Day 3 of Love Dare

Love is the key

Now these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love

But the Greatest is Love

1Corinthians 13:13

Love is fundamental to the success of your marriage. Not your current feelings or romance or sexual satisfaction. Not a stronger financial standing or even your spouse's behavior. All these can circumstantially change, and they will. But when storms rise and conditions worsen, love-driven marriages endure and work through even the toughest issues without giving up.

When marriages crumble, couples often claim that it was due to their irreconcilable differences. But genuine love is a mast at reconciliation. When love takes over, it compels us to humbly apologize and take full responsibility for our failures, then to fully forgive where our spouse has failed us. Over and over again.

Resilient marriages are built on honesty, respect, commitment, forgiveness, and endurance. And love constantly inspires all of these things to grow and thrive within us. Though love reaches far beyond marriage, it is a God-given key to its success. You can strip away most of the pleasures you and your spouse hold together, but your marriage hinges on love.

This weeks Dare

Keep praying this week:"Lord teach me what real love is and make me a loving person."

Blog at you later.

Random Dozen

1. What is your favorite fair/carnival food?
Funnel cakes would have to be my favorite.

2. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
Not anymore. I did a deep clean out of my house and feel so much better.

3. What is your favorite gift to receive?
Jewelry or a hand made gift.

4. When was the last time you tried something new?
OMGosh I really don't know.

5. What is your favorite and least favorite book genre?Memoir, Mystery, Political Intrigue, Romance, Humor, Historical Fiction, Historical nonfiction, Chick Lit, Self-Help, Other
I like anything really that can keep my attention for the whole book. My favorite books so far is the Twilight Saga. But I like everything.

6.Silver or Gold?
Silver or White Gold. Not fond of Yellow Gold it makes me look pale.

7. What makes you sigh?
A true expression of love for one another. Like when you see an old couple who have been married for many many years walking around still holding hands.

8. If you didn't know how old you are, how old would you claim you are?
Lol 25.

9. Would you break a law to save a loved one? To protect a loved one?
To save a loved one maybe but protect them would have to depend on the situation. I know that's easy to say because I am not in that situation now so I don't know.

10. If you had to teach something, what would it be?
Probably something to do with art or crafts

11. You're having lunch with 3 people whom you respect and admire. They begin to criticize a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. What do you do?
First off defend the person and then let those three know that I respected and admired them until that moment. No one should put anyone else down. I am not one for conflict but when it comes to a friend or loved one I will stand up and defend.

12. Which of the 5 Love Languages is your prominent means of experiencing love?
Quality Time
Physical Touch
Acts of Service
Gifts
Words of Affirmation
We took this parenting class and I remember taking this quiz and if I remember right I was tied for Words of Affirmation and Quality time.

A friend date

So today I went back to the gym to get back on my normal workout schedule now that the kids are back in school. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it still hurt. I love it though. I do I have to admit it. Anyway it was a great class. I am glad I am back at the gym but I heard that they might either be moving our class to a different day or time or may even cancel it all together. I hope they don't cause I really like it.

On another note. I have been feeling very distant from my friends lately especially Ryan who is really more like a sister than just a friend so I invited her to a friend date tonight and she said yes. So we went out to eat at the New China Buffet in Sango and had a wonderful time. We both have been needing this time alone without kids or husbands bugging us every five seconds. It was so nice to finally catch up with her and spend that time together. I really need to do this with all my girlfriends so be on the lookout girls, You may be next.

Well I need to hit the bed so I am going to stop here.
Blog at you later.

Day 2 of Love Dare

Love is life's motivator

For Christ so compels us.....

2 Corinthians 5:14

Anger can fuel hatred in a mans heart until he feels like attacking his enemy. But love can spark kindness in his heart so he lays down his life for his friend. Selfishness can drive a woman to tighten her grip and hoard her resources. But love can inspire her to open her hands and give sacrificially. Love is the most purest and most powerful motivator. It gives courage to a coward and wisdom to a fool.

When love invades your heart, you are empowered to endure deeper pain, willing to pay a greater cost, and run risks to your reputation for the sake of another. Love causes a soldier to lay down his life for his country, and a gracious God to send his only son to die for our sins. Love is that powerful.

Paul the apostle endured beatings, intense persecution, and hardship throughout his life. He did this for one reason alone: " Christ's Love" compelled him. If love began fueling your decisions, what would it drive you to do for your marriage?

Go Deeper

Read 1 Corinthians 13. After you have read it, read verses 4-7 again. This time, replace the words "love" and "it" with your name. Then close in prayer and ask God to help make this a reality in your life.

Blog at you later.

The Love Dare

Ok so I posted last time about this book I found called the Love Dare Inspired by the movie Fireproof. For those who don't know what that is it's a Christian movie that Dale and I love. Anyway these two authors decided to turn it into a real book and I found it the other day. I loved what I saw of the book so I bought it and we have taken the dare to make our marriage better and live better. Not that we are having issues or anything but who couldn't use just a little help in how to truly love on another right. Anyway I am going to be blogging about this challenge everyday and in the process I am sending out this challenge to all my readers to try it yourselves. It can only help right. So this is how it will work. I will post that days page and you do the work. If you have questions leave me a note and I will answer them. In this book there are 365 daily devotional reading on unique aspects of genuine love, 52 weekly dares to help you express love in your marriage, dozens of specific prayers to pray for yourself and your spouse, questions to get you thinking strategically about your relationship, and more than 100 Go Deeper sections that enhance personal bible study. Understand that this is coming strait from the book. I don't claim to be the one who came up with it. I love what I am reading and just want to share it with all of you. So here we go.

Day 1

Love is the greatest of these

If I have all faith, so that I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing

1st Corinthians 13:2

Loving god and others is what life is really about. No matter who you are or what you do, it comes down to whether you'll live a life of love or not. And there is a vast difference between the two. One is priceless....and one is meaningless.

Love is the most important ingredient to any meaningful relationship. It is fundamental to true significance. Your quality of life is directly tied to the amount of love flowing in you and through you to others. Though it's often overlooked, love is infinitely more valuable than riches, fame or honor. They will pass away but love remains. You can be fulfilled without these, but not without love.

The absence e of love leaves a devastation void, When it is not present, your spirituality becomes superficial, your benevolent deeds self-centered, and your sacrifices insincere. In any relationship where love is not your motivation, you can expect it to feel bland and unfulfilling- if not meaningless. When asked to identify life's greatest command, Jesus summed it up this way: to love God with all you are and to love your neighbor as yourself. Will you embrace a life of love?

This weeks Dare

begin praying this week: " Lord, teach what real love is and make me a loving person."

I hope that you all take this dare even if you are not married and truly apply it to your life. You will only be enriched by the whole thing.

Blog at you later.

What a great day

Wow what a great day. I got up this morning with such enthusiasm that I almost scared myself. He he. I got dressed and threw a load of cloths in the wash then headed out with my husband to run some errands. We went out to lunch and had a great conversation. It was so nice to reconnect with him again. It seems like it has been forever since we have really connected in that way. I guess it really helps keep us in balance when we can do that. I think I truly have a full understanding now why married couples should still date each other. I love my husband so much. After we ate lunch we went to the book store and I got the Love Dare book. It is from the movie fireproof. For those who have never seen it or heard of it, it is a dare that a couple takes to improve their love for each other. It happens over a one year period and you do it together. I can't wait to start it. Not that my marriage is in trouble but be truthful who couldn't use some help in that department right. Anyway we are going to start it tomorrow so I will keep updated on how it is going. I will post the dare each day so those who can't or don't want to go get the book can still do the challenge with your spouse. I promise it will make a big difference in your relationship with your spouse. Anyway after the bookstore I had to stop by wal-mart to pick up the last minute things the kids needed for school then headed home to wait for them. After they got home we went to Target so Dominic could use his gift card he got from his grandparents and then went to go see a movie. Well truthfully two movies. DJ and Dale went and saw The Expendables which is a total guy flick full of testosterone and Elyssa and I went and saw Eat Pray Love. A great movie by the way. I wont spoil it for those who have not seen it but want to. Lets just say I didn't truly understand the title until I saw the movie fully. Now I get it. I loved it so much. Not sure that Elyssa truly liked it or understood it but she sat through it with me. It was nice to really bond with her again. Just her and I. Now I want to see it with all my girlfriends. I know they will truly understand it and get its meaning. Anyway we are home now and I am tired so I am going to hit the hay for the night.

Blog at you later.

Scrapbooking/ realizing my true self

Ok so I got up nice and early this morning and did a little tidying up in the living room and kitchen. Funny how you can spend all this time getting everything the way you love it only to have two children come home from school and completely destroy it in 10 mins. Got to love those kids. Anyway after I did that I got ready and headed over to Diana's for our weekly get together for chatting and Scrapbooking. We always have such a great time together. Elaine brought this beautiful two page layout for us to work on and the first thing I said was " Wow that would be perfect for pictures of my grandmother." Oops I think that came out wrong. I wasn't trying to say it looked old but somehow it just reminded me of my grandmother. I said I was sorry but she knew what I meant. Anyway we usually get together from about 9 till 12 but we ran over by about an hour and a half. It was just to much fun. Afterwards I came home and did some more cleaning. I almost have my room done. Just need to do the laundry and then it will be perfect. Not that it will stay that way but one can hope right.

Anyway I really need to get back to the gym but I just can't bring myself to do it when my house isn't finished. I will most definitely get back on Monday. Not that anyone really misses me there but I need to do it for myself. I have come to the conclusion that if I just learn to love myself the way I am and do my best then I will start to really become who I want to be. So in that I have chosen to continue to work out with the same vigor that I had before and eat the same things I always have and love the way I look and everything will balance itself out. Well that is enough insight for one night so I will leave you for now but........

Blog at you later.