complete him challenge - post #4

ADMIRE YOUR HUSBAND
What do you admire most about your husband?

Whether you're participating in the Complete Him Summer Challenge on your own blog or not, it can't hurt for you to take a minute or two and ponder the things you like best about the most important man in your life...

Last year, I was going through a really rough patch. And, while it has always been our marriage policy not to whine about each other to outsiders, at this moment I was venting to a friend about my husband. (Hey, I'm not proud of it, but I'm being real here.) I was so frustrated, so my friend asked me straight out: "Tell me the worst thing you can think of about him!" I went on for a minute about socks left on the bedroom floor, and shoes scattered occasionally in front of the garage door, and... and...

"There are women getting beaten, and being verbally or mentally or physically abused all over the world," my friend said, "And you are in a snit over dirty socks?!? You should be ashamed of yourself! Go count your blessings that you are married to a godly man who loves you."

And so I was duly chastised. Then my friend made me recite some of my favorite things about my husband. It was a great little exercise, which I highly recommend. Here's a few of those things:

• He's punctual. Often early, almost always on time, rarely ever late. It inspires my trust!
• In 7.5 years of marriage, I can count on one hand the times I've had to actually ASK him to take out the trash. Most of the time it just magically disappears when the trash can is full. 
• He's learned to fix things. Even though he didn't have a dad to teach him, he figures out how to make stuff work. 
• He swapped nights with me when the baby was born - for months! No way you can't love a man who shoulders his part of the parenting load!
• He has a great singing voice. 
• He's a really great preacher. I can't imagine having to find something nice to say every weekend if I couldn't stand to hear my PH preach! Fortunately, he makes it easy...
• He spends lots of time on his knees. When things get tough, he goes to God, and I admire that deeply.
• He's doggone funny. He unwinds my "uptight" and makes me laugh, and he's spontaneous and happy without being unreliable - a hard balance to strike!
• I could go on... but I don't want him to get a big head... Just kidding...

Your turn! What are some of your favorite things about your PH?

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complete him challenge - post #3

THIS WEEK:
Don't forget to ask your husband every morning how you can pray for him that day.
Bonus: Fast and pray for him one day this week.

Leave a comment to let us know how it's going!

© CLUTCH, 2010 unless otherwise sourced.
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complete him challenge - post #2

THE DAY WE TOOK THE VOW

Like many other good old-fashioned pastoral couples, we got married the same week we graduated from college. Talk about pressure...

We'd dated 11 months, been engaged for 3, and knew unequivocally that God had brought us together for the purpose of marriage and ministry. He had made it unavoidably clear, after we had each been on a no-dating vow for the past 2.5 years.

So when we set our wedding date, we decided to take advantage of both families coming into town for our graduation ceremonies, and get married too - on a Tuesday night, in a prayer garden on our college campus.


The whole weekend it poured rain. Not nice little sprinkles. Buckets. Cats and dogs. Tropical-style. We had planned our wedding on a $1500 budget (including the dress and refreshments), and we spent a lot of time praying that the rain would go away in time for our outdoor ceremony. There was no budget for a Plan B!


Monday, the day of the rehearsal, dawned crisp and clear. Tuesday, the rain held again. The weekend's monsoon (in southern Tennessee) had made the entire garden a rainbow of brilliant, vibrant shades of green. More than 180 guests joined us, my sister sang a beautiful song, I cried straight through my vows and was thankful when the officiant magically produced a copy for me to read from his Bible. We were pronounced "husband and wife and you may now kiss the bride."

Other friends took 14 rolls of photographs, hoping we'd have enough to get a few good ones. (Nothing like the 3500 digital frames I shot in one day as a wedding photographer a few weeks ago!)


We left for a relaxing beach honeymoon in Florida, and it rained for the next 10 days, until we returned to pack up our furniture and move several states north to attend Seminary.


It was simple, elegant, inexpensive, and pretty much nothing like most of the weddings I've been to before or since. We owned one car, given to us for free, and the combined contents of his dorm room and mine, with a couple pieces of furniture that someone else had been throwing away and gave to us instead.

Life was less complicated, although we didn't realize it. Sweet, trusting in God to provide the next thing, and most of all - absolutely certain that we belonged together. And that part hasn't changed!

© CLUTCH, 2010 unless otherwise sourced.
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complete him challenge - post #1

DATING DAYS - WHAT'S GOTTEN LOST IN THE SHUFFLE?

When Mr Handsome and I started dating, we took a lot of walks together. On these walks we talked.

A lot.

We talked about life. About our childhoods and families. We talked about values, dreams, hopes. We shared our individual visions for future ministry. We compared notes on classes and philosophies and observations. Some conversations were trivial, full of laughter. Others were deep and intense - where we learned that we occasionally disagreed on things, but we could still love and appreciate each other.

>>>>>>>>>>(This is us, when we'd been dating about a month, more photos in later posts.)

We belonged to that rare breed of dating college couple who chose not to engage in physical affection until we knew that God intended us to marry - our first kiss came 8 months after we started dating! And we saved the rest for marriage. So conversation was where we put our interactive energy.

As a result, by the time we got to the altar - we knew each other WELL.

These days, we don't talk as much, and I miss it. Of course part of that is because, after 7 years of marriage, there isn't quite as much to explore in each other that we don't already know. We move in synchronization more often than not, instinctively knowing what the other one thinks most of the time. But I still miss that constant give and take of discussion.

What do YOU miss from your dating days with your personal pastor?

© CLUTCH, 2010 unless otherwise sourced.
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"complete him" challenge...

So girls, I came across this challenge and decided that I'm doing it! Want to join me in making our husbands feel loved and amazing this summer?

There's a challenge for each week from June 7th to August 9th. Watch the video below, and if you decide to join, you can link up on Courtney's page and post the Challenge button on your own blog.




Leave a comment if you're going to join! 

© CLUTCH, 2010 unless otherwise sourced.
Use allowed by express written permission only.
Tweets, trackbacks, and link sharing encouraged.

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