Give your husband an all over massage. There is something really incredible about this kind of touch. It says "I love you," "you turn me on," and "I want to bless you" all at the same time.
Buy some massage oil and warm it (just let it float in a bowl of hot water for a bit). Have him lay face down on a large towel. Rub all the tiredness and soreness out of his muscles starting at the neck and shoulders and working down to his feet. Then have him roll over and work your way back up the front. Finish by stroking his genitals as foreplay to warm relaxed lovemaking.
His hands are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is carved ivory inlaid with sapphires. His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of fine gold ... This is my beloved. Song of Songs 5:14-16 NKJV
Be generous! Lori <><
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982
|by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
I bought a plate awhile back that says "You are special today" around the rim. We actually use it quite a lot. You are supposed to pull it out on birthdays and special days, but I find that folks need to know they are special more often than that. If someone has had a rough day, they are likely to find it at their place setting. Guests are pretty special as well. And, of course, that is the "just because" reason.
I highly recommend the "special" plate, but you could get creative and make your own or just buy an outrageously pretty plate and make that your family's special plate.
Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Margaret Cousins
(A special thank you to all who add comments on the blog. Your ideas and thoughtful words add so much to the tips. Bless you.)
Be generous! Lori <><
My husband and I had dinner with friends that we haven't seen in a couple of years. It was so good to see that they were still happily married, had great kids, were surviving financially and had a solid place in a gathering of believers. I couldn't have asked for better for them.
I am reminded again how important it is to have friends and encourage each other in your marriage relationship. I think of the times that we spent with these friends and I know that we sowed a lot of good stuff in each others lives that is now bearing fruit. I feel blessed down to my toes.
Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed. Robert H. Schuller
Be generous! Lori <><
When your husband is sitting with his back to you, sneak up and give him a kiss on the back of his neck.
Now a soft kiss - Aye, by the kiss, I vow an endless bliss. John Keats
Be generous! Lori <><
Sometimes when I listen to the news I am discouraged by all the bad news. I wonder, however, if I am not guilty of being a "bad news bearer" when my husband walks in the door. Do I barrage him with all the bad news of my day or do I make his homecoming a welcoming, peaceful experience?
So as a tip for today, when your husband arrives home, listen to yourself and begin to replace bad news with pleasant words and good news. Unless it is an absolute emergency, wait for a good time to address any challenging issues.
Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25 NAS
Be generous! Lori <><
Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
From time to time, my husband and I email little bits of things to each other. It might be a link to a funny utube or it might be a link to an interesting article. Occasionally it's a good quote or a little love note.
The idea is to connect to your sweetie by email. Share your world and learn from his world.
Inspiration is the gift of those who have experienced life at its most defined moments. Sasha Azevedo
Be generous! Lori <><
Pray for a sense of play, humor and fun in your marriage. Being serious all the time makes everyone a bit cranky, so ask the Lord to infuse your marriage with fun and laughter.
Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it. Henry Ward Beecher
Be generous! Lori <><
From time to time I get an email from someone who feels they don't have the time to implement many of the tips (it's especially tough for moms of little ones). Realize that the generous tips are designed to give you a pool of ideas to use. If you cannot do the exact tip, give it a bit of thought to see if you can alter the tip to work for you (some seasons of life require more creativity than others). You don't have to do all the tips. They are there to inspire you in finding creative ways to bless your husband.
Having a day in the buff with your husband may not be possible, but making the bedroom a no clothes zone might be (hang a robe by the door). Going out to dinner may be nearly impossible, but sharing a late night snack after the kids are down is doable. Take the theme of the tip and see how it can be shaped to work for you.
If you have little ones, I encourage you to develop a set bedtime that is early enough to give you and your husband some couple time in the evening. Swap babysitting with another mom (and those of you with grown children might pray about offering to babysit for a young mother so that she can have some time with her husband, what a precious gift to offer another woman).
The other thing to consider (and this is for all of us) is that, generally speaking, we are all too busy. It may be time to carefully consider your obligations and choices and simplify life a bit so that you have more time for relationships, especially time for your husband. It's a personal call, but keep in mind that a relationship is generally as strong as the amount of effort and time that you put into it. Nourish your marriage.
The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. Hans Hoffman
Be generous! Lori <><
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