Tag Archives: thankfulness

Reasons To Be Thankful For Your Spouse

Are you thankful for your spouse? What’s that? Still complaining that they don’t help with the dishes or that they spend too much money? Put that aside! This week is Thanksgiving in the US and it makes a great excuse, anywhere in the world, to stop and be thankful for your spouse. Today’s post aims to help. To get you started I offer several reasons you can be thankful.
Reasons to be thankful for your wife:
  • She keeps you humble. If you didn’t have your wife, who would point out all of your weaknesses?
  • She keeps track of your to-do list. Heck, in most cases the wife actually creates the to-do list. What would you do with all your time if you didn’t have her to help prioritize?
  • She helps you find stuff. Maybe this only works in my house, but if I need to find something I only have to ask my wife. Of course usually the item was out in the open, exactly where I looked, but items come out of hiding when my wife goes to get them.
  • She provides driving assistance. Come on, you know you didn’t see that car that was stopping ahead or the fact that the car next you has its blinker on. What would you do without her help?
Reasons to be thankful for you husband:
  • He holds down the furniture. It’s true. As long as we’re around the couch or recliner are in no danger of moving. After all, you wouldn’t want your living room furniture just moving around on its own, would you? That would be creepy.
  • He probably only uses one towel. You may feel like your husband only adds to your laundry duties, but it could be worse. What’s up with women using 4 or 5 towels every time you take a shower anyway? In this case you’re husband deserves a hug for his moderation.
  • He provides you with a myriad of odors. This is important because otherwise your crazy collection of sprays and scented candles would serve no purpose. So the next time you cringe at his stinky shoes, or perhaps at him directly, be thankful.
But seriously: Take some time today to be thankful. It’s nice to have someone to share with- someone to laugh or cry with. Are you truly thankful? For an example, see my post on what I seriously love about my wife.

This list is only intended to get you started. (It may start you down the wrong path, but at least it’s a start.) What other reasons can you think of to be thankful for your husband or wife? Post your thoughts in the comments – serious or otherwise.

Thankful Thursday – Marriage Edition

One of the people I follow on Twitter is Mandisa (@mandisaofficial.) Each week she proclaims “Thankful Thursday” and people tweet what they are thankful for. I’ve never participated in Thankful Thursday because… well… honestly…I don’t see any other guys participating. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been lurking, waiting to participate but it feels a bit like a girl party so I’ve stayed out of it. I’m still thankful, though, I promise.

Anyway, it got me thinking. I can post a Thankful Thursday blog post. That way I can participate without feeling like the lone guy at the baby shower. (Trust me, you don’t want to be that guy.) One thing that all husbands need to do is appreciate their wives. I’m extremely thankful for my wife. So take some time today to tell your wife how much and why you appreciate her.

One thing that we husbands have a hard time learning is when something needs to be said aloud and when something is implicit. Many men would say, “My wife knows I appreciate her. I don’t need to tell her.” Wrong answer! The amount of gas you developed at the church chili supper? That can go unspoken (especially around her friends.) Another recap of your high school sports accomplishments? That can go unspoken. But how much you love her and appreciate her? That needs to be stated – often.

Since most of us men are more comfortable with bullet points than prose, I am recommending something along the lines of the following:

(Important reminder: please modify this list to include your wife’s name and attributes relevant to her. You can’t steal someone’s list verbatim. That’s bad karma and nobody wants to be the karma chameleon, whatever that means.)

I am extremely thankful for my wife, Kristy.

I’m thankful for the big things:

  • She puts up with me.
  • She loves me.
  • She is a wonderful mom to our three children.

I’m thankful for the little things:

  • She locks the cat up when I’m trying to sleep late.
  • She makes the best sweet tea in the world.
  • She still packs my bags for me when I go on trips.

I love the way she:

  • Tells me she is finished and going to get off the phone then talks for another 15 minutes
  • Is addicted to Facebook
  • gives hugs (I would also point out that she’s a good kisser, but we’re getting old and I don’t want my kids to throw up when they read this.)