No Regrets

For so many years, my husband has worked all but one weekend a month.  He lost his job in October and started a new job in November.  Having him home every single weekend is WONDERFUL.  When he was home only one Saturday a month we tried to cram all of our fun things, family events, and major chores into one day.  It was hard and stressful.  We would find our nerves on edge most of the day.  We would not sleep in or lay around and relax on those Saturday mornings, because we felt the clock ticking down toward the end of our only Saturday.  

This morning, we slept in and cuddled.  During the work week we have to be up at 5:30am and we are in the bed by 9:30pm.  I guess, sleeping in until 8:30am does feel like a late morning when you get 3 hours of extra sleep.  I went downstairs and brought back breakfast and coffee.  We propped up on our pillows and enjoyed breakfast and coffee while chatting about our week.  We talked about the week ahead and just enjoyed our time...not rushed and not stressed.

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I had a friend become a widow the week after Christmas.  She is in her mid 30's and her husband was 39.  I have been VERY convicted about my words and actions toward my husband since hearing that news.  I have been made painfully aware of the fact that we are not promised tomorrow and, truthfully, we are not promised the next minute.  I don't want to have regrets in any relationship, but especially in my marriage.  I don't want my husband spending his time at work with a knot in his throat because of me, my attitude, my words, or my actions.  I don't want him waking up with a sense of dread because of me.  I want him to look forward to being around me.  I am blessed to be married to a man who makes certain to appreciate me and to voice that appreciation.  In 20 years with him, I have learned a lot from him about how to treat others.  We talked this morning about how neither of us want regrets if something was to happen to either of us.  We want our marriage to be a joy and not a regret.

I am grateful to have today to spend time with my husband, but I am aware that I need to take time each and every day to bless him, encourage him, and love him.  No regrets....that is my new motto in my marriage.

Blessed By My Husband's Ability to Fix Anything

We recently went on vacation and before coming home our car started making a strange noise.  My husand is really awesome at staying calm when things like that happen.  I tend to get upset and stress over things like that.  He was as calm as possible. I need to learn from from him. He does not immediately get anxious.  His first reaction is to stay calm, access the situation and pray.  He spent about 20 minutes taking a belt off of the engine and listening to the engine.  He admited later that he had thought it was something seriously wrong with the transmission.  It ended up being something wrong with a pulley.  It had the potential to lock the motor down but he only told me that after we safely arrived home.  Once we were home he priced the part that he needed to repair the car.  The next day he spent several hours replacing the part and now my car is quieter than ever.  I asked him how much he thought the repair would have cost us if we had taken it somewhere and he said around $300-$350.  Our cost $14 + his time!!!  He is such a blessing in so many ways, but I truly am blessed by his ability to fix anything.  Where is he right this minute?  Showing our son how to put a water pump on our son's truck.  Yes, our son and I were on the side of the road yesterday with his truck smoking, smelling, and leaking.  I called my husband only for him to say, "Whatever it is, I can fix it!"  Praise the Lord!!!

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Philippians 4:6