Reflections

First...the 30 Day Husband Appreciation Challenge.  I think the biggest change I've seen over the past week is my response to problems that arise.  I used to snap a lot, and get frustrated easily when things didn't get done in a certain time.  Lately though, I've been holding my tongue.  Yes, I do get upset inside, but after I think about not saying anything negative, the emotions subside and I realize it wasn't that big of a deal after all.  Case in point...just this evening my soon to be sister-in-law called to figure out some last minute details.  Their wedding is August 6, and both my husband and I are in the wedding.  She asked what time we'd be arriving since the rehearsal dinner depends on when we get there.  I realized Steve hadn't booked any tickets or our hotel room yet.  He had looked at flights a week or more ago, but never booked anything because he was waiting for his leave to get approved.  So I texted him and asked about this, with a little frustration on my part.  He responded that he's been busy with work (which he has been VERY busy getting qualifications done), so instead of harping on him, I kept the frustration to myself and said I understood he was busy and that I loved him.  He then asked me to call him at work, and lo and behold he had called the airlines 3 different times and gotten a pretty good deal on tickets.  HE CAME THROUGH!  YAY!  And that is why I love this challenge.  It has given me a new perspective.  One that I knew I needed to have, but didn't always say/do the right things in an encouraging and positive way.  I think my husband has seen a change too because he commented the other day about how happy I was, and that he likes coming home to a happy wife.  All it took was a shift in attitude for me, and I am grateful that I stumbled across this challenge...but I think Someone else was guiding my steps as well.

Second...church today was fantastic.  To think that I even considered heading to the lake with some friends and skipping church blows my mind after experiencing the worship I did this morning.  The worship team at our church is always different, so you never know who's going to be there on any given Sunday until you get there.  Today I am so glad I decided to wait to go to the beach til after church.  The group was one that has only been at our church once before, but I loved them and was excited to see them there again today.  They have drums and electric and bass guitars, so it's kind of a rocky feel and they play some of the faster paced worship songs.  They played 2 of their own songs, and then 3 of my favorites and 1 I've never heard before, but it was really good.  Mighty to Save, Glory to God, The Stand, and Forever Reign.  AMAZING!  The words in all of the those songs just spoke to my heart...I was on the verge of tears multiple times and had to just stop and listen and pray.  Here are just a few lines...

"Take my life and let it be all for You and for Your glory, take my life and let it be Yours" from Glory to God

"So I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned in awe of the One who gave it all.  So I'll stand my soul Lord to You surrendered, all I am is Yours" from The Stand

"So take me as you find me, all my fears and failures, fill my life again.  I give my life to follow everything i believe in, now I surrender" from Mighty to Save

But it didn't end with worship.  Our pastor started a new sermon series on the book of Ephesians...one of my favorites.  He's doing an expository type series, where we'll be digging in to the book a few verses at a time, taking as long as he wants to teach us and going where the Holy Spirit leads.  I'm kind of excited about this.  I've never been a part of a church quite like the one we've discovered here.  And I'm really starting to enjoy everything about it.  It's different, but different doesn't mean bad.  In this case, different is exactly what I need right now.

Third...I am so grateful for the people that God has placed in our lives here in Wisconsin.  Yes, I miss our families and friends in Michigan and Ohio, but we are blessed to have crossed paths with the Coast Guard families here.  I also feel a weight on my shoulders, seeing that I'm not sure of their faith backgrounds.  I've never been an outspoken person, I'm fairly shy when meeting new people, but I think I've found why God has us here in Wisconsin.  To spread His light and word to those who don't know...which that's what He always wants us to do.  Right now, I hope they see the example of Christ in me as I've spent a lot of time with them over the last 2 months.  I also think they're helping me come out of my shell as well, seeing that I have actually gone out and done various things with these new friends.  I am glad to call them my friends, and I excited to see how these new friendships develop over the next couple years.

I'm sure I could write more, but I'll save those thoughts for another day.

30 Day HAC Update

I meant to link up on Sunday, but Steve was home this weekend and we try to spend as much time together as possible when he's home, so I just didn't get a post in.  So here's a bit belated one...

This challenge is proving to be a bit harder than I originally thought it would.  Not because I'm having a hard time keeping out the negativity, but because I can't seem to let others know about the positives, and I feel that sometimes my only means of communication (a text to my husband) isn't very sincere.  But I'm trying...I just have to be more disciplined about it.  I know he likes hearing the encouraging things I have to say, and that it's very important for men to feel respected, so I hope that my words have let him see how much I respect and love him.

• Day 4 When we were in MI, I used to "dump" on my husband all the time.  I worked in a daycare/learning center and it was always hectic and busy and downright crazy some days.  I would get frustrated with him when he didn't get home at the same (or close to the same) time I did.  Especially if he was on a call and didn't let me know.  I don't want to say that it was the work environment because I know I should not have said/done some of the things I did, but now only working part-time things are much less hectic.  I am able to just listen to him when he gets home about stories from his last 48 hours.  I've praised him for all the hard work he's done in getting qualified quickly, and for being a good example to other guys at his station.  I also made him a 4th of July card today to let him know how proud I am of all the things he's accomplished in the last couple months.
• Day 5 I didn't do so well at this today.  I don't really talk to Steve's mom that much, but I'm certain both sides of our families know how much we love and cherish each other.  I will remember this in the future though, to tell each set of parents something my husband has done specifically well the next time I talk to them.
• Day 6 Today Steve was at the station again.  If he would have been home I would've had him get out his guitar and play some music.  Sometimes out of the blue he'll get the guitar out and play a worship song that's been stuck in his head, or one that he's wanted to play for awhile.  I love just sitting and listening to him, though I get the itch to play like he does, but I don't quite have it mastered yet.  In the end it's better that I just listen and we get to have our own little praise and worship time.  He actually has a lot of things he's very good at, and when other talk about how their husbands lack knowledge in certain areas, I can say that Steve is a pretty well rounded guy and knows a heck of a lot more about various things than I do.  Maybe these things are some of the positives I can talk about...I just don't want to sound like I'm bragging...
• Day 7 Again he was at the station...and this topic was one I definitely wanted to skip over.  I hate talking about finances.  I know this is horrible, that we need to talk about them, and it is the fault of neither one nor the other of us...this is a topic we need to work on together.
• Day 8 Another challenge that kind of got missed because I just assumed he knows how grateful I am to have a husband who knows and loves the Lord.  I realize that it is important to continue to thank him and the Lord for this blessing.  I think I might have to go back and do these challenges I've missed.
• Day 9  Today we had a date night.  We drove up north to eat at the Gibralter Grill.  On the drive up I let Steve do all the talking and I intently listened to him.  He likes to explain how things work, and often I just let him talk without really listening, but today I listened to every word about how boat propellers work and what happens when one gets "spun."  It was an enjoyable ride, and I liked hearing all his stories and explanations.  I know he appreciates when he can teach me something new...that's definitely a gift he has!
• Day 10 One of the things I appreciated most about Steve being gone for 8 weeks at boot camp was the letters.  He's always had a way with words, though writing not as much as speaking, and that is definitely one of the things that drew me to him.  Along with his encouragement and outgoing, fun loving personality.  The night things moved more towards boyfriend/girlfriend than just friends, he told me he wanted to pursue a relationship...and those were the exact words I wanted to hear.  I wanted to be pursued, I had given up trying to find the right guy to settle down with.  God definitely was working back then, and he still is now!

Don't know about the challenge?  Click the button to check it out!

Link Up 30 Day HAC

The thing about this challenge is that my husband works 48 hours on/48 off and every other weekend.  So he's not home every day of the week, therefore I don't get to talk to him either.  Texting is our way of communicating, but even that's difficult sometimes because cell service at the station isn't very good.  I now realize I'm going to have to work extra hard on the days he is home to say only positive things, to encourage him and show how much I appreciate him.
I wrote about my thoughts on this challenge the other day, but I'm going to reiterate them now for the link-up.  I try to be the respectful wife God wants me to be, but I understand that it's not easy.  I've been there, I've said too many negative things about my husband to others (though I've tried really hard to not talk bad about him), and I can easily get upset when he doesn't pitch in around the house, or take on the responsibilities I think he should.  That's not God's design for marriage.  He calls husbands to love and wives to respect.  I think
I am really liking this challenge for me; the way I have to force myself to keep not only my words positive, but my thoughts as well.  That is where Satan gets to me most, in my head.  And I have to call on God to help in those times.  With the 30 day HAC, I have a tool and reminder to fight off the devil each day in regards to appreciating my husband.
Steve has been working the past weekend, so I haven't done a whole lot in the way of the challenge.  Here's the breakdown though:

• DAY 1...I sent him a text to tell him how thankful I was that he chose me.  I don't know that I've ever communicated that to him, but I do tell him how thankful I am that God brought us together.  He doesn't know I'm doing this challenge (yet anyways), so he was a bit confused why I was telling him this all of a sudden.  
• DAY 2...I didn't get a chance to tell him today how much I appreciate his acts of service, but that is one thing I do quite often.  It's actually easy for me to do that because he has such a servant's heart.  That is one of the qualities that I caught my attention when we first met, and now it's one that I admire so much because he is serving his country right now in the Coast Guard.  I plan to make him a 4th of July card to thank him for his service both in the military and for our family.
• DAY 3...That's today, so of course I haven't had a chance to thank him for his kindness, but I do plan to when I talk to him later this evening.

I'm excited to see how God works through me in this challenge, because even though it's directed towards my husband, it's also so much more for me to become the wife God desires.  I'm also eager to see what He's doing for you in your 30 day challenge.  So go link up!