3 hours ago
Showing posts with label Men. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Men. Show all posts
(Note: This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® & Armor All but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #ArmorAllGiftPack http://my-disclosur.es/OBsst)
I've been realizing lately that I need to show my gratitude for my husband a little bit more.
There are so many things that Derek does for our family. He works hard to provide for us, which allows me to stay home with our kids. He gets up with the kids every Saturday morning and feeds them breakfast while I sleep in. He spends time reading a book to the kids every night. He is a good man, a man who is committed to his family, and a man who stays.
That's not something that should be taken for granted in a world like ours, where those last three things are not easy to find.
I've been trying to think of little things I can do for Derek to let him know that I've been thinking about him. It doesn't have to be anything big, but just small things to show him that I see him, that I see what he does for our family every day, and that I know that he's a catch. I want to spoil him a bit more with everyday luxuries.
I know many of you are married to good men too - and even if you aren't married I would hope for you that you have a dad, brother, or other man in your life who is there when you need them. Can I encourage you to expend a little effort to let them know that you see what they do every day and are thankful for them? It's an especially fun time of year to think of fun surprises with Christmas right around the corner!
And that leads my to a little suggestion, if you aren't sure where to start spoiling the man in your life...start with his car!
You can find the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack in the automotive center at Walmart (that's where I got mine - and I've even got a coupon for you! Take advantage of the $3 off digital coupon offer for the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack from Walmart, while supplies last!
The kit is a complete car-cleaning kit, at a really great value. When I gave the Armor All Gift Pack to Derek, he opened it up and was so impressed with all the products that come with it! We were excited to try them out on his car - and he gave me a little run down on how to properly detail a car using the products in this gift pack.
So now, I pass the knowledge on to you, in case you want to take it up a notch and also surprise your man by cleaning his car for him (I didn't go that far, because Derek actually enjoys cleaning the car himself, and he is better at it than me!). What better way to spoil the men in your life with an everyday treat like a sparkling clean car?
Step One: Remove any clutter or trash from the car.
This probably goes without saying, but I'm trying to be thorough.
Step Two: Wipe down the interior glass with Armor All Glass Wipes.
These glass wipes are a no-streak, no-residue formula, which is fantastic.
Step Three: Wipe down the dashboard, upholstery, steering wheel, etc, with the Armor All Cleaning Wipes.
Can I just say how convenient these are too? I'm pretty sure Derek is going to keep these in the car for touch-ups as things get dirty on the go!
Step Four: Apply Armor All Original Protectant to dashboard, steering wheel, etc.
This keeps vinyl, rubber, and plastic surfaces shiny and clean and helps prevent cracking, discoloration, or premature aging! It's the finishing touch.
Step Five: Vacuum the floor and seats.
Derek does this after cleaning the dash so he can vacuum up any dust or crumbs that might fall on the floor.
Step Six: Wash the exterior of the car with the Armor All Wash and Wax.
This stuff washes and waxes in one step, and the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack even includes a sponge and microfiber cloth that are easy on the surface of your car, so you don't even have to worry about buying those seperately! This product helps protect the surface of your car and keeps it shiny. Derek tells me the waxing helps dirt and water not stick as much too, which is especially useful for keeping the car shinier in the winter, with all the snow and mud.
Step Seven: Focus on the tires.
This Gift Pack comes with two tire products - the Quicksilver Wheel And Tire Cleaner, and Extreme Tire Shine Spray (which keeps your tires that rich black). I was very impressed with these products. I watched Derek clean the wheel with it, and it made it look practically brand new!
(I just noticed that Derek didn't use the microfiber cloth for the tires - I think he didn't want to ruin his brand-new cloth yet! Our tires were pretty filthy.)
Tip: The bucket included with the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack is perfect to fill with warm water for washing the exterior, especially in the winter when hoses aren't an option! Then you can store the products back in the bucket when you are done!
Derek has tried a few different car detailing products over the years, and he is really impressed with the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack and how well all the products worked! It was almost a little mini-date for us to clean his car together, but if you are trying to surprise your guy and clean his car yourself, the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack has everything you need in one bucket! If your guy is like mine and likes to do the cleaning himself, this pack would make an excellent gift too! I'm keeping it in mind for my dad and brother, because this would make a great gift for them too.
The bottom line is that our guys deserve to know that they are loved and appreciated, at Christmas and all through the year. The Armor All Car Care Gift Pack is just one idea for something we could use to surprise them and let them know that they are better-than-ordinary and irreplaceable to us.
Have you ever cleaned your man's car for him? Do do other little things to show your husband (or father, brother, significant other) that you appreciate them?
I'm trying to get better at doing something special for Derek on a more regular basis, so share your ideas below!
Your Husband Isn't Your College Roommate (And 4 Other Things I Never Knew About Marriage) | A Guest Post
Cards on the table: I don’t write this post as a sage, old, married woman. My husband and I are inching closer to our three year anniversary; a lifetime to go and countless lessons more to learn. Even still, if you’ve been married for over 24 hours you’ll know that this sacred union isn’t easy. Sometimes it’s downright hard. Difficult. Devastating. Sometimes marriage drives you to consuming a tub of ice cream alone on your couch, watching Love, Actually and wondering, “Why doesn’t he act like that?” (A purely hypothetical situation, you understand.)
If you are like a lot of women, you have heard for most of your life that "men are visual". But do you really know what that means? After reading Through A Man's Eyes by Shaunti Feldhahn and Craig Gross, I suspect that most women have no idea the extent to which men and women's brains are wired differently. There is no way we can actually know what our men go through as visual creatures since most women have no real frame of reference.
This book describes in scientific, practical, and emotional terms what it means for men to be visual. I feel like I have read a lot on this subject in the past and had a pretty good idea of what "men are visual" meant for my husband and sons, but I learned so much through this book.
I think I have mentioned before that Derek and I are country music fans. I am a fan because I grew up listening to country music, and appropriately, I happened to live in the country. Everyone listened to country music where I grew up, but I think I would have liked it regardless. I love how a lot of the music is family focused, and I like songs I can sing along to!
Derek and I have been Josh Turner fans for a long time - he sings one of my favorite songs. When I saw that he wrote a devotional for men called "Man Stuff", I asked Derek if he would read it if I requested it, and he said he definitely would!
This is a book that is geared toward husbands and fathers, and it is filled with practical encouragement. Derek has been enjoying the book so far! I told him I needed a quote from him for my review, and he said:
"He shares a lot of stories from his life and his walk with the Lord. I wouldn't necessarily call it a devotional, but I think it's an encouraging book, and it can help you to focus on godly priorities."
There you go, straight from my man.
Even though I requested this book for my husband, I have been enjoying it too! Each chapter is a different story from Josh Turner's life, including a corresponding Bible verse, with wisdom on how to be a godly man, husband, and father (Turner has three kids). I think I tend to have a different idea of what constitutes a "devotional", and both Derek and I agreed that we wouldn't necessarily categorize this as a devotional book - more just an encouraging book with stories on Christian living, which we also appreciate.
I think it is really interesting to read more about Turner and his family since we are fans of his music! I like the simple truths that Turner shares in each chapter. I haven't read through the entire book yet, but I think lot of the stories he shares are things that men would resonate with. The book lives up to it's name, "Man Stuff".
I think this book would make a great gift, especially for men that like Josh Turner's music, since a lot of the content is autobiographical. Something to keep in mind since Christmas is right around the corner!
Tommy Nelson is offering a copy of this book to one of you! Fill out the form below for a chance to win!
Note: I received this book for free from Tommy Nelson in exchange for this review - this is my honest opinion.
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I like baths more than showers. Normally my bath time routine involves filling up the tub with the hottest water the spout will give me, soaking and reading for a while, then blow drying my hair. Then I either watch something short on Netflix or listen to a podcast while I straighten my hair (if you haven't guessed, I have to work this in while the kids are napping!). It's my "me-time", my favorite way to relax.
The other day after I finished drying my hair I decided to listen to a Focus On The Family podcast, and they opened the program with the question "What do you think of when you think of submission?" Some women came on and talked about masters and servants, being a doormat, and one woman talked about Christ submitting to the Father, but she didn't like the way it applied to marriage as much. I paused the podcast for a minute and thought through my own "definition" of submission, and this is what came to mind:
I think submission means being willing to take a step back and let your husband be the leader.
This is going to look differently and vary in difficulty depending on the situation, and I'm also not going to pretend that there aren't men that sometimes abuse this concept (which is probably why this is such a sticking point for so many Christian women).
There are a few things I think submission does not mean. I don't think submission means that you never state your opinion. Being a submissive wife doesn't mean you have to roll over and be a doormat. It doesn't mean you do something morally wrong or questionable in an effort to be submissive. It doesn't mean your husband controls your every move. It definitely does not mean you remain in a dangerous or abusive situation in an effort to "submit".
As for what I do think submission means - I think when this aspect of marriage is done right, the wife and husband are both able to discuss and express their thoughts on a situation, and the husband will listen to what his wife has to say. A man who loves his wife and who is wise will not dismiss his wife's thoughts or disregard her feelings on a matter.
For the wife, submission means being willing to let go - not always insisting on having things "her way". It means actively letting her husband lead the family, even in those times when she disagrees, even sometimes when the husband may not be handling the situation in the best way.
Submission doesn't mean that marriage is not a partnership - both people's opinions do matter, and options should be discussed! But no organization works well without a head. If a business has two presidents and the presidents disagree on a big decision, things could get ugly pretty quickly. The business might split. There has to be a head leader, the one who makes the final decision when not everyone is in agreement. As Christian wives we are called to step back and let our husband be in that position. He'll be the "president" of the family. It doesn't mean the wife's thoughts and opinions don't matter, but the "business" of the family needs an official leader, someone who has the final say. There can't be two "heads" if things are going to run smoothly.
This isn't easy! I think it's a natural tendency for a lot of women to want to control things (especially our husbands). The Bible even tells us that women will struggle with this. We want that control, and that's why submission is so hard.
(Derek and me, goofing off at our 5-year anniversary session! This is Derek's brooding model look. Actually I'm not sure what we were doing here, but I'm sure some joke was involved. Derek is hilarious whenever we try to take pictures together. It's a wonder we get any good ones.)
I am not "good" at submission - I'm still working on it, but I want to improve because I want to obey God here. I want to make Him proud of me. When I let my husband lead, without any ulterior motives, without trying to manipulate or control things, without looking for my chance to show the superiority of my position later, I think God smiles down at me.
I think it's important to also recognize that submission doesn't just involve your relationship with your husband. It involves your relationship with God. He is the one who tells us that the man should be the leader of the family.
For some reason the culture has us thinking that it is a sign of weakness to be the one to concede the point, the one to "give in" when there is a disagreement. I would beg to differ. I think it takes a pretty strong, secure woman to realize that God has organized the family this way for a reason. When we allow our husbands to lead, we are ultimately not choosing to "obey" our husbands - we are choosing to trust and obey God.
That is not weak. That is brave. It is strong. Even though it might be scary, and things might not always turn out like we want, God will reward us in the end for following His word when it comes to submission. I don't know about you, but I want my reward, and the thought of that is what keeps me trying to do better. I think those treasures in Heaven will be worth not getting my way sometimes while I'm here.
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For more good insights on submission, including the biblical basis and practical encouragement, I highly recommend this book (and I'm not being paid to say that)! I grew up with the idea of submission, and I still got a lot of new thoughts out of it, so I think it would be helpful for women of any background who want to study this subject more deeply and get a biblical perspective on it.
For all you Christian ladies out there, is this an area in which you struggle? What has helped you with the idea of submission? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
The bargain book section is irresistible to me. I love searching through the rows and rows of books at my local Christian bookstore and seeing if I can pick up anything good for under five bucks. Sometimes you end up getting what you pay for, but occasionally you find a gem hiding between the Christian chick-lit and the reference books.
The latest gem I've found is a book called "When Two Become Three: Nurturing Your Marriage After Baby Arrives" by Mark E. Crawford.
A new baby can sometimes be a challenge to a marriage, just because it's a change. It's completely normal for a baby to change your relationship - but you have to learn to work through the change together. I'm definitely up for improving our marriage relationship, so I snagged this book to see what it had to offer.
So far it's really good - I think it's completely relevant for any married couple, whether you have a new baby or not. And how much did I pay for it? All of three bucks.
Like I said, I love the bargain book section.
I read something in it yesterday that got me thinking:
" . . . A soulmate is created rather than discovered. In other words, if you and your spouse make a commitment to spend years together building a family, creating a mission statement, changing and evolving as people, celebrating life's best moments and sufering through life's worst moment's together, then after many years, you may find that the person you've traveled that journey with is, in fact, your soulmate. "
I had never thought about it that way before, but as I think about that quote now, it makes perfect sense. I think it's probably the best way to look at the marriage relationship.
If you expect that a soulmate is someone that you find, when you go through rough times in your relationship, you may start to think that you made a mistake, and that you didn't marry your "soulmate" after all.
But if you expect that as you travel through the hard times with your spouse, working through the issues in your relationship, going through all of life's changes, building your life together, that you will gradually grow to become soulmates . . . it makes every hard time and every conflict a challenge to overcome together, instead of a trial that can tear you apart.
All of a sudden, the status of being with your "soulmate" isn't something you may or may not find, but something you work toward together, something you achieve when you stick it out through every difficulty, something you can aspire to and reach someday with alot of prayer and effort and God's grace.
There is something precious and beautiful about that.
What do you think? Have you ever thought about the concept of "soulmates" in this way before?
The latest gem I've found is a book called "When Two Become Three: Nurturing Your Marriage After Baby Arrives" by Mark E. Crawford.
A new baby can sometimes be a challenge to a marriage, just because it's a change. It's completely normal for a baby to change your relationship - but you have to learn to work through the change together. I'm definitely up for improving our marriage relationship, so I snagged this book to see what it had to offer.
So far it's really good - I think it's completely relevant for any married couple, whether you have a new baby or not. And how much did I pay for it? All of three bucks.
Like I said, I love the bargain book section.
I read something in it yesterday that got me thinking:
" . . . A soulmate is created rather than discovered. In other words, if you and your spouse make a commitment to spend years together building a family, creating a mission statement, changing and evolving as people, celebrating life's best moments and sufering through life's worst moment's together, then after many years, you may find that the person you've traveled that journey with is, in fact, your soulmate. "
I had never thought about it that way before, but as I think about that quote now, it makes perfect sense. I think it's probably the best way to look at the marriage relationship.
If you expect that a soulmate is someone that you find, when you go through rough times in your relationship, you may start to think that you made a mistake, and that you didn't marry your "soulmate" after all.
But if you expect that as you travel through the hard times with your spouse, working through the issues in your relationship, going through all of life's changes, building your life together, that you will gradually grow to become soulmates . . . it makes every hard time and every conflict a challenge to overcome together, instead of a trial that can tear you apart.
All of a sudden, the status of being with your "soulmate" isn't something you may or may not find, but something you work toward together, something you achieve when you stick it out through every difficulty, something you can aspire to and reach someday with alot of prayer and effort and God's grace.
There is something precious and beautiful about that.
What do you think? Have you ever thought about the concept of "soulmates" in this way before?
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