Compliments & Celebrations

Here's your Challenge for this week

Give at least one genuine, heartfelt praise to your spouse each day for the entire week. Just one! If you’re able to extend the exercise one more day…then another…until it becomes a habit.

Catch your partner doing something right!

Even making just a small and gentle change in the trajectory of your marriage, can have a dramatic effect over time. The catch is you have to start…and keep going.

Here is a big tip: Instead of focusing on what is missing, or lacking, focus on strengths or positive attributes – things they do right. Search for things to praise.

Express appreciation

Say thank you for trivial things: “Thank you for doing the dishes.”

And do it often: “Thank you.” “I’m proud of you.” “I really admire you!” “I respect your opinion.”

Ok? So express appreciation. It’s not very complicated. It’s easy to do. Easy not to do.

What we do every day matters much more than what we do once in a while.

Your Date Night

Instructions

Agree on a time you can both meet when you won’t get distracted by children, or work, or anything else. You might choose to lie on your bed, go for a walk, or a drive, or visit a cafe.

Take it in turns to speak, and to listen. Listen with open hearts. Try not to interrupt, or judge, or criticise. Listen with the other person in mind, seeking not necessarily to agree, but to understand where they’re coming from. Remember, you have permission to have fun too!

Take turns to share your favourite movie, or style of movie.
Now share what you’d most like to do on a Sunday afternoon.
Chat about the differences you see in each of the above answers. Take a mental note of those differences. Remember: Differences are not right or wrong - just different.
Now take turns to share your what your favourite breakfast experience would look like, taste like. Be sure to take detailed notes of each other’s description.
Discuss a time when you could make each other's favourite breakfast experience a reality within the next three months - and do it!
If you want to go deeper: Close by praying for one another. Thank God for the gift of having each other and ask for wisdom to embrace each other’s differences so you can continue to grow together in oneness.