Click here to read yesterday's brain dump.
Click here to read Kevin's brain dumps.
b. Marty got groomed today, and looks cool again with his new haircut. Poor thing has a runny nose and watery eyes. We think it may be allergies.
c. The family played the game Clue tonight. It took Kevin nearly half the game to figure out exactly what he was supposed to be doing. Max won! It was fun playing a board game with my family.
d. As a family, we are reading through Pilgrim's progress together. Two of the characters, Christian & Pliable, fell into the Slough of Despond while on their journey to the City of Gold (heaven). After falling into the mud & encountering a challenge, Pliable left Christian and turned his back on the journey. Despite falling into the mud, Christian kept pursuing the path to his destination. This part of the story encouraged me to keep pursuing the path God has us on, and to refrain from turning back. There where days when it would have been so easy to just head back to NC, but we refused to turn back, unlike Pliable in the story.
e, Since Kevin had business to attend to in Waco today, we spent a large part of the day away from each other. But, y'all when he returned it was on! I had to convert to "respect my buddy" mode. There were a few times I cringed on the inside due to that internal struggle. I believe I did a good job (you'll have to ask Kevin what he thinks).
f. Reading Ephesians 5:33 in the Amplified translation really helped me see how far off the path I had drifted from respecting Kevin. It states: and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].
g. I have a wonderful husband, but like all of us, he's far from being perfect in any area of his life. Even in those times when it's completely obvious that he's fallen short, I'm given the charge to RESPECT. Sometimes I wish there were prerequisites, but there aren't. So regardless of Kevin's actions, I have my script (my part) already written out.
h. I realized today that if I'd start back praying more intently for my husband, instead of the ritual prayers ("Lord bless him, bless his day, protect him and keep him safe"), maybe - just maybe - my attitude about deferring to him, noticing him, preferring him, and admiring him exceedingly would change. As a matter of fact it will change.
i. The challenge is on ladies: Let's respect the man God has given us ... the man we have chosen ... the man our children call dad.
j. For me respecting Kevin looks like acknowledging his return when we've been apart, speaking to him in a gentle tone, giving him my undivided attention when he wants to talk, not interrupting him when he speaks, affirming him in his areas of strength, etc. This is just the beginning of my list :)
k. For some reason it has been difficult to verbally affirm Kevin although in my head I think he is one amazingly talented guy. So with God's help, I'm going to focus on verbalizing those positive thoughts and build up my man. Why not? Wouldn't I benefit from it, too?!?
l. Since I know he's reading this, Kevin - you are one talented guy! Even if you couldn't do all the amazing things that you can do, I would still love you! I love you because of you, and not because of what you can do (although that sure is icing on the cake).
m. Today's highlight was hearing Kevin tell me he could see a huge difference in how I related to him today.
Cetelia will bloom where she has been planted.
