love and respect

remember i told you that our pastor gave these out at our valentine's dinner?
well, i want to give you an update.

i am going to be totally honest here.
reading another marriage book was a mixed bag for me.
i have read and read marriage books, with and without the desired results.
but i want the best for our marriage and what our pastor said was interesting.

the first couple of chapters where a struggle.
for me the concept of respect (biblical respect) is new to me.
while i thought i act pretty respectful, it was clear that i had my work cut our for me.

let me be clear that my hubby well deserves me respect, so anything i say does not diminish that.
for me, the type of respect that was being laid out for me in the book triggered thoughts/fears of being a doormat (covered in the book).
i did not/do not want to totally lay who i am down and be, how can i put this?, well, a doormat is just going to have to do.
the examples of people did these things were, almost too good to be true.  like i'm thinking, not with me/him/our marriage.

the first chapters were frustrating me, so i jumped ahead in the book to the c-h-a-i-r-s chapters for the wives.
i figured if respecting your husbands is in the bible then i better learn what it is and how to do it.
*side note-there was much prayer being dome on my part for a heart to "get it".*
these chapters were more of a help.
God softened my heart as well.
i was still not too sure how to put this new respect thing into play, but i was willing to try.

then about a month later (i am still not done with the book yet) hubby starts reading it.  (if it doesn't have a deer, elk, or food on the cover he is probably not going to read it.)  after a few days we go out to "talk".
long story short, i can see a difference.
i am also SO glad that he is willing to work on our marriage too.

while i still have MUCH to learn and change my thinking/reacting on, i am encouraged.