Elegance
You come across a variety of people when working with the public. Some you encounter are extremely pleasant, while others leave a lot to be desired. You never know what to expect!
I recall a gentleman who called the law firm back in December on behalf of his mother. We set up an appointment with the attorney and had the paperwork prepared prior to their arrival. At the scheduled time, a tall gentleman entered the office to make sure he was in the right place. Once he was certain he had the right office, he stepped out into the hallway. Shortly thereafter, a petite elderly lady, full of elegance and grace, appeared in our doorway. Instantly, I was struck by her well groomed appearance and red suit she wore. We offered her a seat while giving her son the paperwork. As I waited for the paperwork be completed, I attempted to make small talk while inquiring on her age. I was quite surprised to learn she was 97 years old and making arrangements should she require the assistance of a nursing home later in life.
Now, this lady certainly did not look her age at all. I watched in awe as she moved around the office as she left the lobby and entered the attorney’s office. One would expect someone of that age to require assistance getting around. She carried a cane but rarely used it. Even her son had to remind her later to get the cane prior to exiting our office after their appointment was complete. She was definitely independent and still lived alone. I was dumbfounded!
Once their appointment was coming to an end, the attorney asked her the secret to her longevity. She replied, with a laugh, “Aggravation.” We laughed with her but never fully understood what she meant by that comment. Did she mean aggravation from others, or did she mean she was the one causing the aggravation? Later, we laughed at the thought of this perfectly poised lady causing trouble.
May we ALL be blessed to enjoy 97 or maybe even 100 years of life.
Feeling Flirty?
This week I had a lot of time on my hands as I stayed two nights in the hospital with my loved one after surgery. While the patient was sleeping, I began reading The Flirtation Experiment co-written by Lisa Jacobson and Phylicia Masonheimer. The book allowed me to pass the time instead of watching the clock, which seemed not to be moving especially in the wee morning hours. It allowed me to also reflect on my own marriage and how to enhance certain areas. Do you want to see sparks fly like when you two first met and fell in love. I do! ~wink~. (Side note: Our marriage of 19 years is going strong, no need to worry. We could be seeing fireworks like the 4th of July, and I’d still want to see more fireworks. Same applies here. Pour on the love, affection, attention, romance, passion … you get the idea. We have those now, but I want MORE! I’m greedy in that regard. ~At Least I’m Honest!~)
Each turn of the page allowed an intimate look into the marriage of Lisa and Phylicia. They were vulnerable putting it all out there, but they did so in a very classy way. At the end of some chapters, they added words from their husbands, Matt & Josh. They were open about their lives, issues they struggled with (like getting too comfortable due to burn out at their jobs thus seeking to shut off there minds at night and just watch television instead of connecting with each other at the end of the day). They expressed how they experimented just to see what would happen and how it improved their already wonderful marriages. They were both pleasantly surprised at the changes in themselves and in their husbands.
What if all readers implemented small changes into their marriages to enhance it or bring the magic back?! What if they already had magic but were longing for more because you just can’t get enough of a good thing (guilty as charged!)?!
Now hear me when I say the book doesn’t promise to perform a miracle in your marriage. It also does not promise to change your husband. The only person you can change is yourself, if you choose to accept this challenge. But, your husband will see the change in you and will likely follow suit as well so you have better quality time together, which is a win-win!
One thing about growing up in a Christian environment, women feel as if they should not seek out their husbands in a sexual way. Why is it always the man’s job to initiate affection, such as holding hands, hugging, and even … ~gasps of horror, I’m gettin’ ready to say it~ … SEX?! It shouldn’t be, as our husbands would like to know we find them attractive and desirable, too. It shouldn’t be a one way street! Now, with this book, it is as if Lisa and Phylicia are pointing out scriptures and giving you permission straight from the Bible for women to stop feeling like men are the only ones that are supposed to initiate things. It is perfectly okay for women to pursue their husbands in this way. AND men will LOVE the change when you start pursing them. (You can still be a “good girl” by doing this no matter what you were made to believe growing up or in your younger days as a Christian wife. Sex should not be a “wifely duty.” The term, to me, is repulsive. If you look at sex as a “duty” and aren’t being fulfilled, something is wrong and we encourage you to seek help in that regard from a professional. You two should be mutually enjoying intimacy through sexual intercourse with each other!)
Romance is in all of Hollywood movies, but it isn’t real life all the time. Women desire romance. Some times men just don’t have a clue in that department, so there is nothing wrong with women showing them how we would like to be romanced. Some times they don’t put forth effort like they used to, so step up and do it instead!
This book goes beyond ones I’ve read in the past, such as The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman. We have read this book and others like it. I know my husband’s love language, and he knows mine. As in any marriage, though, it takes effort to prioritize your spouse. Your life is busy. I get it. With raising your children, taking them to their activities, helping with school work, tending to the chores awaiting you at home after a long day at work, it gets too easy to put romance on the back burner.
Don’t do it!!
Start today with this challenge. I won’t promise that immediately you will go from the television sit com Married With Children to the movies that repeat on The Hallmark Channel oozing with romance and passion. But, it’s a great start!
Take hints from these two ladies and see what they implemented and how their husbands responded. Use some of their ideas on your own marriage or use this book to get you thinking of what would work specifically with your husband and your marriage. You know your spouse better than anyone. So put on your thinking cap, turn into your inner Cupid, and reignite the passion that is still in there buried under your adult responsibilities.
Make your marriage a priority! Since this is Valentine’s weekend, it is the PERFECT time to start, but don’t stop there! Keep it going.
Feeling flirty?
Let the sparks fly!
Order your copy today by clicking here!
Many thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing for providing this product for review. While I did receive a copy of this book in exchange for my review, the opinions expressed here are all mine.
Devastation
The Covid pandemic has caused devastation across the globe. What started out as a brief quarantine to “slow the spread” quickly turned into jobs lost and businesses closing up, thus crippling our economy.
Believe it or not, the year 2021 marked the beginning of what is known as The Great Resignation. Who even knew that the economic trend of employees voluntarily resigning was even a “thing”?! My husband pointed this out to me recently. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show four million Americans resigned midway through 2021.
Why?
It’s easy to speculate on this. As Covid ran rampant in communities everywhere, the workload increased in the healthcare field due to the overwhelming number of cases requiring hospitalizations. Offices, warehouses, and retailers have suffered from shortages of workers also. This is due to those forced to quarantine either due to being sick with Covid or having been exposed to it. The workload shifted to those remaining employees leaving them feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and completely burnt out.
Strong opinions formed on both sides for the vaccinated and the non-vaccinated. Friendships have been lost and employees have quit their jobs over this “debate” on whether our freedoms are being taken away or whether we are doing the right thing by implementing mask mandates and pushing the vaccine.
At one point, the question was, “What is your why (or reason) for getting the vaccine?” My answer was the same at the beginning as to “why” I would consider getting the emergency vaccine and masking up – my family! My answer remains the same as to my “why” for taking a leave of absence from work – my family! I have a family member I will be caring for after major surgery. Subjecting them to any type of illness is just out of the question, especially with what they are facing. I would not be able to live with myself if I was a carrier and ended up being the reason for their decline. Therefore, I voluntarily quarantined for two and a half weeks leading up to their surgery. The risk was too great working with the non-vaccinated and non-masked public. With the wellbeing of others far from people’s minds these days as they argue about their “rights” and “freedom” while putting the older generation with underlying health issues at risk. It was the right thing for me to do so as not to endanger my family, and I did not even hesitate gathering my belongings and leaving my place of work. It’s a sacrifice I made with my husband’s complete support.
Another issue leaving people unsatisfied and unsettled during all of this is the fact that people have been paid by the government to sit at home. In addition to their unemployment benefits, they received an additional $600.00 a week as an incentive to stay at home during this pandemic. Meanwhile, the employees who worked throughout this pandemic did so at their regular salary. How is this fair? They are the ones putting themselves out there in the public, risking getting Covid themselves and bringing it home to their families. Yet, no bonus incentives were given for them showing up daily during all of this. It just doesn’t seem fair at all to reward those not working, yet forget about the loyal employees working through the pandemic. Why not pay them an additional $600 a week or more for working, instead of giving it to those bragging about sitting on their behinds on purpose to draw the additional benefits?! Some even requested to be “laid off” in order to draw the extra money.
In my case, my employer once gave quarterly bonuses for hard work, but it was not for working during the pandemic. When money was tight during the last quarter of 2021, the quarterly bonus was promised for mid January when more money was available after a large billing cycle. I suppose the timing on my leave of absence is what prevented me from receiving the promised 4th quarter of 2021 bonus. Even still, I made the right decision for the sake of my family. Your job will replace you in a heartbeat. They can get another employee to fill your role, although they may not be as efficient as you were or produce the amount of work you did.
Family will win out every time – every single time – without question!
Your job won’t hold you close, cherish or treasure you, but your family will.
We are thankful we have made it this long and this far without being inflicted with Covid. We pray for continued health and for my loved one’s swift recovery so they can enjoy life once again.
