Have you ever heard the acronym SHMILY? It stands for See How Much I Love You. Eric recently talked to a gentleman who plays the SHMILY game with his wife. The rules are simple: you simply write SHMILY on a notecard, greeting card, napkin, or anything you wish and hide it in a spot for your sweetheart to find. Maybe your boyfriend goes to the gym every day after work. Tape a notecard with SHMILY written in happy letters to his post-workout power bar. How excited would your girlfriend be to find a SHMILY under the windshield wiper when she got in her car for work tomorrow morning?! This game … [Read more...]
Guys, have you ever asked, “Why Won’t She Pursue Me?”
A few years ago, I recall having a conversation with a male friend about a new girl he liked. I asked him, “Why don’t you ask her out?” and he responded, “I figured if she liked me, she’d let me know.” His reply perplexed me then, but now such comments simply make me shake my head. No, she probably won’t let you know. She may be friendly. She may smile a lot in your presence. She may even go out of her way to be in your general path; but, she’s not likely to let you know she likes you unless she’s desperate or “liberated.” Women want (no, make that need) to be pursued. God created women to … [Read more...]
How to Get Others to Respect Your Man
Maybe you’re thinking, “Really… another blog about respect?” If so, please bear with me. ~smile~ Lack of respect for men in our culture is an ongoing issue that eats at me. When I watch television and see another father being treated like an idiot, it gets under my skin. When I spend time with women who find it hilarious to make fun of their husbands or fathers, I have to hold my tongue. So many women want their husbands to rise up and be men, but they treat their men like fools. How many people do you know that thrive when they are constantly beaten down? There may be some, but I haven’t met … [Read more...]
Feelings of Love Don’t Matter
Loving your future spouse sounds like a no brainer, doesn't it? Don't we all think, "Well, of course I'll love my spouse when we get married." We tend to equate love with a feeling, thus changing our expectation to, "Well, of course I'll have loving feelings for my spouse when we get married." Loving feelings are great. The problem with your feelings is that your spouse won't feel your feelings and therefore may not understand how much you care. Because of this, it is important to love each other tangibly. Some of you are probably already familiar with Gary Chapman's book The Five Love … [Read more...]
Happy Anniversary, Eric! (or, Reasons Why I Respect my Husband)
Let me just take a moment and tell you all how much I adore my husband. He is so strong in the areas I am weak. It never ceases to amaze me how he can handle conflicts with a calm, cool, and collected head when I would be crying or beside myself with frustration. For all the times I have been frustrated with him for not being more emotional, I sure am sorry. His gift for being grounded and level headed during difficult times is a blessing to my life. When I am in the midst of an emotional day, whether there is a good reason for it or not, he has a way of helping me see the big picture. One … [Read more...]