We are taking applications to lease this spacious 3 or 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom home located in a quiet neighborhood in Oklahoma City. Very large rooms, built-ins, fully carpeted, 2 car garage with opener, fully fenced back yard, refinished concrete floor in kitchen.
Available May 1, $1225 mo/ $500 deposit, 12 month lease, no smoking inside
3216 NW 35
Call Dirk Meadows, (405) 620-5870 for more information.
Saturday, Dirk and I had the opportunity to share during three breakout sessions during a marriage seminar. This is the hand-out Dirk compiled for the men. Have any more thoughts or suggestions to add? Wives, your input is encouraged too!
For the Men
LOVE your wife…with actions and words. Ex: open her car door, praying, reading your Bible, tithe, help put the children to bed.
Be the head…not the tail! (or the butt) Spiritually lead her!
Tell her she’s beautiful.
Listen better….turn off the TV or gaming system.
Write love notes
Bring small gifts…it really is the thought that counts!
Give her longer kisses…not just the peck on your way out the door.
Leave work at work.
Continue to pursue her…even though you’ve already caught her.
Hold her hand.
E-mail and text her
Take her on surprise dates
Take care of the cars
Finish those home repair projects (or hire someone to finish them)
Read your Bible and pray out loud for your family
Give her lots of cuddle time
Be her best friend
Tell her you love her often….and tell her why.
Share your dreams with her: Family Vision
What are your thoughts?
This week Dirk and I are focused on material for sharing at an upcoming marriage seminar. This is a previous post from March, 2008. Share your thoughts?
In the message, Craig Groschel says that the Church has emasculated our men, our warriors. I totally agree, but I think we women have had a lot to do with that. Even emasculating our own husbands.
We train them to put the seat DOWN after they use the toilet.
We purchase hair removal products, “encourage” them to pluck their eyebrows, and talk about the “disgusting rugs” on their backs.
We invite them into our frilly, pink, lacy bedrooms (or living rooms—hey! I’ve seen some!)
We relegate “their stuff” (hunting trophies, pictures of the guys, military things) into the garage, their bathroom, the closet.
We “encourage” them to speak nicely (translated: “act like me, a mommy”) to our children, even when they have misbehaved. “Honey, you’ll hurt their little feelings”.
.
I don’t know about you, but if the tables were turned, and my guy expected me to be like him….well,…..it makes you think.
Maybe some of us shouldn’t wonder why when he:
Shuts down
Quits trying
Doesn’t want to be at home
Won’t go to church with us
Craig encouraged us girls to be Warrior Princesses, to stand by our Warriors . I’m thinkin’ there are a lot of us that just want to be The Princess, or maybe The King.
Dirk and I have been invited to participate in a break-out session as part of a marriage conference next weekend. The subject we were requested to share about:
COMMUNICATION
I’ll be sharing some thoughts this week from our preparation.
Our relational discussions really don’t have to end up in a blow-out fight if we have some guidelines and boundaries in place. Then we can be in control of the argument, rather than the argument controlling us.
Here is a hand-out we are working on.
Believe your mate has your best interest at heart
Listen. Ask yourself, “Is there any truth to this?”
See the discussion as an opportunity for understanding rather than for winning.
Remove sarcasm, cynicism, and anger from your words and tone.
Stay on topic.
See the issue as “our” issue, not “his” or “her” issue
Keep the discussion only between you and your mate
Take responsibility for yourself and your actions
Recognize your limits. If things are heating up, agree to a time-out.
Finish the discussion. Don’t leave it open-ended.
Forgive
See your mate as the adversary
Belittle, insult, call names or use abusive language
Label or compare (“You are so ________” or You are just like your _________”)
Try to have the last word
Shut down and use the silent treatment
Put up defenses and retaliate verbally
Tear down the other’s character and personality. Keep it about behavior.
Use the D word (divorce)
Threaten, yell, scream, slam doors or throw, hit or break things
Walk away or leave the house (except for an agreed upon time-out)
Bring up the past or former unresolved discussions
Blame or make accusations
Generalize – “You always”, “You never”, “Can’t you just…?”, “You are so…”
Make assumptions about what you think your mate is saying. Ask direct questions.
——————————————————
What do you think? Any additions or suggestions?
Can these guidelines help to control the argument rather than it controlling us?
It has the power to save our souls. James 1:21
It is our life. Deuteronomy 32:47 ; Psalm 119:37 ; Proverbs 4:4
It is Truth we can trust. Psalm 33:3 ; John 17:17
It keeps us from sin. Psalm 119:11
It revives and encourages us. Psalm 119:25 ; Psalm 119:28
It is eternal. Psalm 119:89 ; Isaiah 40:8; Isaiah 59:21 ; Matthew 24:35
It is our guide. Psalm 119:105
It is a source of hope. Psalm 119:74 ; Psalm 119:81 ; Psalm 119:114
His Word is so much more than this! What is it to you?
Yep. Today is my birthday, and I’m now double-nickels (as my husband, Dirk says).
I’ve been around a pretty long while.
Since before
-Barbie dolls and hula hoops
-permanent press fabrics
-cassette and 8-track tapes (know what those are??)
-remote controls and portable phones
-home computers and hand-held calculators
-power steering & brakes
-Alaska and Hawaii were not even states
The year I was born
-automobiles were required to install seatbelts
-the first oral contraceptive was invented
-the first cans of Coke came out (they were in glass bottles only, before)
-the first McDonald’s and Disneyland was opened
-gasoline was .23 a gallon
“In God We Trust” was added to all US paper currency
You can laugh about all that now, but you’ll be thanking me when I can save you 10% at Ross on Tuesdays! Just saying.
A lot of people talk about serving and giving to others “out of the overflow”, speaking of the overflow of God’s presence and love.
I’ve been thinking about this for some time now.
I’m not sure we really serve or love from an overflow.
That idea conveys that we hang on to something, that we get “filled up” and that we can’t give if we’re not filled.
Maybe it’s only a matter of semantics, but I’m gaining a different perspective.
What if we think of ourselves as a conduit? A pipe. Open-ended. A conduit allows things to flow through from the a source. It never fills up…..it can’t overflow.
And, what if we see ourselves as connected to The Source….an open-ended pipe with an everlasting supply of Living Water flowing from our hearts and lives to those around us?
Then we’ll never be filled up. If we are, we’re hanging on to something that doesn’t even belong to us.
Love always gives, always serves. It isn’t selfish enough to stay inside, because….well, then, it isn’t truly love.
So, I’ll be singing some new words to that old tune, “Fill My Cup, Lord”…I know, “Fill My Pipe” just doesn’t have the same ring to it, but it works for me!
John 7:37-38– Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” NLT
What do you think? Does that idea give you a different perspective? Filled or flowing?
Belinda (a long time friend of ours) guessed right! The answer to “The Riddle” is simply (drumroll, please)………opening my car door for me. Always!
Here’s the funny thing. Dirk never guessed what the answer was until late last night! He guessed everything from his singing, patting me on the rear, (seriously? That attests to his character?) to telling me he loves me.
My girls (most of them) knew right away. But, my sons had a harder time guessing.
Which confirmed my original thought:
A lot of men don’t realize that it’s the little things that mean the most to us women. And often, we forget to tell you.
Sure, receiving gifts and flowers is always really nice gesture from our husbands. But nothing replaces the everyday things. Like when Dirk always puts himself between me and the traffic if we are walking near a street. Or when he empties the dishwasher, or makes the bed. Or makes sure there’s gas in my car.
I’m just saying, the best gifts most husbands can give their wives are FREE!
Do you wives agree? What are some of the “free” gifts your husbands give to you?
A little riddle for you today. If you really know us, you know the answer for sure. Let’s have a little fun and see if we get any guesses. If you do know, just say “I know!”
He’s done it ever since I first knew him, yet it’s never been an annoyance to me.
I’ve never tired of it, even once.
It still makes me smile, if not outwardly, deeply inside.
Yet, I never expect it.
It doesn’t matter if it’s day or night, sunny or pouring.
I never wonder if he’ll forget…he doesn’t.
It’s such a part of who he is. And this action spoke volumes to me of his character, even when we were just teens.
Though it’s nothing deeply spiritual, this one gesture makes me feel so loved and cared for. And proud to be his wife.
Have any guesses?
Most of the ManyMeadows
The Grands!
The Original Nine
Dirk and Robin
The Sisters
