Valentine’s Day found us doing just that. My sweet husband suggested a day spent driving to some of our favorite spots, but I knew the way to his heart would be to go on a hike. I realized that it would be just what we needed. After many busy days, some days apart and also ministering to others, what we needed was time alone.
Hiking a trail to White House Cliffs provided quiet, beauty and time for just the two of us. We passed NO ONE on the trail.
There were times I just stopped and listened to the stillness (while my heart was pounding loudly from the extreme climb!). We would stop and point out areas far from us, orienting ourselves as to our location. Okay, Dale did that, and I nodded!
At our lunch break at the top of our destination, Dale pulled his phone out and read Psalm 34 that he had read earlier in the day and had been meditating on. We stopped for prayer for our lives and our family.
We ended the day with a trip to a mountaintop where we sat in the car and watched the sun slip down below the ridge.
We avoided lines, crowds and stuff. This was just a perfect day together on the Scenic Route.
Want to see Dale’s description of our day? You can find his post here.
Refresh yourself in God’s House this weekend where you can enjoy the preaching of the Word, corporate prayer and fellowship! You need the church and the church needs you!
Conversational Respect in Marriage – Our words are clear indicators of our respect (or lack of it) for our mate. You can see how we show that in this post.
Refreshing Little Things – Here are a whole list of little ways to make each day more refreshing!
Creating Periods of Regular Rest – Even if you can’t have a sabbatical or vacation, here are ways to create regular days of rest in real ways you can actually do!
The Thin Ice of Despondency – We can all get to a place of depression and despondency, but here are some ways to push out of it.
Thank you to each of you who regularly read; I am so grateful! It is truly my heart’s desire to refresh your heart each time you stop in. I love hearing your comments, too! You encourage and also give some great ideas! I’m thankful that you would take the time to read my posts.
I would love to hear what you would like to read more of in 2022. Would you be so kind as to fill out this survey? It would help me know how to encourage you in this next year!
In 2022, what would you like to read more of here on RefreshHer?
Share one or more suggestions in the comment section. Thank you so much!
I pray this next year is full of spiritual refreshment as you read God’s Word and draw close to Him. I pray you’ll have daily joys in your home as you love those that enter its doors and serve with the love of Christ. I also pray that you life will be filled with the joy of refreshing others as you are refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
adjective 1. easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable: a conspicuous error. 2. attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualities or eccentricities:
In Philippians 1:20, 21 Paul wrote –
For me to live is Christ.
Paul lived out his love for the Lord in a way that was conspicuous. It was noticeable.
I’ve been dwelling on how I might be more conspicuous in my love for my Savior. Our love for Him connects to everything we do and every relationship that we share. Is Christ’s love conspicuous in every area of my life?
Today I’ve been wondering specifically how conspicuous my Christ-like love is displayed to my husband. If God gave him to me, shouldn’t I be demonstrating Christ’s love in my marriage? Of course! But if we’re honest, our husband is often swept up into the dustpan like the crumbs from last night’s dinner. All neatly place out of our way, we can now storm proceed to the next thing or person on our list.
“I fixed him dinner!” we might cry. Or we may wrongfully assume, “He’s watching football – he doesn’t need me!” But if we desire to show Christ-like love, we need to be conspicuous about it. Whether or not he knows you love and respect him, you need to be saying it and demonstrating it in a way that it is also obvious to others that are watching you. And oh, others are watching – especially if you have children! They are listening when you think they don’t hear your response to their daddy. They are watching when you think they are absorbed in play, and they are learning from your example. That can be a scary thought, or it can be a good reminder – it really all just depends on how conspicuous your love and respect are being demonstrated to that guy you married. Think back to before you were dating; remember how your heart skipped a beat when you knew he was near…even in the same building?! Perhaps you tried to be inconspicuous about your feelings at that time, but now you can, no should make it obvious that you’re crazy about him!
Find a way today to make your love for your husband “easily seen and noticed!” Pick an idea below and let your love and respect “attract some special attention!”
Draw a Love and Respect Tree on a mirror using dry erase markers. Add leaves (made out of scrapbooking paper) each day with reasons written on them why you respect and love your husband.
Write him a Thanksgiving card and send it in the mail telling him why you love him, then send it to his workplace.
Buy him his favorite treat ~ just because ~ and present it to him as a small token of your love.
Tell him thank you for the little things he does. Does he lock the doors at night, take out the trash, make your morning coffee, open the car door for you, bring home a pay check, pick up his dirty clothes? Find something and say “thank you” eyeball to eyeball. End it with “I respect you for that!”
Be demonstrative of your affection. Hold his hand or arm, give him a wink from across the table, and for sure, give an affectionate kiss when one of you leaves home!
Spoil him. Give him the first, the biggest, the best of whatever. In the south we call that “specializing” on him!
The love of Christ should manifest itself in your marriage in such a way that no one could miss that fact that you two are still in love! What will you do today to make your love for your husband conspicuous?
In case you didn’t know, I sure love this man!
P.S. Don’t have any expectations about his response. Just do it because you love Christ.
Be conspicuously in love,
If you need some help preparing for Thanksgiving, go here for favorite Thanksgiving recipes, and here for what to do ahead of time.
Who doesn’t love a week full of fun and family? That describes our last week of sabbatical so well, but it’s also a reminder of a truth I hope to pass on to you. Stay tuned.
You might think that 30 days of sabbatical would fly by, but the Lord answered my prayer and allowed it to go nice and slow. What a blessing that was! We enjoyed each day to the max and allowed ourselves time to rest, spend time together as a couple, and focus on what the Lord wanted to teach us as we got ready to head back into ministry.
When we got to the last week, we celebrated our 40th anniversary. My husband did a fantastic job planning our celebration and took me to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Oh. My. Goodness. What a special time it was!
The food was amazing!
The setting was gorgeous!
We got to take our time and enjoy every bite and every minute. We were at the restaurant for about three hours! We cried as we shared memories from our 40 years of marriage during the meal. I told my husband they were going to think we hated our food because of our tears!! It was a truly magical day, full of love for each other, fun times and many blessings!
Ready for our dinner at Ruth’s Chris!
This last week allowed us to enjoy an early July 4th celebration with Paul and Whitney in their adorable small town. It was so patriotic and fun!! There was beautiful music, Uncle Sam on stilts, and parachutists jumping out of airplanes with flags making for a great event!
We went home early in the evening, then later drove to a parking lot nearby to enjoy their fireworks. It was perfect!
We also got to see Paul in his work setting, which was super fun.
The last church we visited was Paul and Whitney’s. What a blessing to worship together and hear the sound preaching of the Word! After the service we went to a lovely little restaurant, The Bleu Porch, in their town and enjoyed a fabulous brunch! My Stuffed French Toast with warm Blueberry Sauce was delicious, but having brunch together as a family was even sweeter!
We spent the last few days at some quiet spots – lakes and mountains vistas – where we could reflect about what the Lord had spoken into our hearts. We did much journaling so as not to forget our lessons and the changes we each needed to make.
This mountain view is more amazing than this picture shows!
Now here we are nearly a whole month later! I’m enjoying the new schedule the Lord guided me to practice. My days and weeks are full, but the Lord is so gracious to allow times of rest just when I need it most!
Even without a sabbatical, we can each find times to rest. Even when dinner is not Ruth’s Chris, but grilled hot dogs, we can find time to be together as a family! Simple events can bring the fun life needs when days are tough. Ladies, we’re often the one who needs to create the fun, so let’s get planning! We need one another!
I’d also encourage you to find regular times to unplug, be still, and listen to the Lord through His Word and in prayer. We are not meant to run on empty without time with the Lord and minimal time in His Word. We need Him!
What do you have planned to refresh your heart? How will you refresh your family?
Unplug and have some fun family time this weekend!
Why travel the busy interstate, full of traffic, construction zones and high speeds when you can take a gorgeous, slower paced scenic route?
That’s the philosophy my husband and I have taken on! Oh, the gorgeous scenery we have enjoyed on the Scenic Route! Beautiful old barns, kayakers on rushing rivers, rainbows over country churches, and hot air balloons skimming open fields are just a few of the sights we have seen.
Our third week of Sabbatical was not without more scenic routes and beauty! I’ve pictured some of them here in this post.
Travel can really be an illustration of how we approach every day of our married lives! Sadly, I believe too many marriages are daily on the Interstate. Both the husband and wife are each in their own “cars,” driving over the speed limit, hurrying to the next thing on their agenda.
Occasionally they may pass their spouse and give a thumbs up as they keep traveling independently on their journey. Every now and then their lives may merge onto the same road, but not long after, a construction zone interrupts their unity and it’s back to stop-and-go once again.
This is not a fun way to travel, and it’s an even worse way to live out married life!
When you’re on the Interstate, it ‘s necessary to get off at a rest area when you’re weary. Marriages need restful times, too! I’m thankful for the rest our sabbatical allowed us. Not only did it strengthen our ministry, we were also able to pour into our marriage. We did lots of reminiscing – thinking back to the days when the Lord brought us together.
We even had the blessing of spending time in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, because, like many young couples, part of our honeymoon was spent there. We were thankful for time to sit, to talk, to dream about the future, and thank the Lord together for the blessings of the past.
Is your marriage on the high-speed Interstate, or have you taken the time to get off and enjoy the scenic route recently?
You don’t need a sabbatical to travel the scenic route! Find a spot where you and your spouse can watch the sun set. Go to the lake with a picnic supper. Drive together down a country road with the windows down and your old love songs playing on your Amazon app. Make some new memories on your own scenic route.
It’s your choice which route to take – both as your travel and as you live out each day of your marriage.
Interstate or Scenic Route. Which are you on today?
RefreshHer 
