Monday, December 21, 2009

The Like/Love Plan



A couple of months ago my hubby and I were a little off kilter. We weren't connecting that weekend so well. We weren't communicating. We were a little less kind to one another. I'm not sure what our problem was, but it was not at all the way we usually treat each other. We were less patient, perhaps more tired, Shawn wasn't feeling well, and my hormones were probably askew. They get like that at different points in the month.

We have always honored each other because we hold each other in the highest esteem.

So one night we talked about what was going on. Tears streamed, talks quieted to silence as we each thought and thought, the night was going into the wee hours of the morning, and we were working through this strange & foreign disconnect. Things were much better as we kissed goodnight.

Early that morning as I started to wake up, a thought ran across my mind. The Holy Spirit was telling me something. The thought was that for the next 30 days I should write my husband a note with one reason why I like him, and one reason why I love him. The like part was necessary because that night before he said, "I feel like you don't like me right now." Wow! That was so hard to hear, but that was the message I was sending somehow.

That morning I went to the computer and wrote Day 1 of the Like/Love Plan and sent it off into cyberspace to my dear husband. He replied with excitement and wanted to join me in this venture. What a tremendous blessing this has been! I can't express enough how this transformed what was already great, into something magnificent. There will be bumps in the road, but we have to deal with them firsthand. The Bible instructs us in this.

On this very day, we each wrote Day 43 and that's 13 days beyond the "30 Day Like/Love Plan". I reminded my hubby that the 30 days were over, and he said, "I like writing them." So here we are. Writing love notes to each other on a daily basis and blessing each other's socks off.

What do you think? Would you be willing to do that? You don't have to have a hard weekend to affirm your spouse.

I pray that this has blessed you. It's not easy being so transparent, but if it honors God in the process, then I'm willing to be straight up, to be real.

8 comments:

Sarah at SmallWorld said...

That is so awesome. My husband and I each have a file on our computers with love notes, and we also have a big box of the old-fashioned kind of notes. These came in really handy for our 20th anniversary. I made him a photo-journal of our 20+ years together and included snippets of letters/emails we'd sent to each other. It is a treasure for both of us!

Tara Steffen Fotos said...

Yes, it must be contagious! My hubby has been less than my prince charming too lately! But I still love him even when I don't like him!
hehe. Great post!

He & Me + 3 said...

That is awesome my friend. I think this is a wonderful idea. I might just have to join in with you. Thanks for sharing so much my friend. You two are so cute.

Darcie said...

Carol I want to send you a big old hug(((hugs))))! I just love when people are open and real with the world...it's because of your openess that you can help others and inspire others. Sometimes when we look on other lifes we think they have it so perfect...but we are all human...thank you for sharing that side, and I LOVE your idea. You truly are a beautiful couple my dear!

Rachel said...

What an awesome idea! I like AND love it! :)

I am going to have to try this...

Mikki said...

What a great idea!! I love it!!
I could totally see this catching on..

Kat said...

Carol,

How beautiful! Thanks for sharing your heart so openly for His glory and to benefit the rest of us. This is a wonderful idea and I hope to implement it in my own life.

Hugs,

Kat

PS... oh, I almost forgot. I stopped by to tell you I am tagging you... because I know you love that!

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

That was beautiful! Communication and building one another up in love does so much for a marriage.

Every day is a gift and there are numerous ways to say I love you, I appreciate you, I like you.

Thank you for sharing your story.

FlowerLady