Blog

The movie “Tangled” gave us the image of a princess who could save herself, but thanks for the gallant offer.  We are no longer “damsels in distress” although that card can come in handy when a) moving b) car shopping.  The role of protector for the wife to her husband is as old as time – women left their caves and went down to the river to get water, wash their babies and gossip about their men…we love to talk about things, all the time, even if its TMI.

I LOVE YOU

Protecting your husband and marriage starts with watching how we talk about our man…if you tell a funny story about him, do you make him look stupid? If he did something dumb, or said something insensitive, or forgot your birthday, do you rush out to the local ‘watering hole’ – or pounce onto Facebook – to tell everyone? Guys do silly, thoughtless things…and they can be very funny.  My friend went away one day and left 2 boxes of Kraft Dinner for her husband to make and feed the kids.  When she got home that night, he asked “Why did you leave me something to make that takes so long to make?”!!!  My husband once left our then-only-child at a friends’ house.  Totally forgot about her!

There are lots of funny stories, and these need to be told.  We want to hear them.  What I can’t abide is hearing a wife talking about her husband, how nothing about him is fun, amusing, romantic or worth even mentioning.  You picked him! Surely there is some quality still there from when you first met that you still admire…please tell me you didn’t pick him just for looks!

When you say your vows “to honor”, keep in mind this means talking your man up – to his face, to your friends, even to your mother.  There are loads of things that drive me a little nuts about my husband of 19 years (did I mention that he leaves a bath towel on the floor. Every day. Or that I couldn’t cook anything with an onion in it for the first 10 years because once he had a large piece of onion as a child and he couldn’t have it in the house. Or that he has to have the house to himself to put up the Christmas tree because I don’t ‘put any effort in’.  It’s a fake tree, up, lights, few decs, done.  But no…he turns into Clinton Kelly where the tree is concerned.)

But…he got us out and keeps us out of debt, he always smells good, he loves my cooking, he cleans the bathroom on his day off – every week, without being reminded.  Think about something nice your husband has done nice for you and make that your status.  Love protects its investment.