It’s his birthday and he’s on my mind.

I love him, he knows that, but do I SHOW him that?

Life is crazy with two little ones, work, home renovations, social commitments etc. so we don’t have many opportunities to do the whole lengthy, meaningful one-on-one time together (sigh) but what we DO have is a whole lot of little moments, and those, dear friend, can make all the difference!

Here are some ideas of how to show your man love amidst the chaos of your daily lives.

Because we’re called to love our husbands. It matters.

1. Make him laugh

Is there anything more wonderful than laughter? It feels good, it’s healthy and it relieves stress – the bible says that a cheerful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22) – try it out! Consider it a new challenge; make your man laugh!

2. Surprise him

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, his favourite chocolate bar when you do the grocery shopping, or a little love note (scribbled on “to-do” paper off the kitchen counter) in his lunch bag. Be creative, find ways, the little things can mean so much.

3. Smile at him while making eye-contact

Stop sometimes, look at him and smile. Easy. Special. You like this man, you married him after all – let him know you’re happy to be around him! Smiling is good for YOU too!

4. Give him 5 minutes of “calm” (if possible) when he walks in the door

Despite the chaotic day in the life of a stay/work-at-home mama, he’s had his own crazy going on – difficult meetings, revolting traffic for 2 hours of his day – a little space, a glass of water and a smile can go a long way when he gets home from work. As I type this I have visions of using my body to shield him from the onslaught of two toddlers as they power down the passage to greet their daddy – maybe I should scratch this one off the list… It was a nice thought, though.

5. Touch him

Hug, kiss, hold hands, find ways to connect physically. Physical touch isn’t reserved only for the privacy of your bedroom, one of the best ways to connect as a couple is to communicate love through touch.

6. Let him talk

Okay, this one’s pretty self-explanatory – SAHM’s out there – hold back on the diaper incidents and the public toddler (or mommy) meltdowns for 5 minutes and let the man talk… I know it’s hard, just try, ok?

7. Communicate clearly

Life is too crazy to expect your man to know what’s going on in your head without you telling him. Just talk to him. Tell him when you’re upset and why, make communication easy and move past struggles quickly. Be a peacemaker. Remember, you’re on the same team. Just talk to him. This has been a huge struggle in my own life (it comes down to pride, really) but push through it – humble yourself and enjoy the precious fruit of peace in your home.

8. Keep nice food in the house

Haha! I know this sounds silly but you should see his face when I tell him there’s something in the treat box or I just randomly come out the kitchen with something nice for him to munch – he loves it!

9. Take an interest in his interests

He loves STAR WARS and fish tanks – I tease him about it, but it’s cool. He cares about my blogging and my attempts at home décor. Care about each other’s things, you might find yourself starting to like them too! Let’s hear it for Rogue One!

10. Compliment him

Don’t just think nice things, SAY them to HIM! You know how you feel all warm and fuzzy when someone says something nice to you? Make him feel that way, often. Limit the criticism and nagging (remember that quarrelsome wife from Proverbs 27? Yikes!), highlight the good stuff; just be nice.

11. Pray for him

Last, but most importantly, pray for him. Let him know that you are taking him and his worries and struggles straight to the throne of grace. That is one of the most loving (and effective) things you can do for him.

You will fall down – I do, all the time! That’s why I wrote this – it’s something I’m praying about and working at. I know that loving my husband is part of The Lord’s will for my life, and that is reason enough for me to work at it with all my heart. A bonus is that delighting in my husband, brings me great joy! Oh, how kind The Lord is to His children.

Join me.

Invest in your marriage in the everyday little moments – after all, the fabric of our lives is woven out of those very same little moments.

With love,

Nicole

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God… 1 John 4:7

 

Have anything to add? I’d love to hear your own ideas of how to show love to your husband, share in the comments!