Five Years and First Steps

Five years ago, Josh and I set out on a new adventure, together.

We've lived in Chicago, we've lived in Nanchang and we've lived in Dallas.  We've been through exciting times together, scary times together, hilarious times together, stretching times together, sweet times together, and painful times together.

We've created a million happy memories.

We've both taught each other a lot...about ourselves, about God, about love, about forgiveness, about grace.

Five years ago today, God blessed me with a man who is ridiculously smart, gentle, adventurous, opinionated, funny, and kind.

God blessed me with a man who is just right for me.

I would marry him all over again today if I could...I love him more today than I did five years ago!  I can't wait to see what the next five years bring.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Josh!  I love you!

Today, on our 5th anniversary, we are already embarking on another adventure.

It's called WALKING!!

Check it out, folks! :)

Gripes Be Gone!

Did anyone happen to notice the grape-colored rubber bracelet I was wearing in last weekend's FLOPPED challenge??

I've been wearing it all week.

Last Saturday we had a student wives seminar and luncheon here at the seminary and Linda Dillow, author of Calm My Anxious Heart, Creative Counterpart and several other books, was our guest speaker. 

She was terrific.  She challenged us to be wives who bring honor to God and joy to our marriages by the way we treat our husbands.

And she was sweet enough to give each of us a copy of her brand new book, What's it Like to be Married to Me? And Other Dangerous Questions:

(Yeah those are my V-Day flowers from Josh...
aren't they gorgeous?!)

I've only read the first two chapters but so far I think it's my favorite of her books that I've read.

Anyway, part-way into the first hour of the seminar, Linda pulled out some baskets containing these bracelets and passed one to each woman there. 

I have to be honest.  When I first saw the bracelets I thought they were a little hokey.  Did she really expect us to wear these things?    

Gripes be gone?   It sounded to me like a ShamWow or Oxy Clean infomercial.  Stains be gone!  Spills be gone!  Gripes be gone! 

And I wasn't even exactly sure what "gripe" meant.  Does anyone ever use that word any more? 

Linda proceeded to give us a challenge...to wear the bracelet for 21 days.  Every time we complain out loud, or whine, or nag our husbands, we are supposed to take the bracelet off one arm and put it on the other. 

The whole point is to make ourselves more aware of negative words that come out of our mouths so that we can learn to bite our tongues and pour out our complaints (which are often very valid) to God rather than dumping them all on our husbands. 

It's about replacing the griping with gratitude.

gripe  (grp)

v. griped, grip·ing, gripes

v.intr.

1. Informal To complain naggingly or petulantly; grumble.

According to Linda Dillow, one of the (if not the) top things that discourage, hurt and annoy husbands is hearing their wives complain, whine and nag. 

I did a little research of my own to see if this is true (ahem).  And yes, Josh would have to agree.

Me?  A griper?  No way!

Like I said, I've been wearing the bracelet all week. 

I've switched it back and forth more times than I can count and also bit my tongue more times than I count so that I wouldn't have to switch it (which is the whole point, yay!). 

I was skeptical and cynical in the beginning, but now I think everyone should have a grape gripe bracelet. 

It's really showed me how much I whine, and complain, and nag.  It's shown me when I am especially prone toward griping.  It has definitely forced my brain to think about my words before they come out. 

I've even decided that GRIPE is the perfect word for this challenge, even though no one uses it any more.  Because it's not just complaining, it's not just whining, it's not just groaning, it's not just dramatically sighing, it's not just nagging...it's all of the above.  It's griping.

It's not a magic bracelet, but it has made for an excellent exercise for my brain and my tongue. 

So go to your jewelry box, take out an old bracelet that you never wear, and take the 21-day GRIPES BE GONE! challenge.  You (and your husband) will be happy you did.

Let your speech always be with grace, 

as though seasoned with salt, 

so that you will know how you should respond to each person.  

Colossians 4:6

A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day.

Proverbs 27:15

She opens her mouth in wisdom, 

And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Proverbs 31:26