March 10, 2012

My Notebook

Filed under: to consider,to do — Tags: , , — The Generous Wife @ 1:30 am

I have a notebook that I carry around in my purse. 

It's beginning to have a bit of a reputation (my husband and friends notice how often I scribble something down in it). I jot down sermon notes, addresses, Generous Wife ideas, book recommendations, prayer requests and more. It's become a wonderful tool and is a help in so many ways. I don't lose important information. It's become a place to go for ideas. Things don't slip away in the busyness of the day.  They get written down to read and consider later when I have a quiet moment.

I encourage y'all to do likewise. Get a notebook and put it where you can get to it often. When your husband mentions something he likes, write it down. When someone shares a vacation idea, write it down. Write down your prayers. Take notes from the books you read. It's amazing the wealth that will collect there, that can be used to bless your loved ones and bring order to the ideas that flow through your life.

This is my answer to the gap between ideas and action - I will write it out. Hortense Calisher

Pin It


Here is the second part of the Stupendous Marriage Interview with Marriage Author Sheila Wray Gregoire.  (of To Love, Honor & Vacuum)


Articles like this really encourage me. I've had my own struggles and I have a hunger to see people set free. Waking Up From Someone Else’s Dream  Be yourself. You are wonderful. (from (in)courage)


Be generous! Lori <><

March 9, 2012

What’s On Your Playground?

Filed under: to consider,to do,to do together,to learn — Tags: , — The Generous Wife @ 1:30 am

A generous wife suggested that I start doing sexuality tips on Friday instead of Saturday (thanks for the idea, Kristi!). Seems some gals read their tips at work and others are looking for little time to prepare for the weekend when there's more time for husband and intimate time. So here is Friday's sexuality idea. (Hmm. Now what am I going to do on Saturday?)

Lately it seems that I've heard a number of gals say something like, "I'm just not sexual." At first thought, I wanted to let them know (graciously of course) that they were believing a lie. After more thought, though, I realized that while a few may be actually denying their own sexuality, most were making a statement about rejecting a specific idea of what sexuality is. They didn't like any particular sexual model that they had seen, so they assumed that they were not sexual. ("I'm not like the ladies in the movies, I'm not like my friends, ... I guess I'm just not sexual.")

The model of sexuality that our culture throws at us is often very distorted and not so very healthy. If that were my only option, I think I might opt out too! Thankfully we have another option ~ we can adopt biblical guidelines and have fun with our sweetie within the safety of those boundaries.

THE PLAYGROUND

Your marriage is a playground. The fence around the playground is the collection of guidelines that God has given us about sex. What happens on your marriage playground is about your choices and preferences as a couple. It's perfectly safe and you can be sexual and have creative fun with your husband.

THE FENCE (some biblical guidelines)

We are to abstain from immoral sex. (unmarried sex, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, incest, etc.)
We are to have sex only in marriage; one man with one woman.|
We are to lovingly meet the legitimate sexual needs and wants of our spouse. 
We need to avoid anything which can cause serious harm. (physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc.)
We should never push our spouse to compromise their beliefs. 
We are not to be controlled by anything. 

WHAT'S ON YOUR PLAYGROUND?

~ anything you both want that will benefit your sense of intimacy and oneness as a couple. 

If someone had said that to me a few years back I think I would have given them a blank stare (or blushed and mumbled at my shoelaces). I wouldn't have even known where to start other than missionary position in the dark. And, you know, that would be a fine place to start. I don't mean to speak ill of small beginnings. The point is that you want to grow your playground to the point where you both feel loved and wanted, where you enjoy the pleasures of sex that God intended for couples to share. Start with what you know and, a bit at a time, explore and add a thing or two.

Some great resources: (books are aff links)

Sheet Music by Kevin Leman
The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex by Sheila Gregoire
Intimate Issues by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus
Intimacy Ignited by Dr. Joseph & Linda Dillow & Dr. Peter & Lorraine Pintus

Intimacy in Marriage blog by Julie
Hot, Holy and Humorous blog by "J"
To Love, Honor and Vaccum blog by Sheila
The Marriage Bed website and forum

Do not buy into the culture's view of sex or dump your sexuality because sex is dumb, evil, scary or not for you. Adopt God's view and enjoy the pleasure of sex with your husband.

Pin It


J (of Hot, Holy and Humorous) has written a delightful and practical post ~ Storing Your Sexy Stuff   Yup.  I put the dogs on Pinterest.  


"Marriage affords us the opportunity to exclusively pursue each other in a way that is right and holy and fun and tender."  from Pursue Me Sexually, Dear Husband  (Intimacy in Marriage


Be generous! Lori <><

March 8, 2012

Read and Make a Change

Filed under: from me,to consider,to do,to learn,to pray — Tags: , , , — The Generous Wife @ 1:30 am

Yesterday I talked about facing and dealing with problems. One of the really, really, really easy ways of beginning to deal with a problem is to get educated (really). Much of what we struggle with can be dealt with if we could understand the problem better or if we had a couple of ideas to try. Reading blogs and books are a great place to start (one of the reasons I link to books and online resources).

On my blog site (down a ways in the right column) is a list of blogs that I recommend and I'm developing a Marriage Book Library. These are books that I think contain very solid material. If you have marriage books to recommend, I encourage you to click on the Library link and add your thoughts as a comment.

I just added the The Love Dare (aff link) to my Marriage Book Library. I watched the movie Fireproof. It's good, but I think The Love Dare book (the heart of the movie) is an incredible resource. It has 40 days of challenges to grow your marriage. I think it would be great to take one challenge a week and work it into your heart and into your life. Doing that would take you through most of a year and make significant changes in your marriage relationship. (If you are into a daily devotional, there is also  The Love Dare Day by Day: A Year of Devotions for Couples (aff link) - 365 marital encouragements, reminders, and action points.)

The important thing is to open your mind to possibilities and options.  You don't have to stay in a mess.  You can make a change.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world (or your marriage).  Nelson Mandela (parenthesis mine)

Pin It


Very nice post from I Love Being Happily MarriedLittle Things In Marriage That Make a Big Difference…  For those of us who are romance challenged this is very instructional.


Gina (of Winning at Romance) has written a great post about Overcoming Feeling Angry or Powerless in Your Marriage


Be generous! Lori <><

March 7, 2012

Don’t Let It Bite You

Filed under: to consider,to do,to do together,to learn,to pray — Tags: , , , — The Generous Wife @ 1:30 am

My husband and I were talking to a couple last night and somehow in the conversation I wound up saying, "Be proactive about problems in your marriage. If you have a struggle with something, don't ignore it. That's the kind of thing that will jump up and bite you later if you don't deal with it."

As I was saying it, I thought, "that was really very good, that must be God (and I hope I can remember it)."   :)  

So I remembered it and I'm passing it on to y'all.  Don't let problems sit (and generally get worse). Hit problems head on. If you have financial issues take an FPU  class. If you're struggling with parenting, buddy up with other parents and gets some advice and encouragement. If you're having problems with sex, see a doctor, see a counselor or read a good book on married sexuality.  

Face the problems, get some help and fix it. Yes, it's tough to face, but then you get to actually do something about it (and it won't bite you later). Yes, it might be hard work, but then you get to live in the accomplishment of having fixed the problem. (Success feels really good.)

Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it.  Author Unknown

Pin It


Shoot the little foxes in your marriage ~ Five Marriage Sins You Should Stop Committing  (from Making Love in the Microwave)


You can make a difference! ~ Improve Your Marriage Singlehandedly  (from Assume Love)


Be generous! Lori <><

March 6, 2012

Focus on Food

Filed under: to do,to learn — Tags: , , — The Generous Wife @ 1:30 am

Food is interesting.  

We need it to keep living, but the consumption of food can be so much more. Having good meals means better nutrition and better health for our loved ones. Favorite foods can be comforting. Mealtime offers us the opportunity to connect with others.  

As a suggestion, set aside some planning time for meals. Plan to fix a few favorites. Try a new recipe. If you are short on prep time, get to know your crock pot (there are bazillions of recipes online).

Bless your husband and family with thoughtful food choices.

Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. Voltaire

Pin It


WooHoo! I'm a sex expert! Sex Experts  Thanks Mystery 32 for the recommendation and kind words.


Bless your sweetie with a bit of preparation. Encouraging Words: Prepare  (from Encourage Your Spouse


Be generous! Lori <><

March 5, 2012

3 Easy Ways to Romance Your Man

Filed under: to do — Tags: , , , , , , — The Generous Wife @ 1:30 am

I think large romantic gestures are great, but they can take quite a bit of time, energy and (usually) money. While that's OK, you need more than the occasional grand romantic gesture to keep your marriage strong. Here are three fairly simple and easy ways to build a little romance into everyday life.

Remind him.
Play "your song" and invite him dance. Set out a nice picture taken of the two of you on your honeymoon. Sit on the porch and talk about happy shared memories. Remind him of what you share for that sense of "coupleness."  

Interrupt his day for just a moment to do something small and personal.  
Let me start off by saying that there are good and bad ways to interrupt. Calling him during work hours is probably a bad thing. Grabbing him for a quick kiss during a commercial break is probably a good thing. Use wisdom about when you break into his world. You can also interrupt in subtle ways, like leaving a note in his lunch bag or texting him during his work break. He can set these messages aside for a moment if the timing is bad for him.

Small and personal? Little love notes, small gifts, a kiss, an intimate touch or a kind word. It doesn't have to be fancy, just heart felt.

Invite him.
We all want to be wanted. Invite him for a walk. Tug on his sleeve and invite him to a quiet corner for a kiss. Invite him to share a beautiful sunset or an errand run. Look for moments to include your husband and invite him. Invitations can be words, notes, items, or little gestures.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. Mignon McLaughlin

Pin It


Safe at Home has an insightful post about making the most of every day ~ Someday Our Words and Actions Will Be Our Last Ones 


Tough but encouraging message ~ Happiness is Created  (from Marriage Life)


Be generous! Lori <><

March 4, 2012

Treat Your Husband Like a Guinea Pig

Filed under: to consider,to do,to learn — Tags: , , , — The Generous Wife @ 1:30 am

Years ago when God started teaching me about generosity, I started living it out first with my husband. I didn't do a perfect job because I was learning, but somehow I don't think my husband minded because he was blessed by my attempts at generosity. He was my very special guinea pig (test subject), and continues to be.

Recently I've been doing the Mercy Triumphs study with some friends. As I've walked through each of the lessons, I've tried to see how what I learn could impact my relationship with my husband. Am I living what I say I believe (not just about God but about my marriage)? Is my attitude one of mercy or judgement? There were so many gorgeous lessons in the book of James. (I'm going to have to do the study again and take more time with it.)

Bottom line: Your husband deserves your first and best efforts at loving and giving. Yes, it will be a bit messy here and there, but most guys are so touched that their wives are giving them special attention, they don't even notice.  :)   I encourage y'all to take the lessons that you are learning (whether from a book or from life itself) and apply them first to your sweetie. Is God talking to you about patience? Be patient with your man. Are you feeling convicted about your tongue? Be careful to speak respectfully and truthfully to your husband.  

Let your husband be your safe training ground and the beneficiary of your efforts.

Pin It


Kate has a lovely post on Pleasing Him- Who, What and How!   Serving your husband God's way. (from One Flesh Marriage)


A wonderful set of questions to help you shift gears in your day ~  The Importance of Crossing Daily Finish Lines  I'm so going to use this at the end of my "office hours." (from Michael Hyatt)


Be generous! Lori <><

March 3, 2012

What’s Right?

Filed under: from me — The Generous Wife @ 1:30 am

Quick!  Grab a pen and paper and write down five things that are right with your marriage.  

Over the weekend share the list with your husband and thank him for his part in making your marriage sweet.

Our wedding was many years ago.  The celebration continues to this day.   Gene Perret

Pin It


A wonderful encouragement from a guest blogger ~ From Sexual Destruction to Godly Freedom: One Woman’s Story (from Intimacy in Marriage)


Stu (of Stupendous Marriage) has a podcast Interview with Author Sheila Wray Gregoire.   There are still a few days left to get her new book at a discount!  The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex. (aff link) 


Be generous! Lori <><

Older Posts »






Powered by WordPress

Bad Behavior has blocked 12242 access attempts in the last 7 days.

© 2001-2012 Daily Generous Wife Tips All Rights Reserved