I pray you have a wonderful day filled with laughter, family and friends!
4 Ways to Kiss Your Husband
I know. You forgot how to kiss your husband. With all the holiday frenzy piled on top of all the busyness, it can be tough to squeeze kissing into your day. Who has time to kiss when you have to bake three dozen cookies for that office party? Or drive your kids to that soccer game? I’m guilty of this too, but kissing is important.
According to Psychology Today, kissing serves a key purpose in a long term relationship. It’s “an expression of psychological closeness, and a means of preserving and enhancing intimacy in a relationship.” Kissing, or the lack thereof, illustrates the state of your relationship. So if you ain’t smooching, it’s a red flag and you better get to it! Here are some easy way you can squeeze more kissing into your day:
- When you first wake up. If you brush your teeth the night before (and floss!), the morning breath won’t be so bad. As soon as you open your eyes, give him a fresh one. Don’t hop out of bed to run a load of laundry or start getting ready for work. He’ll appreciate that you took the time to love on him first thing.
- When you reach the end of the work day. I talked about some easy ways to greet your man at the end of the day. Why not greet him with a kiss? Tell him how happy you are to see him, and then start your couch time together. It’ll mark the beginning of a peaceful evening at home.
- When you have a spat. I’m not talking about kissing after you’ve made all of the requisite apologies and “I’m sorry’s.” I’m talking about kissing in the midst of the spat. It’s a quick way to quell an argument. If you can’t muster up the energy to kiss during an argument because your emotions have gone haywire, take a deep breath, count to ten and think of something funny. The last time I laughed during a love spat, I soon realized the ridiculousness of our disagreement. It was the first step to moving forward… and it paved the way for a quick kiss!
- When you’re celebrating major (and minor) news. Food isn’t the only way to celebrate good news. Try kissing too! And the news doesn’t have to be major. You can kiss him because all the laundry is folded and put away. You can kiss him when the dishwasher is emptied. You can kiss him just because… Y’all are married now so there aren’t any rules to kissing. Just do it! According to the experts, you’ll create an instant psychological connection each and every time you kiss.
Have you been guilty of not kissing your husband enough?
What are some ways you can squeeze more kissing into your day?
A Cold Winter Night by novelist Ada Brownell
A guest post by Ada Brownell
The frosty ice on the canal crunched as my skates rhythmically slid in rhythm in the darkness.
The rest of my Sunday school class still wobbled on their blades on the frozen irrigation water near the bonfire, trying to get a feel for the sport. I flew around one canal curve, then another, enjoying the cold breeze I created.
Moonlight glistened off the ice, lighting my way. I twirled, whirled and skated backward before turning ahead to go around another curve.
I grew up in a small Colorado town that made an ice rink for the kids, flooded it every day when temperatures neared zero, and kept a warm fire burning in a barrel. Then irrigation canals striped and criss-crossed our valley, and they were a great place to skate, too
Old Man Winter prepared a glassy smooth surface on the canal for this night.
Practice, not lessons, shot me out ahead of my friends who struggled behind me. Well, I admit a brother helped me figure out how to manage curves and backward skating. But my dad started my adventure on ice. He bought a box of junk at the auction, and my skates were tucked in there.
Suddenly I heard heavy rhythmic movement.
“Hi.”
L.C. Brownell, one of four brothers named to be called by their initials, zipped beside me. The moon revealed twinkles in his eyes and a smile on his handsome face.
“Hi,” I answered, wondering at the friendliness of a youth about five years older than I.
Up and down the canal we went together. He’d taken lessons in Minneapolis while he was in telegraph school. We skated and talked. Everyone else stayed close to the fire.
When chili-eating time came, he asked, “Could I take you home?”
I agreed, and that started a relationship that caught me by surprise. I was barely age 15. Already 20 and working for the railroad, a whole tribe of young women tried to catch his attention.
On our first date when he stopped his car in my parents’ driveway, he pointed at my window and scooted my way. “Look! A falling star.”
I didn’t look. I held up my hands to bar him from coming closer, quickly opened the door and went inside.
The second date I sat closer and he gently kissed me—once.
I fell in love at that moment, but I didn’t want to love him. I had things to do; places to go; goals to achieve. When he declared his love for me, I didn’t take it seriously. He talked of marriage and I thought he couldn’t be serious. Erma, my vivacious older sister, had been engaged five times.
L.C., however, needed a cook, a housekeeper, a devoted wife, and for some reason he chose this kid—me. Furthermore, he thought he could tell me what to do. That didn’t go far with this freckled-faced redhead. Friction often caused sparks between us instead of love. He’d chosen the wrong “woman-to-be” to boss around.
He slipped a diamond on my finger after he discovered my parents weren’t running him off. One week we were engaged; the next, not even speaking. The whole year we dated our relationship soared, crashed, then went back to the heights and hit bottom again.
Finally, I broke up with him, refused to date him, and told him to go after other girls who adored him. I knew I loved him. I just thought I’d get over it.
Well, I didn’t. After months of hoping for a miraculous recovery from my encounter with Cupid, I gave up. Three months later, I wore one of the most beautiful white satin wedding gowns I’ve seen, even until this day. My sister-in-law, Mildred, a wonderful seamstress, made it.
I’d be lying if I told you everything went as smooth as the ice on which we skated on our first flirt with romance. I’m still a spit fire and he still likes to tell me what to do.
Yet, the fires of love burn after 61 years in a relationship that began on a cold winter night. I finished high school, graduated from college, have a wonderful career and outstanding children and grandchildren.
Despite stressful times and sorrow, the journey has been an exciting adventure beyond my wildest dreams–even more special because Jesus and L.C. walk beside me.
About Ada
Ada Brownell is the author of five books, about 300 stories and articles in Christian publications, and she spent a large chunk of her life as a reporter, mostly for The Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado. She and her husband L.C., have five children, one of them in heaven, eight wonderful grandchildren.and two great-grandchildren.
Among her books: The Lady Fugitive, an historical romance released July 18, 2014, Imagine the Future You, a youth Bible study (November 2013). Joe the Dreamer: The Castle and the Catapult, (Jan. 15, 2013); Swallowed by Life: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal, (Dec. 6, 2011); and Confessions of a Pentecostal, out of print but released in 2012 for Kindle; All the books are available in paper or for Kindle. Imagine the Future You audiobook is available at www.Audible.com Free book with new Audible membership.
Amazon Ada Brownell author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrownell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AdaBrownellWritingMinistries
Twitter: @AdaBrownell
Blog: http://inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com
About The Lady Fugitive
How does a respected elocutionist become a face on a wanted poster?
Jenny Louise Parks escapes from the coal bin, and her abusive uncle offers a handsome reward for her return. Because he is a judge, he will find her or he won’t inherit her parents’ ranch.
Determination to remain free grips Jenny, especially after she meets William and there’s a hint of romance. But while peddling household goods and showing a Passion of the Christ moving picture, he discovers his father’s brutal murder.
Will Jenny avoid the bounty hunters? Can she forgive the person who turns her in? Will she find peace, joy and love?
Outsourcing Thanksgiving Dinner
This year I am outsourcing Thanksgiving dinner to Cracker Barrel. They will be taking care of all the heavy duty work. I am not ashamed to admit it either. I’ll be adding in some extra side dishes, but you will not see me slaving in the kitchen with a twenty pound turkey. I’ve made a lot of changes in my life this year, shifted my priorities and focus. As a result, I have to just outsource some things. Thanksgiving dinner is one of them.
But I’ll make some easy for me side dishes to add to the Cracker Barrel spread. Here’s what I plan to make:
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Collard Greens
Candied Yams
Buttered Corn
I’m salivating just thinking about it.
I can’t wait for my Cracker Barrel spread however. This year, I’ve been learning to have peace with the fact that I can’t do everything, but I can do a few things REALLY well. So, I’ve been trying to refocus and figure out what are those few things that I can do well.
I decided basting turkeys wasn’t one of them. Sometimes, Super Woman just has to draw the line.
What about you? Have you been trying to do too much? What will you do to pull back this holiday season?
Real Romance by novelist Karin Beery
A guest post by Karin Beery
November 26 – one of the most romantic days of the year. Well, for me anyway. Nine years ago today I married a tall, handsome, hairy man. A chance meeting at a coffee shop eight months earlier led us down the aisle on a blizzardy Thanksgiving weekend. I didn’t plan a fairytale wedding, nor had I dreamed of the occasion since childhood. Thanks to books and movies, however, I did have some preconceived ideas about marriage and the happily-ever-after. Boy, were they wrong.
Did you know that boys and girls define “clean” differently? I don’t think my husband has ever looked at his pile of clothes by the front door and thought, “Maybe I should put those in the hamper.” Then again, I’ve never cared much what my windows look like. Thanks to him my windows are washed regularly.
You know those husbands that spend the weekend watching football (or baseball or hockey)? Well, I don’t. My husband is more interested in mold spores than football scores. His favorite football game is the Super Bowl because when it’s over he doesn’t have to watch any more games for six months. For me? It’s the start of the countdown until next season.
And then there are the compromises. I love food, and there are millions of recipes I still need to try. The hubs would eat tacos, spaghetti, and chili every week. Boring. I can agree to one of those a week, though (even after nine years).
And this whole anniversary thing. Technically it’s November 26. That’s when we were married. Technically, however, we were also married the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That’s easier for my husband to remember. As long as he remembers to say something nice on that day, we’re good.
Married life is nothing like the movies and novels suggested, and I couldn’t be happier. My honey sees dirt in places that I don’t notice, so he cleans the areas that matter to him and I clean the places that matter to me. He lets me have the remote control during all of the live sporting events because he knows he can watch his shows as reruns. Menu planning is easy because I know what he likes (and he’s actually willing to try anything). There’s never any stress about celebrating our anniversary since we can pick from two days each year.
Fictional relationship are just that – fictional – but that doesn’t mean the real thing is bad. I don’t have a generic, Hollywood romance. My husband and I love each other in ways that minister to our specific desires and personalities. I’ll take that over flowers and chocolates any day.
About Karin
A freelance writer/editor/coach, wife, care-giver, and homemaker, Karin Beery has had more than 450 articles published in various periodicals, in addition to writing her novels. She is an active member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association, Evangelical Press Association, and Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network. Karin is represented by Steven Hutson of Word Wise Media. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or at her website, www.karinbeery.com.
We Can All Learn Something from Katie Brandt by H.L. Wegley
A guest post by H.L. Wegley
It is much harder to defend one’s worldview against attacks than it is to sit back and take pot shots at someone else’s beliefs. This is probably why Christians tend to have deep, worldview discussions more within the safe walls of our fortresses, with other Christians, rather than out in the world, in the marketplace of ideas. It’s intimidating to think about preparing to give a reason for our faith to anyone who asks (1 Peter 3:15). But, should it be, really?
In my story, Triple Threat, Katie Brandt is strongly drawn to a young man, Joshua West, who claims to be an agnostic. When the subject of her faith comes up, Josh throws questions at her, tons of questions throughout the book, often in an argumentative manner. In fact, by the end of the story, he covers all of the major objections to Christianity that non-believers raise. Katie answers Josh’s questions, always trying to steer him to the real underlying issue, the thing that Josh needs most to understand.
Though Katie has an IQ of over 180, we can all do what she does, because she actually handles only 5 basic issues: the nature of truth, the problem of evil, the role and result of God’s love, human depravity thus the need for forgiveness, the necessity for an infinite being (God) to reach out to finite creatures or they can never know God. Along the way, Katie touches upon a few other issues, such as the reliability of the scriptures. She doesn’t use the abstract words I alluded to, such as human depravity. Rather, Katie accomplishes this in conversational English in the dialogue of Triple Threat.
The Word of God is powerful, but there are people who will disregard everything we say if that’s where we start. The Apostle Paul, in Acts 17, when he met with the Greek philosophers in the Areopagus, started with their culture and writings, the common ground, then bridged from the Greek philosophers’ culture to the gospel by showing how God’s Word answered questions raised by their own beliefs. Finding the common ground is something missionaries must do every time the gospel is taken to a new people group, and it’s what Katie did with Josh.
Triple Threat is a fun read. It’s informative, but always in an entertaining way. And we can all learn from Katie Brandt, the remarkable young woman who is not afraid to defend her faith in the spirit of 1 Peter 3:15 – Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect… (NIV)
About Triple Threat
Brilliant, beautiful, 21-year-old Katie Brandt, PhD candidate and woman of faith, detects a deadly conspiracy. Suspecting it’s only the tip of an iceberg, she dives in, pulling fellow grad student, Joshua West, with her into a high-risk investigation of a cyber-terrorist plot. Damaged by the foster-care system, Katie takes huge risks to win acceptance and love. But when she risks Josh’s life, an agnostic, who isn’t prepared to die, she fears her mistake might have eternal consequences for Josh, a mistake that could break Katie’s heart, a heart rapidly falling for Josh.
Will Katie and Josh survive the investigation? If they do, can they ever span the chasm of divergent worldviews that separates them? How can they awaken a dozing nation to a three-pronged danger that threatens its very existence?
Triple Threat, an adventure that spans the Pacific Northwest from the shores of the Olympic Peninsula to the mountains of Whistler, BC, a conspiracy you might read in tomorrow’s paper, but pray you never will.
You can buy Triple Threat at:
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23437490-triple-threat
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Triple-Threat-Pure-Genius-Book-ebook/dp/B00OEMO7UY/
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/triple-threat-hl-wegley/1120629453?ean=9781611163827
Christianbook.com:
http://www.christianbook.com/triple-threat-ebook-h-l-wegley/9781611163810/pd/73287EB?event=ESRCN
Pelican Book Group:
http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_47&products_id=613
About H.L. Wegley
H.L. Wegley served in the USAF as an Intelligence Analyst and a Weather Officer. In civilian life he performed research in atmospheric physics. After earning an MS in Computer Science, he worked 20+ years in systems development at Boeing before retiring near Seattle, where he and his wife of 48 years enjoy small-group ministry, grandchildren, hiking on the Olympic Peninsula, snorkeling Maui whenever possible, and where he writes inspirational thrillers and romantic suspense novels. He has a contracted 4-book, Christian-thriller-series with Pelican Book Group. He is currently finishing his 8th novel.
You can find him at:
His Web Site: http://hlwegley.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HLWegley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hlwegley
Who Should Pay on a Date?
Who should pay on a date?
When I used to date, I instituted a hard and fast rule: I would not pay a dime. I instituted this rule because I learned it the hard way. Call me old fashioned, but after experiencing the emotional roller coaster of a failed relationship, I refused to pay a penny for all future dates.
In my opinion, a guy will show (or not show) his interest in a gal by paying (or not paying) on a date. Prior to instituting my rule, I paid for myself (and for the guy I dated…ugh!), and it turned out to be a disaster. For the rest of the time that I was in this broken relationship, I felt this crazy need to cover for him whenever we were out together. That got old really fast, and I ended up dumping him.
Later on, when I went on my first date with my now husband, I decided not to pay. I didn’t tell him this, of course, I simply waited to see if he would fork over the cash.
He did. And he did it again on the second, and the third, and the fourth dates…and the rest is history.
To me, one of the fun parts of romance is the thrill of the chase. I like to be pursued. (I told you I’m old fashioned.) When I was dating my husband, I enjoyed those moments when he called me. Or when he asked me out on a date. Or when he reached over and held my hand. It made me feel all princess-ey and special like.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying I fell for the first guy that expressed interest in me. No, no, no! After my prior relationship fail, I upped my standards a tad (Okay, I upped my standards a whole lot, and that’s a topic for another blog post). If the right guy wasn’t around who met these newfound standards, I kept on living till he showed up. No biggie.
But when Mr. Husband Material did show up…
…I made sure I didn’t pay on the first date or on any other subsequent date for that matter.
What about you? Do you think a woman should pay if she’s on a date? Why or why not?
Faith to Move a Herd of Alpaca by novelist Johnnie Alexander
A guest post by Johnnie Alexander
About a year ago, I moved from two decades of living in Florida suburbia to my sister’s four-acre hobby farm in western Tennessee. My little papillon Rugby moved with me, but only a few weeks passed before he wasn’t the only four-legged creature under my care.
My sister didn’t want to mow her sprawling front yard, and neither did I. So after researching our options, we bought four alpacas: Autumn, Winter, Sassy, and Starr. Over the next few months we acquired seven more: Charro, Di, General, Merry, Shelby, Snow, and Stonebride.
Though I grew up on a farm, I didn’t do much farm stuff. As the oldest of four, my chores mainly consisted of washing dishes, cleaning baseboards, and watching the youngest two children while Mom, Dad, and my brother did farm stuff.
But now I needed to learn about alpaca husbandry and something called herd distance.
You see, alpacas are skittish creatures. Though ours, especially young Starr and blue-eyed Snow, eagerly eat from our hands, they don’t like to be petted. Attempt to touch their luxurious fiber, and they’ll probably back away.
Sometimes it’s a challenge to get them where we want them to go. Get too close, and they flee. Too far back, and they head the opposite way. Like Goldilocks in the story of The Three Bears, you’ve got to get the distance just right.
Faith works both ways.
The herd needs faith that I’m not a predator. I prove this by paying attention to their body language and adjusting my behavior—and my distance—accordingly.
I need faith in my ability to appropriately respond to their cues so I don’t unnecessarily frighten them.
A year ago, I couldn’t have imagined living this kind of life. My personal circumstances had me as skittish as Winter, our youngest, who never eats out of anyone’s hand. But unlike our herd, whose faith seems to vary from day to day, my faith in God’s steadfast love rarely wavered.
During those unsettled months, through sermons, devotions, and Scripture, God promised me again and again to provide for me. Before I knew it, He had prepared a path before me. There’s no herd distance between us, only a minuscule “heart-distance.” Acutely aware of both my physical and emotional cues, He holds me as close as I will let Him.
Even though I may not always have the faith to move a mountain, I have the faith to move a herd of alpaca. And the faith to trust God to move me always closer to His will for my life.
“You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it” (Psalm 65:9, ESV).
“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5, ESV).
About Where Treasure Hides
Artist Alison Schuyler spends her time working in her family’s renowned art gallery, determined to avoid the curse that has followed the Schuyler clan from the Netherlands to America and back again. She’s certain that true love will only lead to tragedy—that is, until a chance meeting at Waterloo station brings Ian Devlin into her life. Drawn to the bold and compassionate British Army captain, Alison begins to question her fear of love as World War II breaks out, separating the two and drawing each into their own battles. While Ian fights for freedom on the battlefield, Alison works with the Dutch Underground to find a safe haven for Jewish children and priceless pieces of art alike. But safety is a luxury war does not allow. As time, war, and human will struggle to keep them apart, will Alison and Ian have the faith to fight for their love, or is it their fate to be separated forever?
About Johnnie
Johnnie Alexander is the author of Where Treasure Hides which won the ACFW Genesis Contest (2011 Historical Fiction). The first of three contemporary romances, tentatively titled Into a Spacious Place, releases from Revell in January 2016.
She also has won the Best Novel and Best Writer awards at the Florida Christian Writers Conference is a 2012 Bronze Medalist in the My Book Therapy Frasier Contest.
A graduate of Rollins College (Orlando) with a Master of Liberal Studies degree, Johnnie lives in the Memphis area with a small herd of alpacas, her dogs Rugby and Skye, and assorted other animals.
Connect with Johnnie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Good Reads, and Linked In
