete lack of athletic ability stood in the way.
Well, I stopped getting perms and my hair got better, but I never did get to shake a pair of pom-poms.
I am a cheerleader though. Every day I have the opportunity to rally the home team to victory.
As a wives, we should be our husbands’ biggest fans. I’m not talking about walking around the house in lollipops and a short skirt. (Although he might like that.) We need to encourage our husbands, and celebrate their successes. I don’t always remember to do this. Sometimes I’m too worried about when the leaky faucet’s going to get fixed. Or I’m too caught up in myself to stop and tell him that I’m proud of his achievements at work.
But your husband wants to hear those kinds of things from you. Men need to know that their wives are proud of them. If they’re facing a difficult task, they need to know that we’re on the sidelines praying for them. Sometimes they need someone to say, “Go get ‘em,” and give then that final push over the first yard line. And when they hit a home run, they need someone in the dugout shouting, “Hooray!”
I can’t get these 80’s pop songs out my head today. Here’s a line from another old favorite of mine, “Let’s Hear it for the Boy”.
…Because what he does
he does so well
Makes me wanna yell
Lets hear it for the boy
Lets give the boy a hand
Lets hear it for my baby
You know you got to understand
I have the strangest urge to go curl my bangs, and put on a pair of leg warmers now.
Give your husband three cheers today!
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe in a reader and get more Mommie Daze every day!Wednesdays for Wives: You’re Worth It!
So how’s your self-esteem?
In a society that puts so much emphasis on image, performance and popularity, it’s pretty easy to get your self-worth knocked around and bruised.
The mirror isn’t always a friend. Newly formed crow’s feet, extra inches around the waist, a stray gray hair or two can leave you feeling unattractive. The young airbrushed models and actresses in glossy magazines set a pretty high bar.
Maybe it’s not about your looks. Maybe it’s that you feel like a failure because you can’t figure out how to juggle work, marriage and kids and still keep a spotless house. Perhaps your cooking skills aren’t on par with Julia Child’s.
Rejection from a friend of family member can make you feel less than whole. Or if you didn’t get the PTA’s room mother of the year award. The failure and struggles of your spouse and children can get you down if you blame yourself.
Low self-esteem sabotages relationships, even with your husband. When you don’t like yourself, it makes it difficult to accept love from others. You may find yourself pushing away the very people who’s support and love you need. Your negative attitude my also cause your loved ones to back off.
Here’s the thing, you are worthy. Worthy of love, worthy of acceptance, worthy of forgiveness when you make a mistake. You’re life, no matter how boring, mundane or unsuccessful it might seem to you, is very important. Who says? The only one who’s opinion really matters, God.
God created you. He knew you in the womb before you were born.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13-16
He sacrificed the life of his only son so that you could receive forgiveness and join him in eternity someday.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
He loved you before you loved him. He loves you even if you don’t yet know him.
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
There’s nothing you can ever do to make God stop loving you. There’s nothing you can do to earn God’s love. He gives it freely to anyone who accepts it.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
If a God who is perfect, all powerful and all-knowing can love you like that, then surely your are worthy of love from yourself and others. Even if the laundry pile is a mile high. Even if you lost your temper and shouted at your kids. Even if your last friend on earth abandoned you. God still thinks you’re worth his time.
We’re all imperfect works in progress. Let God loves you, imperfections and all. Let that love spill over into love and acceptance for yourself. Let your husband, your family, your friends love you. Open up and love them back. You’re worth it!
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe in a reader and get more Mommie Daze every day!Wednesdays for Wives: The Generous Wife
My mind keeps wondering and I can’t seem to concentrate long enough to come up with a topic for this week’s post, because I’d rather be outside enjoying the warm sunshine than sitting at a computer typing. So I went on-line looking for some inspiration, and happened across The Generous Wife.
Lori, the creator of The Generous Wife, realized one day that if she wanted to improve her relationship with her husband she needed to give more. It worked for her marriage, and she wants to share what she learned with other wives. You can sign up to receive a daily Generous Tip by email. Each day you’ll receive a new creative idea, from a Christian perspective, to help you be a more Generous Wife. There is also a message board on the site where you can talk to other women about everything from romance to child rearing. The Generous Wife has lots of articles about marriage, links to other marriage sites and a book store where you can find more resources as well.
The Generous Wife has a companion site The Generous Husband with a daily email tip and resources for men.
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe in a reader and get more Mommie Daze every day!Wednesdays for Wives: Traditional Marriage
Well, this a controversial topic, and if you lean to the left when you vote, I might be stepping on your toes this week. Perhaps we can choose to respectfully disagree like Ellen and John McCain.
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that the California Supreme Court legalized gay marriage a couple weeks ago. I don’t believe gay marriage should be legalized. I am a Christian and I believe God intended marriage to be between one man and one woman. I also believe that traditional marriage benefits children, adults and society as a whole.
But my position on gay marriage doesn’t mean that I hate gay people. I don’t think they should be bashed or discriminated against or have any of their basic rights refused. The results of recent polls show that I’m not the only American with this position. In almost every poll the majority opposed gay marriage, but did not oppose homosexual’s human or employment rights. It seems that over half of all Americans see the importance of protecting the sanctity of marriage while respecting other’s lifestyle choices.
Is it important to you to protect traditional marriage in America? Write your U. S. senators and congressmen and let them know where you stand on this issue. You can find their contact information here. Also write your state representatives and senators. So far most of the cases regarding gay marriage have been fought at the state level. You can find a links to state legislatures here.
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe in a reader and get more Mommie Daze every day!
