Personal inventory......

I love that song by Michael W. Smith "I'm coming back to the heart of worship". What I like the most about that song is when he sings...

You're looking into my heart......looking into my heart.......

Wow think about it for a minute.....Jesus......Looking into your heart....

If we all got real for a minute and really meditated on that line & took time to think about what is in our heart. What is in there when no one is around no one is looking what are those things that are deep within us?

Around this time of the year I always think about goals I had coming into that year. Was I successful after those or not? Did I make the best use of my year or is there room to do better in the next year....if yes then how....

Every good business takes inventory of their merchandise so they know what they have. Shouldn't we do the same thing in our life?

Questions to think about

God: Am I......

Actively choosing God and His ways at every decision, word, moment, thought and step each day?

Consistent in my quiet time?

Daily spending time with God in prayer and Bible reading?

Husband: Am I.......

Praying for him DAILY?

Being a help meet to him?

Preparing for my husband daily?

Spending time with him?

Positively responding to him?

Noticing, regarding, honoring, preferring, esteeming, praising, admiring and loving him?

Bending or bucking with submission?

Being predictably happy?

Giving away to others what I haven't given first away at home?

Children: Am I.....

Spending quality time with them?

Praying with them daily?

Teaching them to follow God by my words and actions?

Home: Am I managing my home effectively. ....

with finances and budgeting?

with housecleaning?

(Managing it instead of it managing me?)

with planning meals and shopping wisely?

by taking care of needs at home?

Others: Am I......

Loving others correctly?

Serving others?

Preferring others?

Self: Am I......

Growing in my walk with God?

Eating properly and exercising?

Making sure I am healthy and give myself rest when needed so I can be what my family needs?

You see I don't think that I am perfect. I wish I could say I could put a big check mark by all of these questions as though I have done them all. But you know what I am just like you a normal person with real issues and real life comes along the way and distracts us. That is why it is so important that we look inward to our self and see what we can do better. Being a good mom and wife is a process not an overnight thing. It is a daily journey with lots of mistakes along the way!

Marriage 101

One thing that the Lord has always blessed me with is an amazing marriage...Bryan and I have such a wonderful marriage. Sure we have our arguments, but at the end of the day he is the cheese to my macaroni.

One thing I do a lot of is marriage counseling. It seems that we have a way of finding people with their marriage on the rocks. It doesn't take long and we work with them and they see their life completely changed. I have seen marriages where it looked hopeless; it looked like there was no way to make it better. Somehow God has turned it around EVERY time. Never have we counseled someone and it not work out. God is so good!!

So with that said I got to thinking I bet there is a lot of you guys that feel this way. Like there is no way your marriage could ever work. Maybe it isn't that bad, but you feel like living daily life with your mate is total torture. Maybe you are just saying well....we could always have some improvement.

This is what I am going to do. For the next few posts I am going to walk you through what makes a great marriage. I think we will all enjoy this process together!! You ready?

STEP 1: Let your words be sweet, because one day you might have to eat them!!

One thing I have noticed about us ladies is that once we get married we tend to get very critical about lots of things. I hear women constantly getting on to their husband for this or for that. Remember when you were dating? It wasn't ever this way! You were encouraging and would tell him how great he was at everything. We need to be our hubby's best support in this life. We should be there giving him all the reasons why he can accomplish something. I know some of you are rolling your eyes saying "You don't know my husband". At first for some ladies this is the hardest step, because they have gotten in a complaint cycle. So try really hard to compliment your hubby 4 times a day. Even if it is just something small like.....thanks for mowing the grass, thanks for putting your plate in the sink, thanks for putting your toothbrush up. Find the small things and brag on them. It won't be long and the good things that he does for you will begin to compliment. All people want to hear how great they are doing at something....same is true for our hubbys.....

Step 2: Date your husband

Remember when you were dating? You would giggle at every joke, put on something nice when you would see him, do anything just to be by him? Why shouldn't you still be like that? When we get married there is this thing in some people's heads that they don't have to "try" anymore to keep their significant other. Not true. Your marriage will be as good as you make it be! It takes work! I want you girls to take off those sweat pants before your hubby comes home from work. Put on something nice even a little lip gloss or a pair of heels. Don't worry about getting so much done, instead just sit and cuddle with him on the couch. Loving actions produce loving feelings. I promise this will spark the romance in him and you when you start doing that.

So that is the first two steps to having a great marriage. Try them I promise they will work! Leave me a comment and let me know how it is working for ya! I am not telling you chiks anything I don't do myself, and have learned the hard way.