23 Comments

  1. Hi Jolene, all those 5 points are excellent and work…. another, quiet time together? That bonds us too
    God bless, and great post
    Tracy

  2. I loved your post. So true but often forgotten as the family grows!! I used to go with my husband before we had children when he scuba dived. I even took the class. As we ended up having 7 children, those things can easily fall by the wayside. At least you (me) can work extremely hard to get it all back.

    Thanks for the linkup today, Jolene. Have a wonderfully blessed day!!

    1. Judith, you are so right about when the babies come and how hard it is to stay connected to your man. If even the years have gone by, a wife can still reconnect with her man. Thanks for linking up today!

  3. My wife is a sweetheart and does many of the things you suggest. I especially love it when she works along side me in the yard and I enjoy helping her in the kitchen, with the laundry, and making the bed. It’s not only a good way to spend time together while getting something done it really leads to great memories and, as you pointed out, brings you closer together. Thanks for the suggestions and for hosting the link up!

  4. Hi Jolene – Yep, I totally agree! We too love to just talk while the other is working. Sometimes while I’m having a bath, he’ll ask if he can join me. Not to have a “steamy” time, but just a friend to talk with while I’m unwinding from a stressful day.

  5. Since I began following your blog I read all your post. With your advice, I started hanging out with my husband. We have a great time together. In the past we would go our separate way running errands and such. He actually did not believe me when I told him I wanted to go with him to the lawnmower repair shop. He asked, “why”? I told him it’s a great way to spend times together. It took several more times for him to actually accept and believe that I wanted to hang out WITH HIM. Now we are intentional in being together. I now purposely let him know what I’m going to work on or go on an errand; next thing I know he is going with me or working with me on a project. IT’S MARVELOUS!

    1. Mary Rose,
      What a fabulous testimony. It blessed my hear and ministered to me greatly! It’s awesome that you are reaping the fruits of your efforts!

  6. Great stuff, Jolene! It’s taken me 10 years of marriage, but I’m finally realizing the importance of DOING things WITH my husband. My default is to knock out my “to-do” list THEN enjoy my relationships, but I’m working on enjoying the process with my family. It’s especially hard when my husband wants to do yard work (which he LOVES and I LOATHE!) 🙂 Thanks for such great tips!! ~Nancy

    1. Oh I so understand the ‘to-do’ list, Nancy! And I hear you about what he loves and what you loathe. I tried rock climbing with my husband when we were first married, and well, that’s definitely not my thing! So I tried other things with him so we could connect. It’s been a long road (and one I had to adjust because of all my health/physical challenges) but it is worth it.

  7. It is nice to meet you here on your blog! Thank you for the link up and for the tips to a better marriage. I have struggled with ALL of the above, but as year after year passes a deeping of my interest in my husband and a desire to really know and be a part of his life has emerged. It truly is a process of becoming ONE. Blessings to you! Love, Rachael

  8. So often we miss that HUGE ingredient in a recipe for a wonderful and loving marriage: friendship. It’s great that you started off this post with that major piece of the pie.

  9. I’m convinced, Jolene, that having a shared interest outside of our family is crucial for keeping the spark and excitement in a marriage. My husband and I are empty nesters, now, and for 6 months after our daughter went away to school, we bumbled around trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. Then we joined a Toastmasters group. Now we’re honing our public speaking skills together and having a blast. It’s only twice a month, but we look forward to going, enjoy preparing, and have something to talk about over dinner. thanks for the tips 🙂 Visiting from Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time and glad I did.

  10. I think one of my favorites on this list is number one! Just in the last 6 months or so I’ve realized that not only does my husband prefer me to be around him when he’s working on his own thing, but I like it when he hangs around while I do my thing. It’s something I know I have to work better at, so thanks for the reminder here!

  11. Great piece of advice Jolene… and the lists are excellent too! Looking forward in saying this to my husband when he comes home… it rings in my head… “Come be my friend…” This is awesome!
    Visiting you from the Happy Wives Club link up.

  12. HI Jolene, thanks for your tips. I’m recently married and even though my husband and I do have fun everything seems to be becoming routine, I especially like ‘be interested in what he’s interested in’.
    God bless you

  13. I suppose this could be construed as snarky, but why should the wife have to pretend to like the husband’s activities in order to spend time with him, but she shouldn’t expect him to like women’s activities? Seems very one sided.

  14. My 10 year marriage is on the verge of ending because I chose not to join my husband in one of interests. He ended up meeting and connecting with someone at Edc. My world collapsed when he told me and it’s all because I was not there for him when he practically begged me to go with him. I now realize how often I do not take interest in the things he enjoys. Thank you for your post, I am hoping and praying that I can rebuild his interest and trust in me by showing him how much he means to me and how I appreciate him.

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