Investments & Returns...

 

Before my big brother got married, he and I were talking about the institution of marriage. I was giving my fairy tale ideas about marriage, when he began to chuckle and shake his head. He told me “Marriage is a business arrangement.” I argued that it was about love and mutual respect, and he countered that it was about stability and finances.

Little did I know that we both were on to something.

Looking back at the situation now, I think that we were both more right than we were giving each other credit. Marriage is about a combination of a lot of things; love, respect, finances, honesty… I could go on and on, but I won’t. There are a lot of separate aspects of marriage that work together to achieve a common goal that we as wives, along with them as husbands, merge together to make a successful product and/or service.

Kind of like a business.

Based on the limited experience that I have with the business world, when one company wants to invest in another company, whether they offer services or products, they will not put any form of finances into it until it proves itself to give them a significant return on their investment. The company looks at every aspect of it’s potential investment, from its employees and their value to the expenses, reliability of the product/service and everything else that has to do with the company. They want to make sure that the money they invest will not be lost.

This should be similar to the way we approach potential marriages.

1 Corinthians 3:6

“I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered

 it, but it was God who made it grow.

 It’s not important who does the planting or who does the watering.

What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.”

I am a big fan of having some form of independent life established before getting married. I know that history says that a woman is found and seemingly rescued from a life of spinsterhood by a knight in shining armor, but times have changed. Two income households are necessary for the comfortable lifestyles that we all want these days. A lot of time, energy and finances go into marriage.

But we can have a bank vault full of money. If God isn’t watering, we aren’t growing.

God gives us so many talents and skills that we use in our jobs to earn that money that we use to build our lives with our husbands. And He has equipped our husbands as well! However, He gave us these things, so isn’t it only right that we put Him first, in marriage and in life?

That business that we were discussing earlier, it wasn’t about you and your intended or your husband merging together; it was about your marriage being invested in with God’s blessings. We can work together and as hard as we possibly can, but unless we acknowledge God as our Savior, we’re working for nothing. God wants to invest in marriages, and expects those marriages to yield a return to Him. We can plant and water and plant and water.

But God gives the increase…

WifeStyle Guide to Valentine's Day...

I am not one to advocate holiday celebrations. It's not because I'm never in the mood to celebrate or a party pooper. It's just that I am the worst present buyer ever.
I hate shopping for other people; especially my husband.
I am the self-titled gift card queen. If the store or website offers a gift card, 9 times out of 10, I've purchased it. I would much rather be the one to provide the funds and let him go pick out his own card. I'll even drive to the store myself.
No it's not romantic, but neither is the product return/exchange line.
With Valentine's Day coming up this week, I thought that I would give you all a little help in the romance department. I can hear you already shouting at the screen that Valentine's Day is your man's responsibility! He should be buying you something and romancing you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bottom line is, you have to give something to receive something. Yes, he is the man and he should be thinking about you. I'm sure he is. But you should think about him to.
Okay, stop with the eye rolling. I know you think about him while you are washing his clothes and cooking his meals. I know that you are thinking about him when you know he has something on his mind and praying for him while he's at work. But Valentine's Day has been set aside by the world to represent love. Marriage is all about love. If you want to get it, you have to give it.

2 Corinthians 9:10

"For God is the one who provides

seed for the farmer and then bread to eat.

In the same way, he will provide and increase

Your resources and then produce a great harvest

Of generosity in you."

 

 

It really doesn't matter what is on your husband's mind about Valentine's Day. When you do nice and romantic things for your man, God blesses your marriage, and vice versa.

Let's say, for example, you made all the plans for the past few Valentine's Days that you and your husband have been together. You bought the lingerie, made the reservations, got the babysitters. You did it all. You spared no expense. You even bought a gift!

This year, you're tired of making plans, so you decide not to do anything.

And here comes Valentine's Day. You're down in the dumps because you think that he has forgotten all that you did for him in the past.

But God has put you on his mind.

He planned a night that will blow you away, had flowers delivered toy your job, or made reservations at your favorite restaurant. He did these things without your help and you love him for it.

But had you plant the seeds in order to sew the reward.

So, if you happen to have to send a few reminders and drop a few hints, its okay. And when he does it, no matter what he does, make sure that you show appreciation. Thank him as only you can.

Sew those love seeds and expect those returns. God sees you...

He'll give the increase. 

The Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Love Being Your Husband's Wife...

It is no secret that you sometimes have to remind yourself why you decided to say "I do" to your husband the day you got married. Even if you don't mull over the decision for hours on end, you have to admit, it has crossed your mind.
No? Okay then...
Well, I have most certainly had to stop and wonder why I told God and my husband that I would be his wife for the rest of my life. When that wet towel was left on the bathroom floor, or the garbage wasn't taken out or when he doesn't flush the toilet.
Yes, and yes. Eww....
If you haven't had that one or two moments, allow be to be the first to congratulate you on your recent marriage because I can't believe you've been married for too long. I'm not downing you, but living with another person who is not exactly like you ( or may even be exactly like you) is no easy task. Personalities clash, attitudes manifest, eyes roll and before you know it, you're allowing your mind to wander back to the day he asked and you said sure.
So, before you ponder too hard, let me help you out...

Philippians 4:8

"And now, dear brothers and sisters,

One final thing.

Fix your thoughts on what is true,

And right, and pure, and lovely,

And admirable. Think about things that

Are excellent and worthy of praise."

 



God gave us memories for a reason. Not so that we could harp on the bad, but so that we could remember the good. Let me bring five things back to your remembrance so that you can go on loving being your husband's wife:

1. He proposed to you. Whatever the circumstances now, he loves you enough to ask you to be his wife. He loves you enough to give you one of the few things that he has had his entire life: his name. Most of the men I know don't like to share, so this is big in itself.
2. You like having sex with him. You do. And if you don't, you should. He can still make you feel good and you should enjoy it. God honors it and there's nothing wrong with liking to make love to your husband.
3. He wants you to have the best. You all may have or may be struggling in your finances, but he works to make sure that you have everything you need. He wants you to have everything you want as well. So encourage him in his dreams, because they are your dreams too. And you want to be his support, not the thorn in his side.
4. He makes you laugh. Whether its through being silly or telling jokes, he can put a smile on your face like no other. Let him make you smile more, not scowl.
5. You said yes. Yes, your husband did propose, but you said yes. That means, at the time, you had enough faith in him to know that you wanted to be his wife. You weren't stupid; you were in love. There is nothing wrong with falling in love with your husband repeatedly.

Now, these five are just to get you started, but I'm sure there are more that you can think about. So think about them.
*** What are some of the reasons you can share that

makes you love to be your husband's wife???***