The Generous Wife

My daughter-in-law has the prettiest tattoos. They look like henna. They’re soft and graceful. Very feminine.

I’ve often considered getting a tattoo, but my aversion to needles and the permanence of it generally places it in the “no” category for me.

That said there are other options for a little body art ~ henna, stickers, and waterproof markers to name a few (if you are the sensitive-skin type you may want to do a small test on your skin before you get too creative).

For a little fun with your husband, put a bit of art where he can see it and tell him there is more. There’s a treasure hunt in his future and he can kiss anything he finds.

Not all treasure’s silver and gold, mate.  Jack Sparrow

♥ Prayer Prompt: Ask God to help you to enjoy and grow in your expressions of femininity.

♥ The Forgiven Wife: When You Need Help Getting in the Mood Three ways to nurture your desire throughout the day.

♥ If you are shopping online this weekend, please start on the Shop and Support TGW page. It won’t cost you a penny, but TGW will get a commission. (There is also a shopping link at the bottom of each The Generous Wife post.)

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(Originally posted on May 22, 2015.)

The other day I heard a couple get into a fight basically because they kept interrupting each other (not because there was an area of disagreement). My perspective was they felt disrespected and reacted badly.

This is such an easy fix.

Wait for the pause.

In conversation slow down, take the time to listen, and wait for your spouse to pause before you begin to speak.

When you take the time to listen to another, you win their heart. Then when you speak, they are more open to what you have to say. It’s a total win/win for everyone.

Listening is a form of spiritual hospitality …  Henri Nouwen

♥ Prayer Prompt: Ask God to help you stay calm in conversation, to hear your husband’s heart, and to wait for the pause.

♥ Her View of Home: When Sex Is Used As a Bargaining Chip, No One Wins Treat your sex lives with respect and care.

♥ Kathi Lipp: How to Declutter Your Home Fast: 3 Clarifying Questions You Must Ask I like her understanding of decision fatigue and her solutions.

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The things that happen in the first part of your day tend to set the tone for the rest of the day. Same is true for hubby.

What can you do to plan for a pleasant morning? What sights or sounds? What words? A kiss or two?

Set a gracious tone for the day, for you and your husband.

Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have. Lemony Snicket

♥ Prayer Prompt: Ask God to help you make your mornings a sweet time for you and your man.

♥ I’m an Organizing Junkie: Need More Storage Space? Consider This Before Deciding to Love Your Home or List It Learn to organize and declutter like a boss.

♥ I am the Sex Talk Lady: Why You Should Kiss Your Spouse Every Day Strengthen your sense of affection with this simple habit.

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Awhile back I talked about goals being tools, not rules. Goals can direct and shape what you do, but they shouldn’t own you.

Well, here’s another example (from my list of personal goals).

♥ Goal #1b – Read from my daily devotional – A Year with God.

I enjoy having a devotional and this one is amazingly good. However, a publisher recently sent me a copy of Find Rest by Shaunti Feldhahn and I can’t put it down.

It’s a 60-day devotional that speaks to my heart and addresses my search to reduce stress in my life. Each day has a fairly short reading, a few thoughts for reflection, and a place to take notes. It’s a hardback with a ribbon bookmark (though it’s available in Kindle format too). The author frames each day’s reading around one of eight different themes/elements, all leading to a lighter load and a peaceful heart.

I confess I’ve nearly read the entire book. When I’m done with it, I hope to go through it again one devotional a day. (A Year with God gets put on hold for awhile. Goals are tools, not rules.)

I think the thing I love most about the book is she helps you look at heart attitudes. You wind up in all the nooks and crannies of your life looking for those things that add stress to your life.

It’s God’s gift to me for my quiet time reading (and for my life, my sanity, my marriage …).

And because I like sharing good things (and because the publisher offered me an extra copy <happy dance>), I’m going to have a giveaway.

Please share your favorite summer activity as a comment to this post and on Friday (May 25th), I’ll pick a random number and the poster in that spot will win the extra copy of Find Rest.

This devotional is more than just a “time out” or a moment of peace in a beautiful garden of inspiration each day. It is a series of simple but crucial moments that, if you truly enter into them, will lead you to find rest in your “inner soul” – a place of true, Christ-centered peace, no matter where the daily pinball game sends you.  Shaunti Feldhahn

♥ Prayer Prompt: Ask God to show you those places where you are carrying a load that is not yours to carry.

♥ Love Hope Adventure: Big Jewelry Makes Great Lingerie What a playful idea!

♥ Home Storage Solutions 101: Why & How To Create A Tickler File Remind yourself to do all those little tasks.

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It’s important to tell yourself “don’t do” about those things that are hurtful. But if all you say is “don’t do” you’ve left yourself only half prepared to deal with the problem.

You also need to say, “Do.”

♥ Don’t talk trash about your husband. Do speak kindly and respectfully.
♥ Don’t reminisce about your old boyfriend. Do think about the fun you had at the park with your husband yesterday.
♥ Don’t get down on yourself all the time. Do remind yourself of who you are in Christ.

Where you focus is typically where you end up. If you focus on the “don’t do’s” you’ll lock your attention there. If you say “don’t do” and then move on to what you want to “do” instead, you’ve given yourself a new and positive focus.

When you find your self-talk full of “don’t do’s” ask yourself how you can restate them as a “do.”

When you focus on what you want, everything else falls away.  Author Unknown

♥ Prayer Prompt: Ask God to help you move from “don’t do” to “do.”

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