Today I was re reading the SPRING season of a Marriage in the book The Four Seasons of Marriage by Gary Chapman that our couples group is studying.  I think in my mind that my marriage is often times in a SPRING season but really it is all depends on each persons perception of how our relationship makes us feel.  In a Spring season of marriage you should experience emotions such as excitement, joy, and hope, you will have attitudes of anticipation, optimism, gratitude, love, and trust and your actions will be nurturing, communicating, and planning.  So, there is a sense of excitement about your life together, your making plans and have great hopes for the future.  Anyway, as I was saying, I often think of my life with my husband in a season of spring because I feel so many of these things listed above but do I make it feel like spring to my husband???  Does he see my JOY, HOPE, EXCITEMENT, GRATITUDE....are my ACTIONS budding like a spring flower??  And most of all is he feeling JOY, HOPE, EXCITEMENT, GRATITUDE???  See even though I am in a SPRING season in my mind I need to nurture and help my husband SEE that and be there too.  The way that I can do that is by learning and focusing on his LOVE LANGUAGE!!! 

Now, for me, this is easier said than done.  I think about it, I know what I need to do and I DON'T.  I focus on my four kids and their needs and I give all my energy to what they need and I don't leave much extra for my husband.  In my mind I feel like we take time for each other each week having a date night and we work together as a team in all aspects of our kids lives, and household responsibilities but does that have anything to do with his love language??  So, I think it is more important to focus on what season we put our spouse in!!!

I am not suggesting that you get overly excited about something if that is not how God designed you to respond to things.  But we can all express gratitude, trying to be intentional about doing things that our spouse would appreciate, start making plans of how you want your marriage to be and be optimistic about getting there!!!

I am hoping that you can BRING IT HOME...and focus on taking steps to enter a season of SPRING in your marriage.

Please feel free to leave a comment and join us in the FOUR SEASONS of Marriage study..

Listening to GOD...

Can you hear me now.....if you haven't heard God in an audible way maybe you can use my experience as HEARING from God.  For several months I have felt GOD was showing me that I needed to FOCUS on my KIDS and MARRIAGE, and close some doors so others would open.  What greater blessing to HIM then to be the wife, mother, and daughter (his child) that he designed me to be.

I myself have never heard from God in an audible way but I have felt a tug or two...haha.  Well, God got my attention today.  I mentioned God was showing me, well at the time he was just bringing things to my attention to pay closer attention to with my children and my husband.  TODAY HE SHOWED ME.

This isn't going to be easy to put out there, but with my focus being on my family I just recently removed my youngest child from daycare to FOCUS on him.  He is a strong willed "blessing from God" which you will hear more about as you read on.  But with that decision comes a schedule change with work and a shift in how I will do things.

Normally, I would schedule my appointments on Tuesday and Thursdays but now I have my boys.  So, I thought, I will take them with me while I RUN IN to this property (for a staging consult) and they can watch a movie in the car.  SAFE, LOCKED in, I have the KEY..........BUT as I was finishing up with my 15 minute appointment I was in the kitchen of this home and I see my van SLOWING rolling down the driveway.  I said, "Is my van moving?" and started running out the door.  I snugged my way in the driveway along side this huge dumpster so I am running beside the dumpster and my van, as it is rolling down the driveway, jump in the car and quickly put my brakes on.  Really, this could have been a scene from a movie.....a horror story.

My five year old didn't even know what was happening and obviously my 3 year old (in a month) didn't know. 
After I left I TRIED to move the ignition while my van was in a PARKED position and it didn't budge, how my son got it to move is beyond me.  STRONG willed did I say.....

All I could think of is ok God, I HEAR YOU NOW!!!!  This got my attention, what seemed to be a scary event couldn't have ended up much worse. 

It is time to FOCUS on my family which means if I have my children I have no time for appointments.  Not even a quick RUN IN.  Maybe you have had a tug to do something different or stop doing something you have gotten in the habit of doing because it is just easier.  Have you been  HEARING FROM GOD? Are you listening??

Most of the time, doing was is easy, doesn't make it right.  

Does anyone else have an experience of a time they learned a lesson like me???  Is this something you could BRING HOME??