I Was The Wife Of A Hunter-Part 1-Tips on Tuesday

Yes before it was popular my house no my gameroom was filled with dead things . . . 
 and mine weren't the Faux ones.  Yes Bambi's daddy
graced our walls.  

At least one room that Cowboy was allowed to decorate in his style.   And actually he did a fairly decent job.  Now don't get me wrong he didn't have complete free rein.  Actually he was only allowed to hang a few trophies.  I mean hello... I think you'll agree men just don't have it in them to decorate completely alone . . . 


I mean seriously look at how they dress. And what is up with that chair? 


And I mean look at the conveniences they are willing to leave behind for a few hours of sheer happiness.  Seriously my Cowboy would get giddy when it was deer season.  

I never really begrudged him the whole experience.  Mainly because when he really got into hunting after we were married it didn't hinder any of my own activities.  

Givin' the Cowboy some credit he didn't hunt (after we were married) until we were in a position financially that we could afford it easily.  

So finances didn't enter into it.  He would leave and spend a few days in the woods and come back happy.  I would spend those few days . . .

. . .shopping and eating out or sewing.  

And he would come home on Sunday night all happy and giddy and stinky.  But the stinky didn't last long.  Let me warn you friends . . . showering isn't part of the hunting experience.  

But when they come home . . . 

                                           Found on Google Images (link didn't work)

You could leave this suggestion.

  
I really didn't realize it at the time.  And it really wasn't until he had to sell his trophies a few months ago that I really, really began to realize the significance in this small little sacrifice that I made.  

The sacrifice of allowing  him to go hunting.  Allowing him to decorate the game room.   And cooking his kill.  I know women that don't 'let' their men hunt. 

Little did I know at the time it spoke Love to him. 

You may be struggling with the idea of your man going off on a hunting trip.  If you 
'allow' him to go . . . 

  I promise you even if he doesn't show it he will feel loved.  

So if your man is planning on going off into the woods.  Take a few tips from the Wife of a Deer Hunter . . . 

Tip 1. . . Smile and kiss him goodbye
Tip 2. . . Make your own plans.  If there isn't a budget for a lot think of fun things you can do that don't take a lot of cash. 
Tip 3. . . Call and visit your mom.  She'll love it.
Tip 4. . . Paint the bedroom red! (I did...in my defense everyone loved it.  It was a Ralph Lauren red)

and last but the most important tip
                                                            Cook his kill

Linking today with some of my favorites
Make It Pretty Monday

The Art Of Homemaking, Share Your Cup, Create With Joy,

Grammy's Grid, Party In Your P.J.'s, Tuesday w/ A Twist, Raven Would Wednesday
Dagmar's Home Link Party, Moon Light & Mason Jars Party, Inspire Me Wednesday
Saturday Sparks

and a few more.  

For the list check out my parties page.

Joyfully

My Husband Doesn't Like Cats--Yah Right!

This is a repost that warmed my heart.  Enjoy!

Today I am doing this . . .

Actually these aren't my boots but aren't they totally cute. I wish I had a pair of red rain boots! But I am tromping through the rain to take care of the animals outside and when I come in this is what my boots and floor look like. 

Actually no these aren't my boots either nor is this my floor. My floor is actually dirty but we can pretend right?












And this is not a photo of my cat but isn't it interesting? 

I was looking for a photo of a rainbow and I saw this one and thought it was neat and well it does actually look like my cat. And I thought it would work for the story I want to tell you about our cats.


In 1988 we bought our first house. The kids were in kindergarten and 2nd grade and we decided we needed animals so we got cats for them. They were really sweet kittens. Our son had a grey striped which he named Stripes (like the one in the photo) and our daughter had a solid black kitten which she named Boo because we got them around Halloween. (we are very creative in our animal names)

Our house was a two story. My husband traveled and so we got a burglar alarm with motion detectors.

We started having problems with the alarm going off when we weren't home or in the middle of the night. We found out it was because the cats would go up and down the stairs and set the motion detectors off. So we started locking the cats in the laundry room at night and while we were gone so they wouldn't roam the house.

My husband is not a cat lover. (so he says)I don't think I mentioned that the kids and I had to beg for the kittens. He is a dog person and just basically tolerated the kittens (he hates a litter box) but he is a good father and of course all kids need animals.

My husband had a habit(still does actually) of staying up late and watching t.v. The kids and I had gone to bed one evening. I went down a little later and found my husband asleep on the couch with our sons kitten Stripes. He had gone into the kitchen for a snack and the kitten was sticking his little paw out from under the door. So my husband took him out. This became his almost nightly ritual he would let the cats out for a while before he went to bed.

As I type this my husband is laying on the couch with the current cat asleep on his stomach.

My husband doesn't like cats. Does yours?    

Linking this repost at The Fabulous Warm Heart Party

 

Linking at some of my favorite parties too . . . 

The Art Of Homemaking
Dagmar's Home Link Party

Dream Create Inspire

Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup

Talk It Up Thursday

Thoughts of Home

5 Minute Friday--Dressed to . . .

Happy Friday everyone.  Today I am joining in 5 minute Friday where we just start typing/writing for 5 minutes straight and stop! 

. . . It was the beginning of a romantic evening.  Hair done, nails done.  But what to wear?  As I stand and stare at the closet full of . . . hot clothes.  Yes I said hot.  No not in the sense of sensually hot (I am over 50 remember) but in the sense of temperature hot.  Yep it is over 100 outside and unfortunately the a/c in the car dosen't work.  So the hair well it's done but in a simple no style style. Because when you drive with the windows done well.  Let's just pretend it is a convertible.  There that is better.  And so I pull out some brown dressy pants that have this tiny little red and darker brown little plaid kind of pattern. Cheap from the Dillards outlet 2 years ago.   And this really, really cool thin jacket kind of shirt that I got for dirt cheap at the Dillard's outlet.  Love it. It is kind of see through (I did say 'hot') didn't I?  It is almost a net of some sort but sewn on top are these flowers cut out of another thin see through kind of cloth.  They are raw on the edge and they cover the entire top so you really can't see through but there is a hint of what is underneath.  Which is a simple white cami that I bought at Dollar General when they were on sale for buy one get one.  Total cost $1.50.  Aw this is looking nice so I add these really cute silver earrings that have a white kind of big bead that hangs inside a silver circle.  This is all coming together.  Oh the earrings are from Old Navy maybe a cost of $5.00.  So I am thinking a necklace.  No which one.  O.K. I look and I realize that the very first every Brighton piece I bought waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day before Brighton was Brighton or at least before anyone knew what it was.  And the necklace goes perfect with the earrings!  (the matching Brighton ones hurt my ears)  This is coming together I am impressed with myself.  And then last I pull out the shoes that I have been dying to wear.  Liz Claiborne strapy sandles that cost me a grand total of $4.00.  Yep never worn brand new.  I am lovin' my resale stores.  Then I am thinking purse which one.  So I dig around for this little kind of gold/beige silvery evening kind of looking bag.  But I can't find it.  And so I end up with any everyday purse that is green.  Which I bought at Goodwill on half price day.  Total cost $4.00.  Oh it is Nine West and brand new!   Well I have to say I am for once happy with the way I look.  I think I can make my Cowboy proud as we walk into . . 

Was that really 5 minutes.  Dawng!  It was a very nice evening and it did end up very Romantic. 

The rest of the story coming soon!

Thanks for stopping by and joining The Journey,

Stop over at Lisa-Jo's and join 5 Minute Friday.  Click here.

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies...charm is deceitful, and beuty is fleeting but a wife who fears the Lord is to be praised.  Proverbs 31:10 & 30

Marriage Monday

It was over 30 years ago that I did this . . .

 I don't usually write alot about what happens behind these closed doors.  If you happen to be a regular reader you might have noticed the page/tab I have set-up for The Love Dare.  And, if your a regular visitor you might have already noticed that there is nothing there. 

You see most of the time I am angry.  Most of the time I am annoyed.  Most of the time I am not this . . .

Oh I am really good at cooking dinner and keeping the laundry done. I am really good at keeping the house clean most of the time.  But I am not so good at Praising my husband.  I am not so good at supporting him.  I am not so good at having confidence in him.  Because . . .

• I am really good at finding fault. 
• I am really good at expecting too much
• I am really good at critizing
• I am really, really good at 'I want'

and the list could go on and on and on. 

But I realize that at least in my head.  Not so much in my heart.  That God expects me to be forgiving. 

Even when he happens to be feeling bad (he struggles with extreme pain in his knees) and he doesn't say he's feeling bad and he gets in a bad mood and yells at me over something insignificant. 

Or he happens to be a little snippy and make a comment to me that isn't so nice. 

Or like the other day when he came home about an hour before I expected him and I was in the middle of laundry.  And I was moving stuff around in my sewing room area (in our bedroom) and I was putting up in a closet some fabric and books to make room to put the dirty clothes hamper in a more out of the way place.
And I had a stack of books and papers in the middle of the bedroom floor that I was sorting to throw away or put in the closet.  And I had the computer on the floor because I was also writing a post between laundry loads.  One thing I do well at least I think so is multi task.  And, besides all this chaos in the middle of the bedroom floor is a really, really big dog and her dog bed. 

Which left actually no room to walk if you have good knees.  But imagine having bad knees. 

But in my defense all he had to do was say something like "Um honey I realize I came in an hour earlier than you expected.  But I would really like to get to my closet without stepping over the dog, and piles of fabric.  And piles of books and papers and ...."  But did he say something nice like that No. Of course not because he can be a ______ .  Well we won't go there but I am sure you have an idea of what I was thinking. 

He yelled at me.  And then when I yelled back he actually pointed his finger at me.  Which really, really, really made me mad.  And I was mad the rest of the day.  He left to go to work.  And I was still mad when  he came home.   The next day I was still mad. 

Even after praying for over an hour while he was at work.  Even after God tried to work on my heart and my spirit.  I was still mad. 

And then something happened.   God's grace.  God's patience. And God's loving kindness broke through all the anger.  And I . . .

looked into the mirror and I saw . . .

not a beautiful shining crown.  Not a woman of noble character.  I saw a broken and rusy, tarnished crown.  I saw a woman that expects too much.  I saw a woman that needs God's grace.  I saw a woman that needs her husbands grace and forgivenss. 

I saw a woman that needs to be loving and kind even when I don't feel like it.  Because God said to. 
And I pray that God will keep being patient with me and teach me to be loving and kind even when I don't feel like it.  

On the Journey to kindness,

Today I am linking with e-mom at  Marriage Monday.

Because someone near and dear to me had a rough week last week. 

And, I want you to know that even though we try to pretend all is well with the world. 

And that well all try to pretend that we are almost perfect.  And that our marriages are perfect. 

Well we're not.  We're human.  We're Real

  I pray that you are encouraged not by my actions but by my heart.

If you have any encouragement from being united in Christ, if any comfort from His love if any

fellowship witht he Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by

being like-minded, havingthe same love, being on in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of

selfish ambition or cain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 2:1-5

I am thankful God hears my cry for forgiveness.  I am God gives grace.

I am glad that my Cowboy gives grace.

Thankfully on a grace filled Journey . . .

I Love My Husband

Joining Monica at A Typical Housewife for this . . .

Love this challenge!  

Click here to join.

Call me crazy

. . . I think this is just a great photo of the Cowboy. Isn't he handsome? So now you know why I am doing the 40 Day Challenge!

I happened to stumble onto this one while I was looking for ministry photo's. This was taken while he was supervising some of our boys at the local food bank. Back to updating the ministry blog!

Titues Tuesday sharin' N gettin' real . . . ok. so here's the real truth.  I began this 40 day Dare because God spoke to me about this.  A couple of years ago when all this started with the Fireproof movie I wasn't in any mood to watch the movie much less do a Love Dare Challenge. 

You see I was 'mad'.   I was angry and annoyed about a lot of things.  And I really didn't really want to 'be nice'.   And I really didn't want to write about  'being nice'!  But over the last few months God has done a work in me. 

The things I was 'mad' about haven't gone away.  Some of the attitudes, actions and annoyances haven't gone away. 

But God changed my heart.  I have been praying that God would use me.  And, I have been praying and studying scripture more and making a big effort to get closer to God.  And, well I have learned that there are some things, some areas in my life that are keeping me from that closer relationship that I desire. 

Ladies  if your stopping over following the link I urge you to pray.  I urge you to pray for your attitude.  I urge you to pray for your man.  Even if your in a place like I was.  Even if you don't feel like it.  God will give you the strength and the courage. 

And he will give you the desire.  One of my favorite verses in Psalms talks about God giving you the desires of your heart.  My pray is that he does.  That 'the desires' I have are the ones that  puts there.  That He puts there.  

And so, 2 years later it is my desire to do the Love Dare.  

For more Titus Tuesday posts go over here.

Have a Good Day!

Love Abounds Here Today

Today I wanted to share with you What Love Looks Like In My Home . . .

The Cowboy left earlier to go get tires on our new Tahoe. Well not new, new. Just new to us.

Here's what I saw when he returned!

See the cart? See the sack of veggies being cared by the . . . well it isn't Cowboy. I didn't get a photo of him carrying the sack of veggies so I thought I would improvise. This is what he actually brought home . . .

Oh I am in love. I love okra. And he also brought . . .

He knows I love salad. And he brought . . .

Frozen peas. Well two out of three isn't bad! He is a little confused I prefer frozen to canned veggies. But peas are well my least favorite. He couldn't find the brocolli and he said he thought we had corn. But I am not complaining.

He also brought home brick chili, crab claws, and avacado's. I love my avacado's, milk and a couple of other things that really aren't important.

So now your wondering. Why is this a big deal? Well if your a regular reader here you know Cowboy doesn't really like vegetables. He would prefer a steady diet of meat and potatoe's. That is it. But he knows I like veggies. And salad. And he knows that health wise it is better for me. Him too but he won't admit that.

And so today I saw love because he brought home veggies. I am wondering does your husband show you love in little ways like this that no one else would even notice?

JoAnne is the hostess of What does love look like in your home over at her blog One So Blessed. She didn't put up a linky today and I hope that she hasn't decided not to do this little meme.

Day 3 Power of a Praying Wife

We had a really nice surprise last night our daughter and son in love and the baby came by. Because the baby kept asking to see his 'Pa.

Have a good day.

WFW 30 Days of Prayer for My Cowboy

I have heard it said by other people that some men make better grandfathers than fathers. That is so true. My cowboy is such an amazing grandfather.

Now don't get me wrong he was a great dad but he just wasn't around alot. He traveled for his job a lot. He was in the woods anytime he had the chance and there was even a time that he had a deer lease with his job.

He was always a great husband and father in that he provided for his family.

The last few months have been some of the hardest I think that we have ever experienced in our 32 years of marriage.

And, my Cowboy doesn't deal well with things that he can't manage, control or fix. He isn't a very romantic person even in good times. But when things are difficult he tends to close himself off.

I tend to talk. I tend to ask for help. I tend to ask for prayer.

He tends to pray quietly not outloud. Just quietly seeking God's love, patience and direction. He tends to think that he and God will work things out.

I struggle when he gets this way. I struggle when things bother him and he doesn't share them. I struggle when he is not feeling good and when his knee's are hurting him because he just begins to act mean and tacky sometimes. Just basically he is a jerk around the house. Not so much in public he can hide it well. But here at home he doesn't he is grumpy and hard to live with.

And it makes me angry. It frustrates me. It makes him hard to love. And so it causes me to fall into sin. And it hurts me when I get angry and annoyed.

I know that the last few months have taken their toll on him. The last few months have taken their toll on me. The last few months have affected us physically, and spiritually.

We need God more than ever. We need his love. We need his patience and we need his forgiveness.

I feel a need to turn all this over to God. I feel a need to ask God to help the Cowboy. To give him relief from the physical pain. To give him back his self confidence. To give him a Blessing.

Since today is the first I am going to devote myself to praying for 'My Cowboy' everyday this month. I got out The Power of a Praying Women and I am planning to use it as a guide. I'll be writing more this month about praying for Cowboy I don't know if it will be a daily topic. I guess I'll just let God give me direction.

I was wondering have you been going through difficulties in life. Difficulties that affect your marriage. Difficulties that affect your feelings toward your Cowboy. Difficulties that make you not love him quite as much.

If so I invite you to join me.

You might not want to post about it. I understand because it is a little embarrassing to say some of the things that I have said. And if your Cowboy or others in your family read your blog you might not want them to read it and possibly be hurt.

If your hurting or if your going through struggles like I/we have and you need prayer support or encouragement I want to pray for you. I want to encourage you to prayer for your Cowboy. Please send me an email. Here's my email sleganatyahoodotcom. Or you can click on the button on my side bar.

I have faith that God will supply what we need. I have faith that God will give us the strength to go through all the difficulties and the struggles. And I have faith that the broken pieces of my heart can be healed.

I have faith that he will heal your heart too.

Wordfilled Wednesday is hosted by Amy over at Internet Cafe Devotions.

Faith & Fruit on Friday & Giveway

Last Friday I wrote about something God has been putting on my heart. Actually two things. Faith and Fruit. This photo reminds me that I need to have the faith of a child. To trust him in all things.

It has been a somewhat rocky road this week. For me personally and for staff of our state's youth prison system. On Monday two boys from our facility found car keys in a volunteers coat pocket. They walked out the front door took the vehicle and ran. They were found a couple of days later. But the incident has caused many new rulers. And repercussions for some. Along with just annoying paper work etc.

The incident really doesn't effect our ministry except that we now have to through a new 2 hour training. No biggy really. But a couple of people that have become friends of mine through a working relationship have incurred lots of more duties and have had to deal with complaints from volunteers. So they have had really a bad week.

They have both been on my heart this week and so I have prayed for them and sent emails to encourage and lift them up.

Personally I am stuggling with keeping up the faith that God is control and will take care of us and provide. The corporate funds that we are expecting has been delayed so that delays our move. We did find a house but we promised to be able to pay deposits by today. That can't happen now. So I am on my knees and turning it over to God. Faith. I am working on it.

I could say alot more but it would end up ramblings from a tired, nyquil induced brain.

I hope that you are encouraged a little. Maybe just to look around you. Maybe God will show you someone that needs to be encouraged. Say a prayer for a friend or send a card. Or you might even leave a comment here and win this . . .

It would make a great gift. Just leave a comment. I am drawing on Monday. And hint, hint, there are not very many comments!

Praying you have a Blessed Friday and if you go on a date write about it and let me know! Friday Date Night is still underway.

What is . . .

. . . Date Night. . .
I am wondering what date night is to you?

Is it the weekly Friday night dinner out and a movie? I have a friend that has been married for close to thirty years and this has been thier tradition.

Do you have a date night with your hubby?

I want to hear about your special dates. Date night has never been a priority in our marriage and I need ideas to drag that Cowboy of mine off the couch.

Would you write a post about Date Night and then come back here and let me know.
You'll even get a chance to win a fun gift in the weekly drawing.
It's so simple:
Just write a post and come back here and leave me a comment. You don't even have to write about a real date night. Make one up. Maybe write about your dream date or fantasy date.

Who wouldn't want to be picked up by their hunk.. . . and be given an expeeeeeeeeeeensive necklace and whisked away in a limo to a private jet and flown away to another city to see the opera? I mean really even if it isn't Richard Gere. LOL. I guess you can guess one of my favorite movies is Pretty Woman. (Sorry I know we're not talking about movies here. Please no comments on that.)

Back to the subject at hand Date Night write your post! You can go over and visit the darling Denise at Shorty Bears Place (blogspot) for some fun date night ideas.

Thankfulness

Today I am joining two Thankful meme's. First continuing in the 30 Day's with Karla and posting one thing. I just couldn't leave it at one today.
So, I am joining Sonya again to post 5 more things I am thankful for.

The one thing I am thankful for is that I can hear. I was reminded of this yesterday when I visited Alicia and she was talking about worship. One of the ways that I worship is when I am in the house alone. I take that time no matter what time of day it is to turn on the c.d. package on our t.v. It plays continuous Praise and Worship music. While I listen I have a journal that I write prayers in. Most time my prayers contain the lyrics I am hearing. Opp's that leads me to my other 5!

#1 Today is being able to hear.

#2 I love Christian music. I am thankful that God gave so many people the words that I sometimes want to say but just can't articulate.

#3 I am thankful today that Cowboy was able to pay the electricity. We have heat and lights and the t.v. and the computer! I can listen to Praise music, I can visit my blogging friends and I can cook dinner. And I am thankful

#4 I am thankful that yesterday my Cowboy was surprised by a visit from our SIL (Son in Love) and our grandson.

#5...Which should have been #1. . . I am thankful that my Cowboy had a birthday yesterday. Which was the reason for the surprise visit.

Thank you for coming and visiting today. Please leave a comment and please hang around awhile. Hopefully I have written something that will encourage or inspire you.

And if you don't know I am still doing Friday Date Night. Post about a special date with your man or post about a dream date.

Friday Date Night

I have a date tonight. Guess where I am going?



















Yes. I am going to a high school football game.

To see Faith Christian play Gainesville State School. These photo's are from last years game. Which we did get to see. It was amazing. There were a ton of news stories about the game.

It was amazing last year to be apart of the evening. We had no idea what was going on when we sat down on the State School side. We are volunteers for Texas Youth Commission and this game happened to be close to our home so we went to support the boys. When we sat down there were some parents from Faith Christian on our side but we just thought it was overflow. It was Faith's homecoming.

But it wasn't over flow. They were sitting on our side to cheer our boys! Instead of doing a one of those tunnels for the home team to run through at the beginning of the game Faith's parents and kids did it for Gainesville State School.

So tonight I have a date! Kind of like old times. Goin' with my honey to a high school game.

Do you have a date night planned? Or an afternoon on Saturday?

Or are you like me you dream of date night?

Yep that's right I dream of date night. And I bet there are bunch of you girls out there that dream of a chance to run off with your sweetie for date. Even a few minutes of quiet alone without a toddler or teenager needing your attention.

Girls we all need a chance to re-kindle that flame that drew us to our sweet heart.

And maybe there are those like me that need encouragement and ideas to drag our honey off the couch or out of the garage or away from the computer.

So help us out and share your dates with us. Give us some ideas for date nights. Especially those cheap ideas because let's face it there are a bunch of us that are on a budget. Or have no budget at all. Write a post and grab the date night photo then come back here to my blog and leave me a comment to let me know you wrote a post. You can do it anytime during the week.

Each Monday I'll choose my favorite idea and send you a thank you present. If you don't get it posted before Monday that's o.k. it'll just go into the next week.

I cannot wait to see all the ideas. Have a great weekend and enjoy your Hubby.

Date Night

Is a date night a priority for you and your husband? It isn't with mine. When did that happen? When did we get to the point where life crashed in and took away the joy and the fun times we used to have together.

Maybe your not at that place right now. But I think and I suspect that there are many that would agree with me if your not careful that is where you will end up.

So girl friends I challenge you to work at finding time for you and your man.

Don't let the kids, or finances, time, or work or even ministry to take away from spending time alone with your man. Maybe your in a rut or just plan tired. And maybe finances enter into the equation.

Maybe your like me and all of the above are your problem.

I need creativity. I need some ideas so if your one that has a date night or afternoon or morning whatever. Or maybe your like and don't have date night but maybe you have a fabulous idea.

Will you write a post about it. Share with those of us that need some encouragement.

And, you don't even have to do it on Friday the official Date Night day. You can post any day.

Just come back here and leave me a comment. And the fun thing about it is I'll choose my favorite suggestion of the week and send you a gift. Just for writing a post. How simple is that.

So help me out here. Write a post and give me some ideas for Date Night

Friday Date Night update join us....

Update on Friday Date night. I need your help. Join me come up with some great ideas for date night with your hubby. You can write your post any day. And you can have your date any day or night. Let's face it girls some of us are loooooooooooong over due for a date night.

Like my friend Kim who got to go out the other night see below....

Oh the poor girl was so loooooooong over due. But they had a fabulous time and she even posted photo's you'll have to go to Kim's Date Night and read the rest of the post. And lucky girl that she is because her post was so cute she is getting a prize this week.

Last week because Denise wrote a post and then came over told me she won a great prize. And Hip Chick wrote a cool post too. It was hard to choose my favorite so I chose both of them.

So join us and helps out and write a post and then stop over here and tell me. I might choose yours as my favorite this week and you'll win a prize.

Here's the original post about Friday Date Night.

Here's the link to Denise's post. Here's the link to Hipchick's post.

Oh and before I wanted to tell you how I happened to meet Kim. She doesn't even know this but. It was because of her profile photo. Here's why....

I almost envy her. I wish I could be this cute in a hat! O.K. so you think I am weird. You can see how weird by going to my What's In A Name post. There I explain all about what blogs I visit and why.

Happy Date Night everyone!

Friday Date Night

Last Friday I introduced the idea of Friday Date Night.

And as I think about that I remember one of the resolutions (for lack of a better word) that I made at the beginning of the year.

This one was to honor God by being a better wife. To be more understanding. To be more patient. To be more sympathetic. To be....

Well I have blown all of the above.

But I know that my Cowboy is as patient with me as our heavenly Father. They are both patient with my whinning, complaining and all those other negative behavior traits I have.

Last week I invited you to help me be a better wife by coming up with ideas for Friday Date night.

So this week write a post about date night and then come over here and leave me a comment. Join me in being the wife God intends you to be.

Thinking about....

I just love this photo. I can imagine jumping in the truck and going off and having a romantic picnic. Although this looks like these folks just finished an apple harvest.

My thoughts fall along the lines of the romantic mostly because having fun (now don't get more wrong; not talking about 'that kind of fun' ) LOL just any kind of fun.

You know stuff like:
shopping going to a movie
dinner out vacationing ....

You see it has been so long that I/we have done anything like that I can't even think of fun stuff to put on the list. Oh wait one more
Antiquing...
I should have changed this list to things we used to do
We used to do stuff like that. I used to love to go to antique malls or little shops with Cowboy.
I actually used to love to do all those things with friends or with my daughter.

But, life has changed. Circumstances have changed. For me. For us. Because of our financial situation all of those things are out of the ? now. Except maybe for the window shopping part but it takes gas to do that.

I wonder. As I sit and ponder and dream of havin' fun. Are you reading this and having the same thoughts go through your mind?

Or did your thoughts click in on ...we used to do that. We used to go on 'date night' before.

What is your before? What caused you to stop having fun? Are you in the same boat I am thinkin' about and dreamin'.

Well girl stop thinkin' about it...come up with something fun to do and drag that man off the couch....

That is exactly what I did this morning. Well actually he wasn't on the couch we were already going to deliver backpacks for our ministry and the the dog was in the truck with us so I twisted his arm and suggested we take the dog to the park.

It was fun. And almost romantic.

And so it got me to thinking. I need your help. I need your ideas. How do you have fun.
Will you join me in havin' fun. Will you share your ideas with those of us that have gotten in a rut or have allowed circumstances to kill the fun?

Since I am an old fashioned girl that remembers Date night please focus your ideas around how to have a date night with your one and only.

So between now and next Friday will you guys post your ideas and then come back and link your post here next friday. Now I know most of you guys don't post on Friday so I'll put the link up on Thursday night. It only takes a couple of minutes to link. So please come on over and do it. It will be Fun.

And to thank you for joining me and helping me have fun. I am having a drawing. I'll draw a name every Friday. Each week the winner will receive a lovely gift that will get you all ready for your Friday date night with your one and only.

Thanks for helping me have Fun along the Journey to getting back to Date Night.

31 Days of Prayer for My Cowboy

I found something I really need right now at one of my favorite hangouts. Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom is doing a 31 days of prayers for her husband. I was touched this morning by what she had posted. Although I can't visit everyday right now I do want to join her and her friends. Hopefully they will keep me accountable as I work on this.
Todays verse below talks about his heart being tender to God's voice. That is what I pray for my cowboy today. We are both at a crossroads in our ministry. We both need to listen alot to God right now.
Thank you my dear sweet sister Sandra for allowing God to use you.

Pray that your husband will be humble and quick to agree with God about his sin. Pray that his heart will be tender toward the voice of the Lord. (Ps. 51:2-4; Micah 6:8 )

He asked for prayer Word Filled Wednesday

This is a sticky post. Word Filled Wednesday provided by Amy Dean is below.


We work in a ministry to teenagers. Specifically teenagers incarcerated in Texas.
Three weeks ago my husband began a five week program at a boys facility. It took us 4 years to get to present our program inside this facility.

In January my husband had knee replacement surgery. We knew almost immediately he had an infection in his knee. Because we no longer have health insurance his surgery was at the county hospital.

It has taken from February until today to get him scheduled to have the artificial knee removed.

He goes back into surgery tomorrow.

He asked for prayer for the boys.

I was with him tonight when he told the boys he wouldn't be able to be there tomorrow. It was hard on him. He promised them he would be back as soon as he can.

Please pray for him. Please pray for the boys and the volunteers that will continue the program in my husbands absence.

God is in control. God will take care of us. Please pray with us that he is glorified in all this and that God will reveal himself to them.

Please pray for the boys



What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it is deadwood it goes on the fire!

Luke 3:9

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All I can say is ouch!!! lol what a tough one! We were burning some old “junk” left overs from building and there was this amazing blaze.. you could feel the heat all the way into the house (with the windows open).. it really made me think how much “heat” deadwood gives off… and how easily we can spend out life putting out those fires if we don’t clean clean up the mess, put it forward and give it to God. What deadwood is holding you back today? Give them to the ultimate firestarter.. not only will he burn the old, he’ll replace it with something better!

God Bless!

Please visit Amy today over at The 160 Acrea Wood. Her button is on my sidebar