tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1944816623840269332024-03-18T23:56:17.304-05:00My Life: Unscripted<b>Life is what you make it. Watch me while I leave mine on display...well, kinda...at least the high points.</b>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-76097821092818297842014-04-17T16:01:00.001-05:002014-04-17T16:01:30.645-05:00Numbing vs. Healing<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I think of the differences between those of us who claim Christ as our Savior and those who don't, one thing struck me the other day as a stark contrast between the two groups. And it's probably not the normal, typical responses - "We're sinners saved by grace" or "We are broken people just with a Savior" and so on. No, it went beyond that and to a place that just about anyone can comprehend regardless of their biblical savvy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm talking about how people choose to numb vs. heal their spirits, their inner selves, their "chi" or whatever the latest jargon is for what makes you who you are. Your innate self at its basest level is in need of one or the other; your choice is whether you choose to heal or to numb. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The vast majority of people on this planet choose to numb. It comes in many forms. You can see it culturally as you span the globe. Take the eastern cultures views on religion and notice a connection between appeasing the spirits of ancestors for their inner peace. You see the radical Islamist dedicate his unfailing and blanket commitment to Allah via violence, oppression of others, and even suicide as a way to make good to his god. Even Buddhists find "peace" in their chantings and rituals and rigid abstentions all for the sake of nirvana. And then in places of the Western world, we like to drown our spirits in spirits. A lot. Or we maximize our sexuality to encompass more than our virgin selves ever could have pondered. We take up hobbies and find good deeds to satisfy that nagging feeling at night as we nod off to sleep…"do I really make a difference? And do I really matter? Does any of it matter?" Those are just some examples. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even Christians fall prey to numbing for the sake of looking in the mirror without disgust. We check off our list of "good" we do like Bible reading, attending church whenever the doors are open, signing up for the bake sale and children's church, and don't forget the missions trip! But the heart of the matter is really our purpose behind such activities. Why do we do it? It's a great question that really demands to be answered every day. It's a perfect question when we're reflecting over Christ's sacrifice during communion. We dare not drink judgment on ourselves. We better make sure we understand fully that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for all our healing needs down to the deepest part of who He made us to be. If we don't fully rely on this, we are hypocrites and just like the Pharisees who swooned over the specifics of the law to get straight A's instead of taking the spirit of the law to heart and letting it guide them in righteousness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a little crying session yesterday. Yes, I'm pregnant and hormonal. But still, crying isn't normal for me to express frustration and discouragement. But yesterday, it was the perfect outlet. I was feeling quite overwhelmed in what I have on my plate for responsibility. I have 2 crazy, lovable, rambunctious boys to train up and protect. I have a baby soon to come who will need me almost constantly while maintaining the prior 2. I am on track to regain my position in Mary Kay AND earn a car, which I have never done. I live 20+ hours from both families and rely on non-family to help me with child care, for which I gladly pay. I don't end each day feeling super productive or prospered. I got zero responses from the many people I contacted yesterday for my business and haven't had the month I was expecting AT ALL. Plus, my husband is needed for Easter prep and rehearsal and such, which means I get few breaks from being mom in order to work to grow my business. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was in that moment where this all culminated in my brain and heart and soul and stomach and left me feeling blah. I felt helpless and defeated. Discouragement raged inside of me. Knowing that it was probably just a passing phase, I kept on working. I pushed through. Then when 9 pm hit, I put my phone down and went upstairs and just laid on the bed, silent tears falling while I stared at the beige wall. It was in that broken, awful moment where I was releasing all that crap inside me that I heard words of Jesus going through my head. Things like, "My yoke is easy", "I am the way, the truth, and the life", "I go to prepare a place for you", and "</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth." And don't forget that "spirit of power" that was written to Timothy! I felt the burden lifting and realized that I was trying to numb with success what Jesus had healed at the cross. Yes, success in my business is important because it will allow so much more freedom for our family and open up our abundance to give greatly beyond what we've been able to in the past. However, I was allowing the lack of daily success, monthly success to overshadow the grace that had so greatly and perfectly washed over my inability to save myself. I have a permanent home with Jesus to ponder! I am forgiven! I may feel icky for the moment with the way things were going, but I ultimately have rest and peace and <i>healing</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">So no more numbing for me! My worth is not dependent on how much I sell or how many appts I have on my books. It doesn't matter if my house is clean and my kids ate 3 square meals. Jesus has it all covered better than any health insurance plan. The healing has taken place and is lasting. Why should I allow anything else to numb a healthy soul?</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-82358354397157240072014-03-10T12:16:00.003-05:002014-03-10T12:16:22.424-05:00Missing Someone I've Never Met<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I celebrate my husband's 31 years of life! I'm so glad that Don & Vikki had a bonus baby who became my husband and helped me produce 2 gorgeous boys and our Baby Hunt! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some may not know that this is actually Baby Hunt 4.0. We found out September '08 that I was indeed pregnant with our first baby! It was quite surreal and overwhelming, especially for Monte. But just a couple months into it we found out that this Baby Hunt had stopped growing around 6.5 weeks. I would have been around 10 weeks when we found out. So around May 21, 2009 was that Baby's due date. Each year it hits me when it starts getting close that I have a child in heaven who is fortunate enough to have never felt pain and live with Jesus. But I also get hit with the pain of missing someone I never got to meet officially or see face to face. I can only imagine what this child looks like and sounds like. I can only wonder if it is a boy or a girl. Not that it matters in heaven, but my earthly mind is curious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some have asked if I knew why. Unfortunately, no. My main guess after being much more knowledgable and informed about pregnancy and things regarding fertility that it was probably a low progesterone issue. But it could have been a defect or abnormality probably of the heart, which begins beating just a couple of weeks after conception. God only knows. And I'm okay with that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I also had to deal with another hurt - the hurt of people not getting it when I told them. And it took me a long time to tell most people. Good thing I waited. This wound was fresh and open for a long time. Satan was definitely working on me to betray God and lash out at people. Bitterness and anger were trying to consume me and I had to fight those with everything I had. I even remember one Sunday soon after having to hold my communion in my hands for what seemed like eternity weeping because I couldn't honestly take it knowing I had not examined my heart and was carrying junk not yet submitted to God. I was heavy with emotional burdens of pain, sadness, grief, anger, frustration, questioning, and doubt. And one of God's sweet angels swooped in and prayed over us as she saw my agony. Bless her. Even now, being 25 weeks pregnant with our 4th baby, the pain is real and present. I'm typing through tears. And that's what many people don't get if they haven't been there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Losing a baby in utero, especially earlier on in gestation, is sometimes viewed as "easier" than losing one later on who could be held and seen and cherished as a mother desires. I have to say that I cringe at such language as it implies less value of the babies lost earlier on, like it's not as difficult to handle. I know it's not intentional. However, I had more than one encounter where I was "encouraged" to feel a certain way because it was so early. A great read recently was from a <a href="http://liveactionnews.org/why-miscarriage-matters-when-youre-pro-life/" target="_blank">blog</a> of a woman who suffered losses and saw a great disconnect in how many pro-lifers treat babies to be aborted and babies who are lost by miscarriage. I encourage you take the time to read and share. We as the body of Christ need to be aware of how we speak and act towards those who lose babies before birth no matter how. And it needs to be consistent and saturated in God's love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't tell you exactly how to act towards anyone you know who is suffering with this kind of loss. Every loss is unique. What I can tell you, however, is that you can never go wrong with arms that are willing to receive someone hurting and ears that are ready to listen and listen and listen. Please keep your mouth shut and assume all the questions asked as being rhetorical. Get a box of tissues or a hanky and allot a good chunk of time to just being there. Grief is not logical or rational. It hurts. And if you have kids, just pretend you lost one of yours. And then feel the hurt it would bring. That's where your friend is. It's a dark, lonely vacuum of pain. The light is present and will be noticeable soon, but until then, be that pillar of support. Bite your tongue if you feel the need to tell her how to feel (or him) or why she should be grateful. (Really???) And just be loving and gentle and there. Treat those who've lost just as if they had lost a child after years of life. It matters and it counts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-46279023351749709532014-03-03T18:55:00.004-06:002014-03-03T18:55:36.263-06:00My Heart Grows Faint<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm having a hard time stomaching the lack of equality in our country. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://libertyunyielding.com/2014/03/03/gay-nm-hairdresser-refuses-service-nm-governor-defending-traditional-marriage/" target="_blank">Gay Hairdresser Refusing NM Governor As Client</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.worldviewchurch.org/wvc-digest/featured-articles/21329-does-this-look-like-jim-crow-discrimination-to-you?spMailingID=8058871&spUserID=ODcxOTk0NTUxMTQS1&spJobID=122303021&spReportId=MTIyMzAzMDIxS0" target="_blank">Gay Couple Cries Discrimination</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/27/uganda-hit-with-foreignaidcutsoverantigaylaw.html" target="_blank">Ugandan Aid Cut Due To Anti-Gay Bill</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The level of fairness and equality in expressing ourselves, even through our work, is threatened if we aren't on the right side of the issue. And the worst part of it all is that some Christians are taking too much leeway in embracing people at the expense of standing up for God's word. More on that in a moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is just a snippet of the hypocrisy and how we Christians should be warned to fall prey to our ears being tickled as a way to gain public support. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gay Hairdresser - If we review the facts, this gentleman has every right to refuse service to someone. Or at least he should. However, if the governor had called him and cancelled her appointments and said she'd never be using his services again because he's gay, there would be a firestorm of media crying "Hate!" and "Bigot!" Plus, what if the same standards were applied to him as were applied to the <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/01/21/christian-bakery-guilty-violating-civil-rights-lesbian-couple/" target="_blank">businesses</a> already sued, threatened and run out of business? He would be forced to cut her hair or pay massive fines. That sounds like the freedom bells ringing, huh? One line from this last link is particularly striking stating, "It shows that tolerance is one way."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gay Couple Cries Discrimination - Their florist and friend for 10 years is the violator in this story. She respects them, treats them with love & kindness and has never spoken ill of these great customers. But then she dare not participate in their ceremony with her services?? Outrageous and hateful. I couldn't believe this when I read it. Their backlash on social media sparked the politically expedient case against her by the Attorney General. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ugandan Aid Cut - Now, I'm not a huge fan of what Uganda has done. And like most Americans, I haven't read the bill word for word. However, this stance on gays is still incredibly mild in comparison to all the countries who have Islamic militants who would hang or shoot gays (and Christians, for that matter) in the streets. And yet, our country still gives aid to some of these countries. Why the disconnect? I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that Uganda is considered a Christian nation. But then again, I could just be taking it out of proportion, right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's one thing I hear from my friends who aren't as conservative as I am. "Oh, Amy. You're taking this way too seriously." Am I? It's seeming to always go one way and not the other. It's like reparations for past discrepancies. What ever happened to just treating people like people and respecting them despite their differences? Instead it's a vengeance, a pay back for past harms. A blanket offense to anyone disagreeing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Politically, I'm all for states' rights and respect these decisions made by the people therein. The gay marriage debate that was taken all the way up to the Supreme Court was deemed "not a federal issue". And yet federal judges are silencing the voices of each state's constituents where their gay marriage ban or traditional marriage definition is being declared unconstitutional. So that's one point. It's literally being forced into law. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now let's connect how some Christians are getting caught up in the social expediency of accepting the argument on marriage equality. Or for those who are actually champions for their gay & lesbian friends getting married. Or even yet, those who are criticizing fellow Christians who choose to practice their faith in all they do "as if working for the Lord." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But that's still not the worst of it. I've been reading blogs and posts by some who are Christians and yet support their gay friends to get married. I'm reading how some of them are actually cussing over the fact that some of these Christian business owners aren't "showing the love of Jesus" through their services. And alas, some who didn't read a word of AZ's bill to protect religious beliefs of business owners accusing the writers as being hateful and bigoted towards gays despite words describing such no where to be found in the legislation. What message are we Christians sending? It's quite mixed, especially to the younger generations. And how else can a Christian business owner operate? Under the compulsion of the government when it's in direct conflict with his faith? Filter check, please.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm all for loving people as they are just like Jesus did. But Jesus often told people, "Go and sin no more" or "Your faith has healed you." These people were challenged to rise above alongside His compassion. Are we not to do the same? Are we to stand by our friends who are gay and applaud them in getting married? I guess you can take any other sin and insert it accordingly and ask yourself the same question again. Are we to stand by our friends who ________________ and applaud them in ________________? Insert "are pregnant" and "getting an abortion" or "love each other" and "are moving in together". Maybe "watch porn" and "broken relationships". No. Of course we wouldn't support any of those scenarios. Even if it was as "mild" as "cheat on their tests" and "passing Trig", we still would proclaim it as wrong. Or would we? It seems our moral compass is off. And it has nothing to do with the source of morality being skewed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we criticize Christians who stand up for the sake of the Gospel, we are a divided house that will not stand. I'm not saying you can blindly accept what all Christians are saying or doing, but what message does it send to those Christians when they did nothing wrong and receive backlash from those who claim the same faith? Romans 14 teaches us to be careful not to force our personal behavioral convictions on other believers who may have weaker faith. You may think they should be loving by letting their businesses be used for such events as the ones above. But what if their convictions won't let them? We'd be asking them to sin against their consciences. Or even the Holy Spirit! What's wrong with standing up for those Christians? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've lost friends to this issue though. And it doesn't matter how mainstream we are. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 that we should "speak the truth in love." But it also warns not to expect a warm reception with the truth. In 2 Thessalonians, Paul writes that some hold to their wickedness despite knowing the truth. And in so, God allows them to believe the lie. These wicked of any kind, essentially, have a veil over their eyes that hides the truth from them. They have given themselves to Satan's lies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And be warned, like the florist in the article above, that even your love isn't sufficient to reach some. Had she gone against her conviction she would be left with an empty faith for the sake of appeasing 2 people who are caught in the darkness. What then? Do we applaud her acceptance while she grieves the loss of her spiritual integrity? And she did the Biblical and honest thing by sharing why she couldn't. There was no regard for her faith. There was no mutual respect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bible is very clear that we will have troubles in this life. Jesus warned the apostles that some will refuse to listen and cast them out of their cities. He also warned that he did not come to unite us as human family but as a heavenly one. Strife is consistent with the Christian life. Being persecuted for the faith is a joy to be celebrated to be counted worthy! If we relent on any sinful issue and would rather embrace people while not sharing the truth in love, what are we sacrificing? How are we glorifying Christ and His sacrifice through that? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love does not equal indiscriminate support for any and every decision. Just like any good parent, the love happens automatically regardless of choices. But discipline and punishment come with decisions that are out of God's will. Let's be sure we are 100% clear on what love really is before we give lip service or "prove" our acceptance of others and whose glory we're really after. I want God to know that I pray for those who "persecute" me and reach out to them with His love when I can. I want God to see that my heart is true to His word while loving people who couldn't care less about my faith. And if I'm going to choose between honoring God and accepting someone's lifestyle of sin, whether it's gambling, fornication, cheating on their taxes or otherwise, I'm choosing God. And I don't apologize for that.</span><br />
<br />Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-15658486329929380092014-02-19T17:26:00.001-06:002014-02-19T17:26:37.328-06:00Staying Home & Saving Green <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am often asked how I am able to stay home while having a minister husband. It's not just one thing that allows us to make it work; it's several. Some of it is a mindset, some of it certain principles we live by, and some of it is just how we spend our money. Here are the reasons and ways we make it work. I hope something in here may be helpful or encouraging to everyone who reads. And maybe it'll inspire someone to be bold and alter their circumstances in order to stay home, save money, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1.</b> I still work. Yes, I bring home some bacon. It's not always a lot and it varies. But I've chosen a work form home business, which allows me the flexibility to work around what matters most to me: God & family. And I sell a product that is consumable, which gives me residual income even when I'm not actually working. And since I've been doing it for 12 years, I have a solid customer base.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2.</b> We sacrifice luxuries. We understand and practice needs vs wants. So things like cable/satellite TV, eating out often, getting my nails done, regular Starbucks trips & recreational shopping are all things we don't have/do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3.</b> I don't succumb to social & cultural expectations for being a mom. I don't pay for professional pictures often for our kids and family. I'm not very extravagant in festivities such as birthday parties & holidays. I stay away from Pinterest for the sake of my time and not getting sucked into that vortex. I don't feel my kids have to look like they have stepped out of an ad when we leave the house. We chose to wait on finding out gender of our babies to keep ourselves from spending. All of these supposed standards are great marketing for certain businesses but tempting snares for moms who feel they <i>need </i>to comply. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4.</b> We don't have car payments. Neither of our cars have keyless entry, each is at least 10 years old, and there is nothing fancy about our sound systems. However, they run well, are safe and are worth a little extra from time to time to keep in good shape. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5.</b> We use meal plans (most of the time). This helps with more intentional grocery shopping. It can trim extras and unnecessary spending.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>6.</b> I coupon and check best deals when I can. I don't sit for hours in front of the computer or stalk the $1 store to horde Sunday papers. I also don't stock up needless items. But I do check the match ups each week before I go shopping to see if there are great prices on what we will be eating and our regular staples. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>7.</b> We give at least 10% of our income to our church and have other consistent ways we give. We've learned that having an open hand allows for being gifted and blessed; a tight fist has no room for receiving more. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>8.</b> I nursed our kids for at least a full year, made homemade baby food and cloth diapered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>9.</b> We make household cleaners, detergents, etc. I was super skeptical of these at first. I've definitely come around and am really glad that we tried them out. We make our own <a href="http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html" target="_blank">laundry detergent</a>, <a href="http://theecofriendlyfamily.com/2009/08/cloth-diaper-detergent/" target="_blank">cloth diaper detergent</a>, <a href="http://www.zany-zebra.com/cloth-wipe-solution.shtml" target="_blank">wipe solution</a>, disinfectant (rubbing alcohol & water or vinegar & water), <a href="http://homemademothering.com/2009/11/the-homemade-way-to-dust-furniture.html" target="_blank">dusting solution</a>, and probably a few others I can't remember off the top of my head. Did you notice none of these recipes are original to me?? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>10.</b> We hardly ever buy our kids toys. And yes, that includes birthdays & Christmas. Considering how generous our families & friends are and how much joy they get out of buying gifts for them, we restrain ourselves to stick to things that are either essentials (like socks, underwear & shoes) or educational. The few toys we've gotten them were mostly from Goodwill! And guess what? They adore them and think they're so cool. I'll ride that wave as long as I can.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>11.</b> We use a budget! This is a big one. It's one of those annoying things to set up that yields huge dividends down the road. We used Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey as our guideline and have adapted it digitally to our liking. This keeps us in check in each area of spending, giving & saving. We like telling our money where to go instead of it going without our say. We are also debt free! This saves us from "stupid tax" (AKA interest) coming out of our budget every month and gives us more freedom with our spending.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>12.</b> We are grateful. Abundantly and consistently grateful. We never want to hear ourselves complaining about stuff, especially. We give credit where it's due to God for always providing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>13.</b> We keep it all in perspective. We no longer have car lust or gadget envy like we may have had as teens & young adults. We know what is required to run our home and complete our work & tasks. If that's all we have, it is quite enough. If we ever doubt, we take in some humble pie by reminding ourselves what we have in comparison to most people in the world. And in those places, the people can have more joy & hope than we do! Good lesson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>14.</b> I always evaluate cost vs value before committing to something like a service or regular expense. For example, I could go to a gym to work out, and it may even have child care included that's super good for my kids. However, I evaluate the demand in my day, the cost from my fun money each month, and the time I'm gone around getting there and ready to work out. Instead, I find ways to work out from home that are effective and suit my style. Then I crack my own whip and get to work! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>15.</b> We even save money when it comes to our dogs. In a society where pets can be valued equally as children for some, these costs can get quite outrageous. We care about our dogs dearly and would be quite sad if they died. However, we did not pay more than $60 to adopt either of them. I have checked out vets to find the best rates for necessary services. And when they do die, which will happen, there will be no fancy memorial or place for them in the back yard. Plus, we have an approximate dollar amount we will not exceed in the event they need a lifesaving measure. As much as it hurts to say goodbye, it hurts worse to go to financial extremes to save them when they are just animals and possibly no guarantee of it working. Once they're gone, they will not have conscious thought of who we are. That's hard to type even for this pragmatist! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This list is not completely exhaustive or meant to be a lecture to anyone. I just want to share if it can be helpful. I know there are many hearts of women who want to get back in the home and feel stuck. Probably the best thing to do first is to PRAY! Then go from there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-60021010421312127852014-02-14T15:26:00.003-06:002014-02-14T15:26:42.436-06:00The Real War On Women<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a war on women. But contrary to our beloved media's reporting, it's not from the Republicans. It's not even political, even though that is symptomatic of the actual problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This war on women has been going on since just after the beginning of time. You can read the account in Genesis when Eve made the fatal choice to eat from the forbidden tree going against God's specific instructions. She took upon her <i>the </i>worst enemy a girl could have - Satan. He was the one who enticed her and reasoned God's warning away in order to get her to fall. He tickled her ears with haughty words of grandeur to secure her demise. And in the process, she took down her husband with her. Ugh. I think we'll all be standing in line with the rest of our female former humans in heaven to ask her just what she was thinking. Am I right? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then I think to myself, "Would I have been so strong to withstand Satan's words?" I'd like to say so, but there's no guarantee. And what women hasn't struggled with being on par with someone else and knowing just as much and being just as capable? I could guess maybe Mother Theresa, but she was enough of a humble disciple to admit that she may not have turned Satan down either. So with this in mind, I think about what women are being bombarded with today and how we battle it out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Genesis, God was clear on the relationship between Satan and Eve (and consequently, all of us ladies who come after her) and what she would suffer as a result of her sin. He said, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." & "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." (Gen 3:15, 16) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ah, rats! "He will rule over you." Come on! This is not <i>today's</i> woman we're talking about, is it? Yeah. Yeah, it is. So many women today want to complain about how the Bible has set up the "hierarchy", if you will, in marriage. Did you read why? Why does he rule over you? Because of <i>sin</i>. It never ceases to amaze me that so many things we despise in this humanity of ours pretty much traces back to sin. In fact, it <i>all</i> does. It makes perfect sense, and we should be aware of this before we continue to reluctantly submit to our husbands and complain that he is the head of the household. I actually think Christ has redeemed this part of marriage though by creating a biblical mindset for both men & women that is complimentary to each other and creates a peaceful and unified home. We can rise victorious in that thought! Christ has yet redeemed us again in another way we may not have ever considered. Praise Jesus! The cross wins again. And this part of the war on women has been won. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, so back to Satan. This "enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers" is referencing, prophesying even, how Satan will be vanquished by Christ's victory over sin & death. Satan is cunning and quite sharp. He <i>knows</i> more than anyone that God will follow through on his promises and the standards He sets. I mean, he did get kicked out of heaven for assuming himself better and more powerful than God. He was a victim of God's wrath already. But the father of lies couldn't help himself. He tried and tried and tries to beat God. But despite the small victory of Jesus' death, Satan will never be able to claim all of our souls. Christ was a sufficient sacrifice to end sin's power, and He redeemed that "enmity" between the woman & Satan. And part of the war on women has been won. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I can't say that Christ has redeemed that whole "pains in childbearing" part. I guess you can say that God led modern medicine to find out how to do a spinal or epidural for that. But I'm at a loss for that part tying in to Christ's redemption. I'd love to hear it if you have some way of connecting those together. :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But a cultural norm that is beginning to fade, luckily, is the idea that women are subjected to motherhood strictly because of their ability to conceive and carry children. Some women find it a burden and a curse ("pains in childbearing"?). And here is another war on women. Women are taught to loathe their reproductive systems (directly & indirectly) and force their bodies to act accordingly so that they can enjoy sex freely without threat of pregnancy. And if the body doesn't comply, it is treated harshly to correct its mistake. Satan really has the wool over the eyes of some women now, doesn't he? He uses haughty words of grandeur to tickle their ears and then causes them to feel ashamed when the sin has taken place and the appropriate measures must be taken to make it "right." He tempts and then points the finger. He watches her fall and then kicks her while she's down. I think this war on women won't be redeemed (in our human eyes) here on earth overall. It seems to be a war that is fought and won one woman at a time as she decides to claim Jesus as Lord. I don't know for sure. But I do know that there are plenty of women out there who are desperately needing the peace and healing and forgiveness that Christ offers. And I'm praying that I can be of assistance to help those ladies find their way to Him to truly end the <i>real </i>war on women.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-43405419778741311622014-02-08T11:16:00.003-06:002014-02-08T11:16:39.234-06:00All The Single Ladies - 50th Post!<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To all of the single ladies out there…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are beautiful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are worthy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are capable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can definitely be enough without a spouse!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of you probably want one. And that's not bad. It does get bad when our hearts stray from what God intends for us to have. His fullest, biggest dreams for his children are to find peace in Him and to have a loving relationship with Him that honors who He is. However, he made us not to be alone. For most people, that means having a spouse to live alongside for the rest of our lives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It ain't easy. And I won't belittle the fact that it seems to be harder and harder to find good guys out there. Maybe this just feels like a room closing in on you as you approach a certain age that you just knew you'd already be married. No matter what though, having a good guy to share your life with is no small or simple task. Women all around have proven that it's not worth it to settle. Women all around have proven that it's not expedient to find a guy to marry just as a sperm donor in order to have kids. The quality of a marriage begins long before you get married. Hopefully, your parents started grooming you to become a great wife to your future husband. How? By showing you what a great wife looks like and what kind of husband a great wife should have. I am truly sorry if you don't feel that you had that kind of influence. But, regardless, you do have a brain and can read and find what God wants for you in a marriage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I've never been one for being a wimpy girl. Those who know me well know this is quite true. But I did have as a period in my life where I was wimpy in the relationship department. I allowed myself to not hold in high esteem the things I should have been looking for in a man. I ignored and excused away every red flag. And I paid for it. My heart hurt. And it wasn't the severance of the relationship that hurt the worst. That was merely a flesh wound. I hurt my soul. I hurt the very core of who I am when I chose to relent to worldly standards. That's a burn that takes a LONG time to heal. But it did by God's grace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So please hear my hurt & my heart, single ladies. IT AIN'T WORTH IT! No matter how much you may feel like settling or giving in will soothe your aches for love and affection and/or children, you will only end up on the path to disappointment unless God really gets a hold of that relationship to transform it to his glory. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please set up for yourself guidelines. Boundaries, if you will, for your heart. I wised up pretty quickly after this broken never-should-have-been relationship. I made a list that had godly and personal requirements for the man I was to marry. Notice I wasn't just focusing on dates or having fun or meeting different people. I wanted to meet <i>him</i>. I wanted to focus my prayers and desires of my heart on what God wanted for me in a husband. And guess what? He delivered! And I wasn't even aware. (I lack some of that women's intuition a lot of time.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of my list I found in Monte. Who would have thought? I mean, he was skinny. Still is. He looked 12. Barely looks 20 now. He's not a dominant personality like me. He is in no way a reflection of who everyone thought I would marry. But so what? God had a plan and knew what he was doing. We just allowed him to do it and tried our hardest to let His plan be ours. Now, 10 years later, I have no regrets and find great comfort and trust in my husband. It's remarkable and wonderful way to live. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven't done this yet (make one) or have had one for years now, keep praying over it as if your marriage depends on it. God is good! Truly. Trust in Him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This link is to a blog that has 12 non-negotiables in a husband. This is a helpful post to begin/revise your list. And the link at the bottom shows what men should have on their list as non-negotiables as well. That can be your springboard to better yourself in ways to prepare to be the most amazing wife possible. But maybe you won't ever get married. So in this process you have to be willing to relent that possibility. I know those words sting or cause some intense negative emotion in you. But I truly believe that if I hadn't met Monte, I may still be a single woman. Maybe it's easier for me to say that since it didn't come to pass. I get that. But I want to highly encourage you to consider that not finding that kind of love isn't the greatest loss of life on earth - losing your integrity in Christ and sense of self in order to satisfy an earthly desire is. Then having to live with those consequences. It's a steep price to pay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://sheismore.com/the-husband-list-12-non-negotiables/" target="_blank">The Husband List</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once you've made your list, pray over it like crazy. You should even share it with others you trust explicitly. If you just know in your heart that it'll happen, then bring in the troops and start the battle on the spiritual side! And know that you have to be willing to be receptive to a person who may not be who you alway pictured in your head. You may just pass up the greatest catch just for you. After Jesus, of course (wink)!</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-40984120999807327122014-02-04T15:13:00.002-06:002014-02-04T15:13:27.143-06:00Christian Women & Their Sexuality: Marriage to last a lifetime<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God designed us to be married for our entire lives!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, well our entire life post-nuptial. There is one growing trend for people to think of marriage more as a commodity instead of a commitment where it can be disposable and/or replaced when not working or rising to expectations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a topic that can stir up quite the tornado of emotions in people. Some have strong feelings for condemning divorce and others in justifying it. No matter what our personal opinions are we need to face the source of marriage and what He says about it all. He has several places in Scripture where this is discussed. The essentials are such:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Don't divorce. God hates it. Malachi 2:16</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Adultery is the justifiable basis for divorce per Jesus. Matthew 19:9</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Don't marry a divorced woman (or man). Matthew 5:32; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Paul had another exception for a believing spouse: to allow an unbelieving spouse to leave if s/he wants, which leaves the believer able to remarry. 1 Corinthians 7:15</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-divorce-22-helpful-scriptures/" target="_blank">Biblical References to Divorce</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So…….where do we go from here? Let's start at square 1. God made Adam & Eve. Eve was the complement to Adam. God saw that there needed to be a companion more like Adam that would supplement the relationship for him. First. Marriage. Ever. And notice there was no fancy ceremony. No ring. No honeymoon. No theme, colors, flower girls, boutonnieres, mothers-in-law, etc. How was marriage solidified? Good, ol' fashioned consummation. That's right. He lay with his wife or joined himself with her. Yes, erotic. But that's how God fashioned us. When our bodies unite we seal the deal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On we go. From here we are monogamous within marriage. And for good reason. There are so many dynamics to a thriving, growing marriage that it makes it very difficult to share all of yourself with more than one person, especially at once. This monogamy unlocks the door to a whole world of intimacy with just your spouse. You can be 100% who God made you with your spouse. This bond was never taken lightly by God, and we should be wise to honor that with our actions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd like to focus on #4 above since it's got some underlying context. Or at least some believe it to have such. This has been coined the "Pauline privilege", which can be summed up like this:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">'</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">According to this concept, Paul taught that if an unbelieving spouse leaves a believer, the believer is not bound to the marriage relationship, but is free to remarry" (</span><span book="46" chapter="7" class="bibleVerseRef" href="#" id="bibleVerseRef4" style="background-color: white; color: #454240; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: underline; white-space: nowrap;" versefinish="undefined" versestart="15">1 Corinthians 7:15</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">). </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">And some people recognize such a thing as a "constructive desertion," which would be when a husband so brutalizes his wife that it is impossible to live with him any longer; or when a wife has so harassed, or brutalized her husband that it becomes impossible for him to stay with her. When that happens, whether or not the person actually moves out, the situation is the equivalent of desertion, and divorce and remarriage are permissible.'</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/cbnteachingsheets/Divorce_And_Remarriage.aspx" target="_blank">What Does the Bible Say About Divorce And Remarriage?</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I see this as having a spouse who doesn't practice the faith despite the words that come from his/her mouth or the show that goes on each Sunday. However, I am very careful to ever advise in this direction. I have a dear friend whose husband just would not stop hurting her by cheating (sex addict despite her being willing to have sex with him daily and to his standards). He constantly betrayed their marriage vows and her. I was livid! But I never told her to divorce him. Why? First of all, she was in it for a lifetime. She is a superbly godly woman who strives to exist for His glory. She did not feel led to divorce. Her husband had somewhat of a relationship with God but had not let himself be sold out to His purpose instead of his own. She was sure that God's grace is sufficient. I did tell her after a tearful phone conversation that she can have him "hand[ed] over to Satan." (1 Cor 5:5)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Now this "Pauline privilege" does expound into areas that people are much more likely to encounter than just literally having an unbelieving spouse leave you. There is abuse in some marriages that threatens more than just the emotions. And other actions that are being taken out against spouses can be considered "desertion" by this concept. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Despite this, the underwritten rule is to remain married and monogamous to each other. Let Christ so fill your lives that you each take joy in continuing in this relationship. When He is the pinnacle of your world, staying married isn't hard. And considering divorce should almost be </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">laughable. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Marriage is no joke. More of us in the church need to be the champions of strong marriages; the more men who do this the better! God is so good and gives us this gift on earth. Our mindsets will determine whether or not we enjoy it. If you feel that you and your spouse may not make it or are struggling, please seek council from a trusted source. No marriage is immune to hardships & struggles. No marriage is too good to need counseling. You'd probably be surprised by how many great marriages have taken the time to get help. Don't let pride keep you from finding a way to mend the wounds. Your marriage will come out even better when you push through and conquer the trials!</span></span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-33281436205344781912014-01-24T22:50:00.000-06:002014-01-24T22:50:21.850-06:00Valentine's Day<a href="http://aannagreer.com/blog/how-to-fall-in-love-again" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aanna's Blog</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is from a friend of mine who was previously in my Mom's Connection table group. She's a gifted writer and quite intellectually astute. I read this and feel it fits perfectly with things I've been writing about. With Valentine's Day coming up, it's quite fitting. And it's icing on the cake that they named their daughter Valentine!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So after reading Aanna's blog, ponder how you feel about your spouse. Chew on that and be honest about it. List some behaviors you have towards your husband on a regular basis. Do they consist of these?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Nagging</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Criticism</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Cold shoulder/silent treatment</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or these?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Affection</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Affirmation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Encouragement</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahhhhh…….it stings sometimes to be brutally honest with yourself. I've found that one of the hardest things to do in life can be self-evaluation. Either we are way too easy on ourselves or quite harsh. It's rare to find a happy medium in this arena. But I was here several years ago in our marriage, trying to better my wifely interaction with Monte. I am hyper critical by nature. It's a gift and a curse. But when it comes to my husband, being critical is not the best way to be. So began the journey to start praying instead of criticizing. And it's HIGHLY effective! I recommend this route over any other. I prayed for him and for me. The Holy Spirit has not disappointed. I know that we aren't immune 100% against marital woes, but we are highly armed by the Almighty when trouble comes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Think about the many faces of you your husband receives throughout the day. Are they pleasant? inviting? affirming? loving? trusting? Will your husband come home to your warm embrace or your list of demands? Will he get to snuggle with his favorite feminine form or get the sweat pants treatment? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you were me, you would regularly remind him as to why he married you and was so eager to have you. Just saying. Make it a great Valentine's Day!!!!!</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-57879706894258875342014-01-15T15:04:00.003-06:002014-01-15T15:04:41.289-06:00Christian Women & Their Sexuality: Enjoying Each Other Sexually<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't worry. This isn't R rated, but I wouldn't say it's for young eyes either. Some young people can romanticize what I write and somehow justify it in their adolescent, immature brains to be the same in their relationships. Wrong. So please don't allow this to be read solo by teens or unmarried young adults. If you want your teen or young adult to read it, please sit with him/her and help him/her unload and unpack what this all means and its proper place in marriage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God designed us to <b><i>enjoy</i></b> each other <b><i>sexually</i></b>. Did you catch the bold, italicized words? Yes, enjoy sexually. Yay! You should be doing your happy dance right now. Even if you have a difficult time with being sexually satisfied due to physiological issues, this should still be an exciting and sacred part of your marriage where you and your partner can engage each other in an extremely intimate and personal way. Plus, you alone are responsible for <i>his</i> sexual enjoyment. Be THE expert on this! The connection you have should be yours alone. No one else is welcome to take part in your marriage bed, right? Whether physically or in conversation. It should not be a point of discussion in a detailed sense and NEVER to demean or criticize your husband. This is a big no-no. I can't even emphasize that enough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the event you are having issues sexually, you may need to talk to somebody. And you know who that somebody is??? Your husband. Say what??? Are you crazy? Yes, but in a productive, sensible way. It may go against you natural tendency; however, it's the only way to reach a place of great contentment and ecstasy in your sexual realm of marriage. I hear women complain about sex, especially as newlyweds. I got sick of hearing it and finally started telling these ladies that the only people who should know about this and hear about it is their husbands. Those men are the ONLY ones who can fix the problems. Having that level of security with you is one way he shows he trusts you. Would you be okay with him disclosing intimate details about you to <i>his</i> friends? Absolutely not and that would be shameful and shallow of him. How is this any different? So if you have an issue, talk about it with your man. If you guys still can't figure things out, then find someone who is licensed and specially trained to handle sex in marriage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we can venture onto the world of sexual fulfillment. Buckle up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For you newlyweds or young marrieds:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take heart. Sex is probably a new adventure for you both or at least together. The typical mastery of anything is 10,000 hours of practice/repetition. With the average sexual encounter lasting 3-11 minutes, do you think you'll get there in a month or two? Doubtful. And men, that's no slam to you. It's just truth. This area of our marriages is a divine place to grow with each other and become closer with each union. So with this in mind be realistic about how sex will be and allow yourself & your spouse some grace in becoming better for each other. The fantasy sex that you see on TV or movies probably won't ever be what you discover because it's not realistic or practical, but you WILL find great sexual fulfillment & enjoyment the longer you are married. This adventure to great sex is a journey. Enjoy it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For you couples who have been married longer than a couple of years:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This encompasses a wide range of ages and experiences, which means it can't be cookie cutter. But there are benchmarks that <i>should</i> be happening in your marriage sexually for most all couples after being together more than 2 or so years:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Your frequency may have decreased, but the quality is increasing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Your sexual realm of what is involved is broader and more creative. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. You can tell when your partner is having issues either with sex or in another area of your relationship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Your inhibitions are slowly deteriorating. It should progress more/faster the longer you are married.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Sexual climax will/should become a normal experience for everyone. If not, you may have physiological issues that your doc can address. At the very least, you know that you <i>can</i> reach sexual climax consistently if given the proper circumstances.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. You will be more open and communicate more clearly about your sexual desires and likes & dislikes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. You'll eventually reach 10,000 hours!!!!!! Graduate of sex mastery. Congrats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No matter what your sex life is like now, you can make it better if you are both willing to persist. The central theme of your sex life needs to be FUN or ENJOYMENT. When you think of things that are fun or that you enjoy, it should start to get the creative juices flowing and open a new chapter into the realm of sex for you both.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you aren't quite ready to have a sit down over coffee with your spouse, grab a good book on sex. Take notes or highlight and find out how you want to broach the topic. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A note for men:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Give your girl some time & space to get to where she needs to be. It should not take her forever, but it will probably take her a little longer than you. Or maybe a lot. :-) I remember my mother-in-law once saying, "Men are like microwaves, and women are like crockpots." That is typical. Don't expect your woman to be on the same page since you're raring with testosterone. And be advised that your job in the sack is much more about thoughtfulness outside of the sack. Get your "choreplay" on and make it impossible for her not to be uber grateful (wink, wink). Another tidbit - since women's bodies are vastly different in how they react sexually, you need to be learning how she works. There are great books on sexual plateau and what that means for you and her. It's like being a master play producer where everyone & everything has to be at the right place at the right time. This needs to be your <i>art</i>. Study her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A note for women:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alright, sister. If you are stalling, you need to quit. Straight up. Sex is crucial to your man's health & sanity. Don't be the reason he doesn't enjoy being married. You should be the prized jewel in the marriage that is his. Enjoy & be enjoyed. I'd like to strongly encourage you to remember that your husband does NOT think like you. There is no leg shaving requirement for sex. There is no necessary amount of sleep before or after sex. There is a tunnel with his eyes fixed on you when it comes to sex. Start practicing that tunnel with your eyes fixed only on him. Why not enjoy 20-30 minutes of time not spent worrying about laundry, dishes, grocery lists, and packing lunches? If your dress shirt for work is a tad wrinkled the next day because you had sex instead of ironing, so be it. You left your man in good order. Way more important. When we ladies insist on the stars aligning and the world to spin at just the right axis in order to have sex, we rob ourselves of joy; not just joy for our husbands, but also joy for ourselves. You know how good it feels to have done something well. You have the opportunity to have that accomplished feeling 2-3 times each week! And please, don't take offense to your husband rolling over and falling asleep when you're done. It just means you did your job well! Savor your victory. Then go read your book or paint your toenails or finish the ironing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you can't tell, I'm ALL for healthy marriages sexually. If your marriage isn't healthy enough to where you can fully engage sexually, start there and work forward to that point. If it's a situation where it's easier said than done, then start praying and employ others you trust to pray with you. God loves to hear us, especially when it's to get better at honoring Him with our lives & marriages. And if it never comes to pass, just know that God has given us a place to enjoy that outdoes sex by a long shot! You will have a great fulfillment someday. He is the ultimate satisfaction for our souls.</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-74089715207115650412014-01-03T13:10:00.004-06:002014-01-03T13:10:43.215-06:00Christian Women & Their Sexuality: Submitting to God's Authority (And Your Man's!)<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">God designed us to submit to his authority. Yep. This 1950s concept dates far back to long before this quaint decade in American history. It's not even an American ideal. Dig deeper and see that it's reflected at the beginning of time and then much, much later in God's timeline. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">God created this heavenly place on earth called the Garden of Eden and designed it perfectly. How can God do anything other than perfect, right? He's God! In this sacred, lovely, utopian place He formed man. He saw it was not good for man to be alone and proceeded to craft the magnificent form of a woman made from Adam's rib. Adam saw her and agreed with God that she was GOOD! Notice Eve didn't return the sentiment… :-) Kidding, boys. Kidding. But let's face it; women are God's masterpiece to the human eye in comparison. I think most men will agree with me.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So this gorgeous being is here for who? Ah, yes. FOR ADAM. It's not that God said woman would be worthless without him. God didn't deem her life less important because of the parts and role He gave her. No. He saw the perfect union of what the two could be and designated each accordingly. He fashioned man to be the leader of the home - the one who protects, loves, cherishes, and provides. He fashioned the woman to be the helpmate - the one who supports, respects, nurtures, and bears offspring. Now, before you get angry at this, please know that I'm not just spouting off what I think is true. Just ask the Word. It's in there. And I've </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">found that when we relent to be what God designed us to be, we typically find our sweet spot in life. Knowing your place is quite integral to figuring out who you are period. And not all women are cut out to be stay at home moms who knit, bake and host with the greatest of ease. I'm not saying that. I'm sharing how God has made us to interact as a wife, if you are one. Being your husband's equal in worth is absolute. Being his equal in the role you take is not. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Our culture has been slowly emasculating our men; so much so that men are now suffering from depression in staggering numbers not knowing their place in the world or throwing out the idea of marriage completely because they don't want to be the minion of their all-knowing, high-perfomring, supermom of a wife! Again, I'm not slamming women who want to be successful professionally. That can get in the way. However, I'm referring to the way we overreach our boundaries in our role as wives and usurping the authority of our men. Not cool. Sorry, ladies. If you want a happy man, let him be a man. He needs to be take charge of what your household stands for and lives out day to day. He needs to be the protector for what's best for your family. Not that you aren't part of that, but he is the leader. The point man. LET HIM LEAD! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Some of you may have husbands who don't want to lead. They may not have any initiative. They may find it the last thing they want to do to take charge over their family. But guess what? It's their God-given role and function no matter how they feel. So many women are taking the role of spiritual leader in their families because they have no other choice; their husbands are absent spiritually and don't give God a 2nd thought. This should not be. And yay, for the women who are bold & brave enough to step up into that role despite the overwhelming burden of functioning as both parents! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">We women can be the catalyst for change though. A book I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and using throughout the years of marriage is "The Power Of a Praying Wife" by Stormie Omartian. Love that name. She has others that regard how to pray in different roles as well, which are also good. It gave me perspective on how to help my man become the husband and father I knew he could be. It wasn't through nagging or guilt. It was through prayer. It IS through prayer. One reason I can have peace in my marriage is because my husband doesn't feel threatened and on edge from my constant bickering and picking at him. And for those of you who know me, I'm HIGHLY critical by nature. This is no small task for me to hand the reigns to God and ask of Him to mold Monte into a great Christian man, husband & father. But it works! And works well.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">There are so many scriptures on how we are to act in regards to our husbands. The most popular is probably in Ephesians 5:22-33 where Paul speaks on how we are to act towards each other as spouses and how it all relates to Christ's relationship to His bride, the church. This should be a beautiful and secure picture to women. We should be more than happy to submit to our husband's authority…as long as he submits to God's, right? Wrong. You submit to your husband even if he's an unbeliever unless he demands something unholy of you. This is one way he can be won over. More scripture. When we neglect to submit to our husbands, we are basically telling God that he got it all wrong and He can't possibly be serious in wanting us to submit to these men. You're essentially telling God that His plan stinks and you have to pick up your husband's slack or whatever. I can diagnose these problems as heart problems. Not the cardiac kind. The lack of Holy Spirit indwelling kind. Submitting to your husband is honorable and pleasing to God, who you husband also submits to. PLUS, your husband has a lofty charge that does NOT fall on your shoulders: loving you as he loves himself. He is to love as Christ who gave himself up for his bride, the church. When in scripture has God ever asked us ladies to do such? The answer - never. We are to submit to him, trusting that he will do what's best and knowing that he will be judged and held accountable by God, and we are to respect him. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Yes, Aretha. We love your song, but this is different. Respecting a man does something amazing inside of him. A man who is well respected by his wife can go anywhere and accomplish just about any great thing. YOU are a HUGE part of his success - at home, work, friendships, church, and the community. He always needs you as the biggest fan in his corner. And another integral part of your job is to come alongside him and be part of the process in figuring out what's best for your family. He may disagree, and that's on him if it's not a good choice. But men can handle it. It's their job. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">We have such unique roles as husbands and wives. Just looking at the differences in our bodies should tell you that. And we have such an obligation to our husbands who deserve our best so they can be their best. Just because you submit to his authority doesn't mean you have to be a small minded, weak mouse of a woman. Trust me. He'll probably think it's sexy you have a brain that goes with your rocking' female bod! But he's the mouthpiece of your family. Let him speak and be heard. Respect who he is and who he can become. And by all means, PLEASE pray for the man. God can do much more good than you ever can with your human ways. Oh, and be sure to get frisky as often as he needs it. It's always good for an ego boost when his woman wants him. I've heard it said, "When you love what you do, you'll never work another day in your life." So true with my "job" as Monte's wife. So true. I love it. And wouldn't want it any other way. It's my job! :-)</span></span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-35231589597422339872013-12-21T17:51:00.002-06:002013-12-21T17:51:56.120-06:0010 Years of Priceless<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ten years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's a FULL DECADE! And it does have a certain way of making me feel older. Just like when I had my 10th high school reunion in 2010. But this is a much better celebration than just being graduated from high school. Monte & I have hit a milestone in married years that has become harder and harder for couples to reach these days. And in reality, it hasn't been that hard to stay married. I'll expound.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First of all, we both had/have excellent examples of marriages all around us. Perfect marriage? No. But exemplary in their commitment to what marriage is supposed to be and making sure that every day that commitment is renewed mutually with a higher purpose of giving much due honor & glory to God. Needless to say, we were set up for success before we ever even thought about getting married or meeting each other. Priceless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secondly, we are both wholeheartedly convicted that Jesus is Lord. When we keep God at the center of our marriage and the reason we live and breathe and have our being, we empower, not only our marriage, but each other in our relationships with Christ. Priceless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, we said vows that meant something beyond just lip service for a great ceremony. Those vows sprang to life in our hearts & minds the moment they were uttered before God and the 200+ people at our wedding. It was sealed. Unfortunately, a man's word is no longer considered his bond. But for us, we took it seriously and meant every word even if we were completely unaware of what life would bring or where it would take us. Priceless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside from being loved and supported by our great parents and other family and friends, we also take time daily to spend time with God in sweet communion with Him. It's not always lengthy or as eloquent as we hope, but He hears our voices lifted to Him often. At times, we crumble before Him in doubt or fear and gush our human weaknesses to Him unsure of what to do. Other times, we get to leap for joy and dance or sing because of our gratitude for how He's conquered or provided. Okay, maybe Monte doesn't dance. But you get my point. We take time to remember the sweeter relationship we have high above our marriage to each other. Priceless</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can also talk to each other when things are gloriously blissful or tense. I was very fortunate to marry a man who rarely yells. That was kind of foreign to me when we first got married. I was glad, but I would still yell at times of anger. Slowly, it faded and my raised voice is now typically reserved for immediate interventions with the children for important reasons like safety or to stopping one from trying to drink from the toilet. This leads us to be on the same page most of the time, which contributes to a smoother flow in our family. Communicating regularly, that habit, is so vital to thrive in marriage. Even the seemingly insignificant stuff matters. We've also made certain things routine to afford us some quiet time in the evenings together like a 7:30 bedtime for our boys. No questions or changes unless we have some event that keeps us out. And it used to be 7! But this ensures we get a date night every night if we want. Or quiet time for each of us individually. Priceless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All other stuff, circumstances, stressors, and so forth comes after our priority to our commitment to our marriage. And we protect this union like our lives depended on it! Because after all, it is priceless. </span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-11048894057069616022013-12-13T18:45:00.002-06:002013-12-13T18:45:25.950-06:00Vulnerability leaves me feeling so…….vulnerable.<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, there's just not a better word to describe what it means to be vulnerable. So much goes into it and so much comes out from it. And not just for those who are married.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been reading a book that's fascinating to me called <i>Daring Greatly</i> by Brene Brown. I'm taking golden nuggets of goodness from it every time I sit down and curl up with my iBooks. Now she's not a Christian author, per se, and there is a very small amount of language that I wouldn't use. But her research into shame and what it means to be vulnerable, which solves our relational woes, is epic. She has interviewed thousands of people over the past 6+ years into this research. So she's getting a good grasp on it. As a social worker with her Master's in social work and her PhD in social work, she's seen a lot of shame and what keeps people locked into that shame. She thought she could correct it and put it in a nice file folder in her mind to which she would refer to when needed and handle it with the correct protocol. Nope. Sure can't! And this journey of hers has led <i>her</i> into a place of healing and finding peace and worth in herself to be willing to DARE GREATLY!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book gives so much insight into vulnerability that I highly suggest it to be high on your reading list. If you don't have a reading list, start one! Your brain craves this stimulation and processing. It keeps you sharp and helps you stay adept in a world where knowledge is oozing technologically all around you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This word<i> vulnerability</i> literally means "to wound" from the Latin. Ick. Why would you want that?? That's what I ask myself, especially being a woman whose primary motivation is POWER. I'm a red or a high D or Lion depending on what gauge you're using to figure me out. Being vulnerable isn't a concept easily swallowed by those who crave power. This is why you see so many politicians keep lying and lying and lying to our faces no matter how caught they are. They are unwilling to be vulnerable. In the world of politics, it may eat you up sometimes. But in the real world, it's pivotal and integral to having a meaningful and fulfilling and rewarding and rich relationship with ANYONE. And if our husbands rank first on the list of relationships, then we need to be the MOST vulnerable with him. My husband can attest that despite my tough, powerful facade, I'm not always so. But he gets me on a special level where I know I'm safe even when allowing myself to be wounded (AKA vulnerable). This is probably the crux of why the phrase "love hurts" became so widely known. It's true! And this honest phrase of 2 little words is why I type today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You need to be willing to be vulnerable. What does this mean? It means allowing every part of you to be known and open for criticism and judgment. It's what writers do when they offer up their work. Or a songwriter or performer or painter who puts his art on display. It's that "all in" mentality where all the layers of the onion are peeled off to leave not even a smidgen of protection. This is what you need to embrace to be fully known and then to also fully know. When there's a mutual giving of oneself to another and the return is done as well, it's a magnificent masterpiece. Another snippet of the Garden of Eden for us post-sin. The intricate and minuscule facets of your being now a part of someone else's. No longer are there secrets about who you are. No longer do you hold things in to stay safe. Just the opposite. You almost turn yourself inside out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does that ring true in your marriage? Or any relationship you hold dear? I don't feel that being the same kind of vulnerable with your man should be the same kind of vulnerable you should be with your friends. Each relationship has its capacity and healthy expectation of vulnerability. Allow for it and watch the fruit burst forth from that submission. Mmmmm….good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another part of Brene's research found that those who had "shame resilience" were those who found themselves worthy. They were worthy of love, devotion, admiration, respect, being heard, and anything of which healthy people should feel worthy. I find that many women lack a sense of worth altogether for multiple reasons with multiple roots. Addressing these root and reasons will help a bounty of worthiness to flow out of her and receive the "shame resilience" that is so vital to being truly filled with joy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So much more. As always. I'm signing off. Please allow a way for your husband to see all of you. It won't happen immediately. But over time, it can. And when you can be truly vulnerable, you can also enjoy immensely pleasurable sex with him, which just makes the whole idea of marriage sizzle even more! Whoop!</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-47007940215529834182013-12-12T17:07:00.002-06:002013-12-12T17:07:47.184-06:00Christian Women & Their Sexuality: Being a Godly HelpmateI just love this word - helpmate. So old school and a bible original, it's seems. But it's very simple even if living it out isn't quite so.<br />
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We in the USA are in an opposing culture to the traditional sense of marital roles. Although the tide seems to be turning some, which is a breath of fresh air. New studies and editorials are out showing more and more woman understanding that it is not such a bad thing to want a man in their lives. It's also beyond just what a man would do for her encompassing the other side of things in how she can fulfill the longing inside her to please him as well. I wish I could find the link. It was going around on FB. Great read!<br />
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Despite the culture, we hold to a higher calling in our love for our Savior. Some women won't get it. Paul warned us that the Lord's wisdom would seem like foolishness to those of the world. So get over it and forget what any of your peers are saying in how independent and smug they may be in regards to how they treat their husbands. That is, if you're letting their perception of you dictate the way you share about your relationship with your man.<br />
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So what does it mean to be a helpmate? I'm sure there are tons of ways others, men & women alike, have responded to this. But I'll take a crack at it.<br />
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First, I see being a helpmate as being your husband's #1 confidante. This doesn't replace your girlfriends, necessarily. But there are levels and boundaries that are there with your girlfriends that many times shouldn't be there with your husband. And the intensity of your trust and reliance on each other with your deepest hopes & dreams & struggles only grows over time. When these start to deteriorate there is trouble. Your relationship is dangerously close to the brink of failure. There is a certain vulnerability only with him. And I'll speak of vulnerability more next time as an extension of this. There's just too much goodness in that word that revitalizes and secures relationships. In essence, being his confidante means you have to know him through conversation. This can be tricky with busy schedules and tiny people in the house. It has to be intentional. And so much of this can be established before marriage.<br />
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Secondly, being his helpmate is meeting his needs; and by needs, I mean sex. This is sometimes a scary undertaking for women who lack in self-confidence, have issue steeling sexy, or maybe those who don't have much of a libido naturally. I get it. But you can be an Oscar winning actress in your seduction skills. Yes, ma'am. Nothing would please him more. Like I said before, you're not always excited to take care of what your kids need, but you do it and know it's part of being their mom. You should at least give your husband the same consideration. Right, girls? Give him the goods. God says to be a cheerful giver, right? (Wink, wink)<br />
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This is a general thought on the rest. Be there for him. If he's a good one, he's working hard and pushing past so many obstacles as a man to be faithful and honorable to you. Gird him with the tools to make it easier and enjoyable to come home to your arms and kisses and bed. Help him know that when he opens up he won't be chastised or nagged. Pray for this man who is or will be the father of your children. He desperately wants you to be his #1 cheerleader and supporter. And that's another good word for helpmate - supporter. Since you should be an expert on your man, you will know what he needs when & how. This is a priceless gesture of enduring love to him that he'll hate to ever lose!Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-83374580330776521792013-12-09T15:11:00.002-06:002013-12-09T15:11:35.004-06:00Off the soapbox for one day...<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm off topic today on purpose. I wanted to share about something Monte & I do as an expecting couple that so many others don't: let the gender of our babies be a surprise. Trust me. I get why people want to find out. And it's so funny that when we tell people we don't find out ahead of time they immediately begin their list of reasons why they do. And I'm not looking down on anyone for finding out. It's a modern convenience that is safe & generally accepted by just about every OB in the country. But Monte & I have applied some principles to our lives such as "Just because you can doesn't always mean you should." I don't know who to attribute that to, but I do know that it's helped us realize that just because it's permissible or allowed doesn't always make it okay or a wise choice or necessary. Another one is from Scripture: "Do not be anxious about anything; but by prayer and petition, present your requests to God." [Phil 4:6] We have found that allowing simple anxiety or worry to drive us to make decisions isn't wise or helpful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here are some reasons why we don't:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1.</b> We just like surprises. In an information age where we are inundated with every tidbit of information we can possibly imagine, it's nice to let that go and allow for this surprise - one of the only true surprises that are left! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2.</b> It's fun! From driving my mom & sister nuts to the excitement of the delivery room, it's a thrilling ride. You can imagine either way if it's a boy or a girl and have fun daydreaming about what life would be like both ways. Of course, you can do this (and we all do) up to the time of the US around 20 weeks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3.</b> We got NECESSARY baby things at our showers. I can't stress this enough. Instead of getting 25 0-3 mo outfits with monogramming & such to make it unreturnable we got bath towels and diapers and baby bedding and the list goes on. There were a few hopefuls in there who were gutsy enough to buy a gender specific gift (but w/ a gift receipt). Plus, we were ready for subsequent children with our gender neutral supplies. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4.</b> This is THE most convincing to so many guys; it saves you a TON of money! We all know people (yourself included possibly) who just could NOT stand to stay out of the baby stores once the gender was known. We spent so little on our children, and we're very proud of that. There is an epidemic of baby marketing in this country that is very successful but not yielding any actual <i>good</i> benefits to the children. With ever increasing debt out there it's a non-essential to deck out my infant's room on the same level as Beyonce's dressing room. We did not want to be sucked into that temptation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5.</b> Babies do not, I repeat, do not care what the room looks like, what the clothes look like, if the bedding all coordinates, what color the walls are, or any aesthetic thing you can do to "prepare" for them. It's just like doing all of this for your dog. There's no return on your investment other than your own peace of mind or satisfaction. I'm way too practical. Plus, I don't really enjoy shopping anyway. All babies care about is having mama, being fed, changed & warm and getting to sleep. They don't even care if their lotion is fragranced. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>6.</b> It helps us to lean more heavily on the Father. (See Phil 4:6 above) Yes, I believe God enjoys watching us submit anything in our lives that would cause us to be anxious, especially something that may distract us. When people ask us what we're having, we typically just answer, "A baby." They smile and sometimes wait for one of us to say the gender. We then tell them we choose to wait and that God knows and He's got it all under control. And He does. Whether or not the nursery is completed or the clothes are washed & hung in color order. AND this also causes us to be 100% at peace and overjoyed no matter the gender. It's our own kind of spiritual discipline where we relinquish control to God and trust that He does great work!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>7.</b> It's old fashioned. In a world that is constantly rushing to progress to the next modern height, we prefer to keep it simple and find joy in being simple. When I share that we're waiting until Baby's birthday to find out, so many who are 50+ are tickled that us youngins' would do something so old school. It's almost like we're trusting them. Kinda funny, but there's a connection made when they hear that we aren't in a hurry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>8.</b> It's a good test of endurance and patience. If we are able to hold out the 9 months to know if Baby is a boy or girl, then there's a good chance we can be patient in other areas. It strengthens our ability to wait and not feel the <i>need</i> to control it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>9.</b> You only have 2 choices. I think I would find out if there were more than 3 options. But since it's boy or girl, I'm okay with waiting. Any normal grandmother is able to deck out a baby's room and closet in no more than 24 hrs. You don't <i>need</i> months and months to plan. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>10.</b> Baby showers WITH the baby there! You can open and enjoy the blessings that your friends & family & loved ones are bestowing on your family WHILE the baby gets to be seen and passed around and kissed on. This is how it used to be done and can be more convenient for all of those who find it hard to visit at the hospital or once you go home. We're super busy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>11.</b> No one in the Bible knew unless it was revealed supernaturally by God. That one is mainly for all the people who give me spiritual reasons why they find out. (I love ribbing people!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's not an exhaustive list, necessarily. I'm due for my afternoon nap, and my brain is a tad foggy. Please don't find anything offensive. That's not it's intent. And I'm very sarcastic! This is how we've wrapped our brains around it. And I'm not saying I'm right because I'm not you and it's a very personal choice whether or not to find out. We can all just be grateful we <i>can</i> and rejoice in the amazing medical advances made in the past century to allow us all to live pretty normally post partum. If you love Jesus, maybe it should be a matter for prayer if you need to submit to Him more and put your anxieties at His feet. It may help or entertain or infuriate. I release it to you!</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-81082136012586223822013-12-07T12:10:00.004-06:002013-12-07T12:14:26.412-06:00Christian Women & Their Sexuality: Part 2<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I've been reading Jon Acuff's </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">Start</i><span style="line-height: 18px;">, which instructs us how to be on the path to awesome. Part of the process, which is 4 stages, is Learning. Wow! You have to learn to be awesome. What a concept! It seems that some people just ARE awesome. But it turns out, most people who seem awesome naturally to us typically had a less than remarkable journey there. I think this applies well to your sex life. Don't you think your husband would squeal with joy (on the inside, at least) if you told him that you wanted to walk the path to awesome in your sex life?? I mean, stop and think about it. Play out that scenario. He would be utterly thrilled and need nothing else for Christmas. You want to <i>learn</i> how to be awesome at sex with <i>him</i>. Shake your head yes. Thank you.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So on our way to awesome, as sexually charged Christian wives who want to please our husbands wholeheartedly, we need to break down those 5 aspects I listed in my first post. Here's #1.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1. God decided that we LEAVE & CLEAVE to one another when we get married.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Gen 2:24, 25 - "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">These 2 verses in the beginnings of the Bible depicting the new world God laid out are rich & full of meaning to marriage. First of all, it does clearly define that marriage is between a man & a woman. No matter what man's laws may say, God's law is tried & true & timeless. And notice it's just 1 man and 1 woman. So even if you think you are only married to 1 man, be sure that your list of loyalties doesn't keep growing so as to minimize the attention you can give to each. It's God first, husband second & kids third. Everyone else comes after in order of importance in your life. Secondly, it gives us a glimpse into how marriage was to be without sin.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">"…a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,"</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">This shows that men are to separate from their parents and create his new home where he intimately connects with his wife on every level. So guys, living in the basement forever into your adulthood will just show some ladies that you aren't ready for your own home. It is solid when a man is on his own and can hold down the fort without his mother's help. This means he's got some responsibility and experience in taking care of his home. Pride in your living space and how you live are very attractive to most women. Some of our needs are domestic support & security. This factor fulfills 2 of our top 5 needs. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">"…and they will become one flesh." </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">We all know what this means! It's the big finale to the actual marriage. Once this connection is made you are "united" and made to be inseparable. In 1 Cor 6 Paul speaks of how even if a man unites himself with a prostitute that they are one and references this verse in Gen. In God's eyes, this completes the union and seals the deal. This is probably also why a couple can annul a marriage if no consummation has taken place. It was only on paper but not legitimate due to lack of uniting as one. Along with this, Genesis speaks to Eden in her curse after the fall that her "desire will be for [her] husband and he will rule over [her]." So when we are married, we are agreeing to be united as one flesh with our husbands. It's part of the deal. It's the END of the deal being sealed. It's our DUTY to unite with our husbands. And furthermore, if you weren't hot on that whole uniting part and become one flesh, you shouldn't have said yes. Isn't that just unfair? And lying? But God has made it to where we </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">desire</i><span style="line-height: 18px;"> our husbands. This should be the case but isn't always. However, is your desire to be with your husband important enough to you? Because let me tell you that it is to God. And if God is first in your life, you'll honor him with your commitment to your husband. Also in 1 Cor 7, Paul speaks of our bodies being each other's in a marriage. He goes on to instruct us to only abstain for the sake of prayer and with a mutual decision being made about it. And only "for a time" since our flesh is weak and temptation can take over if we abstain too long. So if it's been more than a week since you've done the deed, chances are your man is chomping at the bit or releasing his tensions elsewhere in some other fashion. And then we get mad about it?? Hmmmm…that's unfair. And if he's scared to even ask for it, that's so unfortunate. Give him the green light! Let him savor you in all of your womanly beauty and goodness. God said you were GOOD! He meant it.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">"The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Only in 2 circumstances of your life are you unashamed to be naked (or should be) - early childhood and in marriage. This nakedness is a true sense of vulnerability. You are literally laid bare and exposed to the maximum extent. But the last part of that verse is often the most difficult and sometimes impossible for some people (women, mainly) to achieve: "…and they felt no shame." I would give great amounts of money (if I had it) if it would solve this problem for women. But it's a problem that stems from somewhere deep and has no real dependence on how someone looks naked. Women of all shapes, sizes & fitness levels can still struggle with this. Read an article from some supermodel and how she feels about herself. We may read that and think, "What is her problem? If I had her body…." And we begin to judge. But this insecurity and refusal to be vulnerable in nakedness is from Satan and how he's conditioned us to be ashamed of our naked bodies. Now I love all the ways we are trying to educate and encourage young girls and women to embrace their bodies. I don't think we need to show anyone exposed to get that across, really. I think that only leaves more room for judgment and criticism. If your body is less than perfect, you gotta find ways to like it or improve what is within your power. Our weakness only makes God's power look mightier. This area included. Let His power pour over your insecurity and wash it away. Trust me. Your hubby isn't taking notes on misplaced dimples, stretch marks from babies or puberty and any extra chub in different areas of your physique. And if he is, it's probably his "thing" in embracing exactly who his wife is naked. It's his body, as 1 Cor 7 also shares. As his is yours. And he definitely wants you to embrace his naked body! (Think candlelight. It's remarkably forgiving!)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">1 Cor 7:3, "The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband." Yes! I receive this command with joy. And persistence. I wouldn't say we're still in the Learning stage with this one on our path to awesome because we've been diligently working on this for almost 10 years. However, if you lose practice, you have to pick it back up and work at it again. All marriages go through fluxes and valleys where the sparkle factor really isn't there. But God is good and wants your marriage to be a joyful experience for you, as well as a telling example of how godly marriage IS the best way. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-79537306829843806752013-12-03T13:09:00.002-06:002013-12-03T13:09:17.529-06:00First thing's first - know your man!<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, please know your man. If you aren't an expert, THE guru, on your husband, you are slacking in your vows and your role as his wife. This should sting if it's true. We all have times when we haven't been as diligent in putting him first only after God and need a shot in the arm to get back on track. This is part of the joy of being his wife! You alone know the intimate intricacies of your husband in all aspect's of your marriage. You should know what makes him tick from feeling affirmed (SUPER important for men) to sexual desire & preferences to his favorite meal. It's YOU who holds this power. And it's YOU who has promised to fulfill what he needs. Don't underestimate your power. And don't let the power go to your head and become leverage. That isn't godly and can be detrimental to the integrity of your marriage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what do men need? Lots and lots of good books on this. I haven't read them all. I have read <i>His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair Proof Your Marriage </i>by Willard F. Harley, Jr<i>. </i>This book helps to give you a love bank perspective while pairing it with realizing the top 5 needs of your man. Of course, the reverse is also true. So this book helps with both sides of this relationship. There's also <i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Love & Respect</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs</span> </i>by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, which gives a biblical perspective at the core of what God says we need from our spouses. Sounds simple enough, right? Women need to feel loved and men need to feel respected. However, in our highly feminist culture where women haven't need men for decades (supposedly), the perspective is skewed. And even some of us with the best intentions with being independent types have not allowed the Holy Spirit to really guide us in our treatment of our husbands. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grab a book or your Kindle or whatever. Invest in some good education on the basics of men. Part of teaching sex ed was learning the differences about men & women sexually. Most I knew, but some I didn't. It was fascinating! Learning more about him should excite you in the possibilities for your marriage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We know God made us differently for good reasons. We should try to adhere to what he made us to be. The 5 things I listed in my first post on Christian Women's Sexuality include what we are to be in the marriage relationship. Read through those. (I'll go grab a cookie & some chocolate milk while I wait…)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay. Get it? I'll dissect those more in depth in posts to come. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But your man. God gives SO much to our men. And it's not just the good stuff. Or should I say easy stuff. It's all GOOD. Or at least for our good. God made men with several innate differences that make him sexually opposite of us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. He's HIGHLY visual. This is why you'll oftentimes see very attractive women with average men. We don't respond the same to the physical attributes. This is also why men like to have sex with the lights on. They are wired to be stimulated with their eyes. That is typically where it begins after the brain initiates the start of arousal. He wants to see you…all of you…naked…and wanting him! Who cares if you have stretch marks or dimples on the back of you or your silky smooth skin, which he LOVES, isn't as tan as it used to be? Or who cares if your girls aren't as perky as before nursing your babies? They are HIS! This excites him and affirms him as your husband when you let him partake of your awesome female form that is solely his. Please don't underrate this. If he tells you you're hot, believe it and accept that. Don't poo poo on his complement. The fact that you choose to lay down next to him every night means something. Let him take you in visually. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. He's got HIGH sensory acuity to touch. This goes both ways. He wants to touch you and you to touch him. One thing I realize for men is that we girls are sometimes too modest with our husbands during sex. I'm sorry, ladies. This is our one glimpse into what it was like for Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden. To be comfortable with someone while both completely naked is something they experienced regularly before sin. Simmer on that thought. You can get a sample of what God had for us before sin. That's powerful! Now enjoy it. Be comfortable with being naked with your man and let each other enjoy what God has given you. Touching can be simple or complex. These are personal preferences that you should both know about each other!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Which leads me to the fact that your husband is NOT a mind reader. Most men don't have that intuition like we ladies do. Please don't let your husband persist in the same things over and over if it's not what you want. In his mind, if he doesn't know it's broken, he won't do anything to fix it. This goes for any part of your marriage. But so many women, because we're so ladylike (BOO), just grin and bear it. But what you're doing, essentially, is deceiving him and lying to him about his way of showing love to you. And yes, that's a BIG way men show love. Let him! And help him to get really good at showing it to YOU. This is where you have to be very candid and say words that may sound dirty in any other context. Please don't hold back. Be respectful in how you present it. But be crystal clear on what you'd like him to do for you. If you persist in allowing something that isn't working, you only grow in bitterness and resentment, which is completely unwarranted, and possibly damage your husband's masculinity once he finds out he's been subpar in the sack. That's the LAST place you want him to feel less than.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Men are insatiable, so it seems. Yes, they want it…a lot. But who cares? A respectful man won't paw at his wife to pester and guilt her into having sex. Or just tick her off in the process. What I want to say is that your husband should NEVER have to paw at you for sex. This is his #1 need from you. I mean, think about it. We take care of our kids' needs even when it's zero fun and the last thing you want to do, right? I'm not saying you should suck it up every time and bear it. I'm suggesting you change your thought process about sex and why it's vital to a healthy marriage and a blissfully happy husband. Once you can start thinking differently, it won't be such a chore when the times come that he wants it and you aren't quite up to it. Your mindset will be that this is your responsibility but also your pleasure to meet this need of his. I challenge you to make up your mind to never say no to your husband just because you're tired or not in the mood or he didn't vacuum like he said or whatever. (Obvious reasons for not having sex are understood. He really shouldn't ask if you're sick or just had a baby.) And for those who already stand by that should start to be proactive in taking care of your man. My sister got some wise advice from an older nurse she worked with back in NW AR. "Let me tell ya about taking care of your man. Every few days you'll start to notice he's a little grumpy or blue. That's when you take him to the bedroom and show him a good time. Then a few days later, the same will happen and you do your thing." She was so WISE! She actually insisted that my sister be AWARE of her husband's moods (just like we so often demand of our husbands with us) and act accordingly to assist in making it all better. One great bonus of all this is that when he's super satisfied sexually, you'll probably have a much more helpful spouse around the house. And he'll probably not be so turned off by the idea of watching the kids so you can have some alone time away from home. Try it. I dare you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Men are sensitive. Yes, yes, yes, they are. It's just not the same as us. Their sexuality is their badge of masculinity. If they aren't rocking it, they aren't as confident in their manhood. I touched on this some above in #3. Please don't allow your husband to doubt his ability to be YOUR man and YOUR private pleasure toy. That boosts his spirits to a place we can't imagine. Plus, when his masculinity is damaged, he will find a place to mend it. And many times, it's not with you. Guard his sexuality and heart, ladies. They are precious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's probably so much more. Sex is really complicated. But over time in a healthy marriage, it should become a delicious side dish that is effortless and freeing. Where else can you be the bad girl you could never be in high school & college, right? Unleash your sexuality on your husband and his smile will never be bigger. I don't want to be tactless, but there's much to be said about bringing your A-game to the marriage bed. So much included in that. We'll unload it later!</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-3558737903966145742013-11-27T15:31:00.000-06:002013-11-27T15:39:02.762-06:00Sex Begins In the Brain<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, it does. Sex starts in the brain. Your perception of sex will color every other aspect of sex no matter how good your lover is. This is tough and difficult to discuss for some women, not to mention tough and difficult to overcome negative perceptions of sex. So let me say this before I begin the rest of my thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- If you have ever had a traumatic sexual experience, you will need to find help through this or else you may never reach a mutually fulfilling sexual relationship with your spouse. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- If you had an influence in your childhood who portrayed sex as negative in any way, you will have to figure out how to reprogram your brain to think of sex as good, a gift from God, for you & your spouse. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- If you do not enjoy sex physically, you could be one of the unfortunate few whose body doesn't respond to sexual stimulation. Please talk to your doctor and make sure your husband is aware so that you are not deceiving him "for his sake". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please don't read into anything about my being insensitive if you are in one of the groups above. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With that on the table, I can begin.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your sexuality has been developing ever since you started becoming aware of things like the differences in men & women, the interaction of those who were romantically involved (namely, your parents), pregnant women, and so forth. Then your exposure widened into relationships on TV, possible dating of your own as a teen, and unfortunate scenes in movies. If you had a strong father or father figure who expressed healthy affection towards you, you are probably the best off! My dad would constantly tell my sister & me how beautiful we were even if we had just rolled out of bed in our night shirts with hair disheveled and morning breath raging. He hugged us, gave us kisses and affirmed us constantly as lovely young women. That is POWERFUL. Even during my homely days as a tween & young teen I never really had any complexes about my looks or weight. If you've seen those pictures, you know how big of a deal that is! I was morphing through puberty</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you did </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not</i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> have that kind of influence, then you relied more on books, stories from others, seeing friends' dads love them genuinely, or went without. I'm really, really sorry for that. And this is a huge reason why dads are SO important to our children! They help both boys & girls develop their sexuality in a healthy way when shown what a real man is like. We moms are also quite important, but that's understood. Most families are falling apart not because mom left. Unfortunate but true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But even if you were not privileged to be guided by a great dad, you can restore your mindset on sex. Most books on changing your thought patterns suggest that your mind needs to have something to chew on. So if you take a negative thought away, it must be replaced with a positive one. So start there. Make a list even. Take that list, decide it's Satan's way of tainting this God-given gift of sex, and burn it! Then make a new list with as many items as the previous. Hang it on your mirror, put it in your journal, tape it to the dashboard or visor in your car, or post it on the fridge! Ladies, it must be present in your day to day in order to reset your mind. Otherwise, those negative thoughts you supposedly burned will resurrect from the ashes and make their way back to your subconscious. DO NOT DEFEAT YOURSELF BEFORE YOU EVEN START! If sex is something you want more of, better of in your life, then please hear me out and find a way to bombard your brain with the good thoughts on sex.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe your list looks like this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Negative</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. He always wants it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. It just feels dirty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. I don't feel comfortable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. I still don't know why he wants "that" all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. I'm so tired.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. I can't forgive myself for _____________.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. I can't forgive him for ___________.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. He STILL hasn't helped me with any of the housework. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. I don't know if he even likes to see me naked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. He always wants the lights on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sound familiar? Now burn it (yes, burn it!) and make a new list on a fresh, clean sheet of pretty paper. 1-10</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Positive</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. He is always really excited when I tell him yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. He is absolutely lovey dovey the entire next day!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. He seems to listen so much better the next few days afterward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. I feel sexier with candlelight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. When I do feel up to it, it <i><b>is</b></i> really fun!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. I feel more comfortable when the kids aren't home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. He does always remember our anniversary/my birthday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. It is kind of fun when we have pillow talk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. He does give really great shoulder/foot massages.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. He is good about having music play. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These may seem silly to you. But when we think about sex with our mates, it's hard not to be a little teenager feeling and giddy, right? That's GOOD! You don't want that to go away. Flirtatious behavior is a GREAT type of foreplay and keeps you longing for each other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that you've made your list, post it high & low & all over to stay in your brain regularly throughout the day. Maybe you'll add on. But be sure to let that list wash over your thoughts incessantly. And take some time to pray over your list and ask God to help you develop that sense of longing and sensuality for your man, not to mention to truly erase the negative thoughts. Maybe it needs to be part of your quiet time in the mornings or before bed. Remember God wants you to have healthy sex life! You are fulfilling his plan for marriage and sustaining the bond that no one should ever sever. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is just the tip of the iceberg. Whew! I'll be back for more later. This is THE perfect time of year to get your sex life on track because it's typically cold outside. Who wants to stay warm???</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Thanksgiving!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-77324482126066711762013-11-25T11:30:00.002-06:002013-11-25T11:30:43.327-06:00Christian Women & Their Sexuality: Part 1<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've decided to dust off my blog and get back into sharing some things that may be helpful or insightful for some. I have many things that weigh on my heart regularly, but I only have expertise on some things. And, as most of you know, I have expertise on SEX! So here's where I begin. Exciting, right? This is mainly a line of posts mainly for Christian women and what God has to say about our sexuality and how to apply it in our marriages and/or lives. And there's more to sexuality than just the physical manifestation. This is going to be fun! So make sure you say a prayer before you start reading these and find your Bible when necessary. God has some great things for us to know about who were are as sexual beings. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly, for us Christian wives out there, did you know there was a study done in the recent past that showed that the most sexually satisfied group of people in the US were married Christian women??? Really? Yes! (See: <a href="http://blog.getrelationshiphelp.com/2009/07/christian-women-have-more-sexual-fun.html" target="_blank">This guy's blog</a>) I think the stereotype for this group would be quite the opposite. However, this goes to show that sex and sexual satisfaction isn't all in the endorphins and Oxytocin rush. Sex begins in a place most unbelieving people think unnecessary when acting sexually - the brain. Sex is not just a basic instinct as some Hollywood types would suggest. Sex is not just a reaction to a stimulation either. Of course, it can be, but that is taking only a sliver of what sex really is and tossing out the rest of the fulfilling genius God put behind the physical act. Sex was designed by God to be a way of connecting on the most intimate levels for humans. One way to show this and prove that human copulation isn't just physical is that humans are the only created beings on the planet who can enjoy sex face to face, eye to eye, body to body. (We can discuss the creative alternatives to this another time. That's not the point.) Another way to show that human sex is different from animal sex is that both the male and female human can experience pleasure in the sexual act. For female animals, this isn't so. It's strictly an act to promote procreation to continue the family line. And it's anything but enjoyable for her. Plus, choosing a mate is based solely on how physically superior he is to produce similar offspring. As humans, we have found that having connections beyond the physical before the physical creates a better level of intimacy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So beginning in the brain, ladies, let's take a look into how we should be thinking about sex for our husbands before ever acting on it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your thoughts about sex have been shaped since you were a little kid. And depending on the types of influences you had as a child your views of sex had/have developed. This is where it can get tricky and can take some serious Holy Spirit work to get you on the same page as God (and your man!) when it comes to fulfilling your marriage vows and pleasing your man. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Just a side note, we'll only be scratching the surface today and then break these down as we go. I do have 2 boys to wrangle in the process! Time is precious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. God decided that we LEAVE & CLEAVE to one another when we get married. This means a lot; mainly, you are now a wife before being a daughter (or friend or sister or employee). Did everybody read that? It means your priority changes to having your husband 2nd ONLY to God and your relationship with Him. So the process begins of training yourself to be a wife. Many times easier said than done. It means your honey is now your #1 advocate and co-problem solver and recreational companion and so on. If you have a lot on your mind, it should probably be shared with him...FIRST. This one sometimes means taking a blazing hot machete to the apron strings or whatever other binding you have that is misplaced before him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. God designed us to be his helpmate. Now this old-fashioned word can mean many things to many people. Here's the actual definition: a companion and helper, a spouse. We HELP our husbands in so many ways. We are really good at helping! And most of us find great joy and satisfaction in helping others. Unfortunately, because of certain cultural pressures and influences, we sometimes help everyone else before our husband. Not healthy. And this doesn't mean that he needs your constant attention. If you married well, he's a big boy and can handle himself. But there is a special list of needs that is reserved solely for YOU to meet. And trust me, he will be grateful you HELPED him!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. God designed us to submit to his authority. Uh, oh. She said it! She just went all 1950s on us! No, I didn't. I went all biblical and godly on you. Sometimes we let culture and popular beliefs interfere with our faith and skew principles that are timeless and trustworthy. This being one. Please realize that most people read that at first glance defensively thinking, "I don't need a man to submit to. I'm plenty competent to take care of myself." Yes, you are…most of you. :-) However, when you decide to submit to God's authority and then to the vow of marriage, you have bound yourself to relinquish all that sass and necessary self-reliance to the health and wellness of your marriage. Not that it disappears. If you know me, you realize that ain't ever happening! But it means that I know where my allegiance lies. I trust that God has put in place a perfect harmony of companionship between Monte and me. We have an incredible friendship within our marriage, and his job is to protect our marriage and family by leading and guiding us. Who am I to take away his masculinity and his God-given job?? Anyone want to question God's wisdom? Have fun with that. If you can't trust your husband, then question from where that symptom is derived. Is it an intimacy problem? Has he broken your trust? Do you need some counseling? Did you marry for the wrong reasons? Whatever it is God is powerful enough to work through it and make it a beautiful redemption story if both of you are willing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. God designed us to enjoy each other sexually. Yes. The icing on the cake of marriage! If this doesn't make you smile, then please keep reading this blog! Sex can be the pinnacle of awesomeness of physical relationships. Please don't miss out. And I'm not just talking about the pleasure. Part of why I want to talk about this so much is because I truly believe there is not enough sex happening in Christian marriages (or marriages period). It's like super glue for your vows. A healthy sex life is the litmus test for the health of your marriage. Obviously, circumstances like health, age, etc. can impede/limit sex in a relationship. But those are going to be implied in my discussion. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. God designed us to be married our entire lives. So much on this one. We'll break this down much more later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And with that, I leave you with well wishes and hopes for your return as we tackle this complicated subject. My hope is that you find ways to express your feelings to your husband and to God about sex in marriage and how it will significantly increase the joy in your life as a result. </span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-84600267728363790902011-04-07T13:40:00.002-05:002011-04-07T13:45:31.532-05:00Two new chapters<span style="font-family: arial;">So we'll be introducing the next Baby Hunt sometime early June. We're excited and ready! In good Monte & Amy fashion, we did not find out the gender of this baby either. However, both of us are totally convinced it's a girl. Symptoms are different and I've only gained 15 lbs! I was about 20 at this point with Gibson. I know it's not exact science, but that's our gut instinct.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Also, I've been really stepping up my game and working, working, working my Mary Kay business. I keep asking myself, "Why did I ever stop being proactive with it?" I have to kick myself and then move on. It's amazing what a little hard work and perseverance will do for you. Maybe it's because now I've got a different perspective of hard work with being a mom. Maybe it's because it's the American way. I don't know. But whatever it is I like it and I'm pumped! Yea!</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-30298762435490409022010-12-23T11:42:00.002-06:002010-12-23T13:03:42.658-06:00Politics or Morality?<span style="font-family: arial;">I've been perplexed lately. Politics play a huge part in American society. In fact, next to only money and religion, it's quite an emotional topic. One part of politics, especially in America, is the general assumption that our representatives act with morality in mind. Not so. In fact, most polls show that Americans now realize how out of touch our federal government truly is. Americans are living on tight budgets and are scared to enjoy they're earnings as they did in years past all due to poor choices of government over years and years of so called "service." As any good coach would say, you've got to get back to basics to become stronger. That means fundamentals. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I played lots of sports and that was always the biggest part of practice. Despite their elementary nature, they were key and MANDATORY to improve our game. When we weren't focusing on the fundamentals of the sport, our game would fall apart. It's the same principle with politics. Our country has gotten so comfy & cozy with our federal government slowly but surely creeping it's greedy and controlling fingers into our personal lives due to the supposed "benefits" we receive in return. CRAP! It's a trap and a joke. I am much more capable of taking care of myself and my family and even others in need around me than the federal government. Why, oh why, are there still thousands and thousands of charities who have to help those in need when our government claims to use our tax dollars to do so? If they do such a great job, why are charities still in such high demand? Why? It all comes down to morality. Those in power in DC don't use morality in their justification for using our tax dollars toward programs that are intended to aid those in need. The basis of these programs sounds awesome and so helpful; yet the government has proven over and over again that more revenue and more power only breeds its own. More power and money = more government positions, reelection emphases overshadowing the people's needs, and more distance between the minds of representatives and the public. It's been repeated time and time again. Moral restraint is not practiced across the board in our economy or in DC. The rhetoric claims that morality is the basis on which they propose and legislate. However, Americans have gotten wise to their double talk. Our president speaks from both sides of his mouth on a regular basis, as well as Pelosi, Michelle, and the rest. And that isn't just Democrats I speak of. There are plenty of Republicans who do the same. My main beef with the Obamas right now is that they live lavishly and spend exuberantly even though they both speak of the "hard times" we're all facing and how we all have to "tighten our belts." That's hardly been lived out by our leaders. I haven't heard of one super wealthy representative resign his/her salary and pension. Most people in the House & Senate DON'T need to be paid. Many are independently wealthy. The two Democratic leaders are both extremely wealthy and still use our tax dollars to subsist in DC. Pelosi flies around on military jets on personal business and puts it on our tab. Are they living out what they've been preaching? No! It all boils down to morality. They are deluded with their sense of self and entitlement for their "service." If they truly want to be a public servant, they need to quit allowing themselves to be pampered. They live lavishly and then over promise meeting needs and wants of Americans just to get reelected. It's all bogus.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">When you need to get down to basics, you have to go back to the very beginning at square one, so to speak. For America, it's the founding documents, which clearly state the LIMITED role of government. We have strayed so far from the basics, which were brilliantly compiled by those who were truly oppressed by their government. It's a shame that we choose not to learn from history. So many other countries have been ruled the way ours is trying (without direct mention but with subtle, deliberate action) that have fallen or are truly broken. Why would we allow our great nation that is based on true freedom to crumble under the guise of receiving "benefits" from our federal government? Again, it's a trap. True freedom means they can't tell me what to do and that I'm responsible for my actions, which includes caring for my own and myself. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The federal government in the US has now started attacks on free speech that share opinions other than those of the current administration. Now that is NOT an attribute of a free country. Freedom of speech means freedom of speech no matter what is said. If you don't like it, don't listen. Simple. It's your choice. It's called freedom. If you don't want your kids to eat McDonald's, tell them no. It's your choice. It's not anyone else's fault when YOU make a CHOICE. I can't say this enough. Our society has gotten so used to passing blame and getting lawsuit happy. True freedom means personal responsibility. It's a moral principle that was infused into our documents for good reason. Our leaders took human nature into account when designing our great Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and Constitution. They knew what would inspire individuals to greatness in spite of their shortcomings. Morality was to overcome those. And our country has allowed for great strides in moral accomplishment and personal freedom - abolition of slavery, minorities as equals, etc. However, our government started to get a bit too extravagant in its attempt to appease the masses and started a huge decline opposite of morality & personal freedom - abortion, social security, income taxes, prohibition, etc. All of these are under the guise of "it's your right" to have (fill in the blank) or it's the government's responsibility to (fill in the blank). No, it's your right to choose to do it for yourself if you want it. The only rights we are guaranteed in our founding documents are the right to life, liberty, & the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">pursuit</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> of happiness along with the rights to bear arms, speak freely, practice religion, and so on. There are no rights to not be offended, have any of your bills paid, or have a job. Yet, organizations out there are super touchy on suing anyone who steps on toes to make a scene and get publicity without taking the responsible and moral stance to forgive and/or ignore. I don't like offensive words, but every American has the right to say them no matter what. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it deserves to be legislated against. Grow up!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Morality and personal freedom have to be in a great balance for our country to be at peace. However, immorality is praised and rewarded with millions. The government so graciously gave us the "right" to terminate a pregnancy even though our First Lady wants to be able to tell us what we can and can't feed our kids. I'm sorry. That's a perfect example of morality and personal freedom not being in balance. It's quite a delicate balance, too. If you've ever been exposed to the pain of a woman who has experienced an abortion and is contemplating suicide for her choice, you would think much, much differently about this "right." It's a selfish and savage right that only puts a bandaid on the lack of personal respobsibilty and morality that should have been taught. I have spoken to several women who are in a very hard situation due to unwanted/unplanned pregnancies. Abortion never cures the problems. In most cases, it just compounds them and leaves a woman broken and confused. It's amazing the gratitude of a woman who could think of no other option but abortion for her specific situation who was enlightened with factual scientific and medical information, as well as a loving and warm welcome despite her choices, once her baby is born. The payoff of a hard choice is blissful. It's not an easy road but so worth it. Why do we push the "right" to terminate instead of the right to be informed of all the options? It's approached from a terribly political perspective and not one from a moral sense of freedom. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">That was just an example that is a soapbox of mine. I know, I know. You've heard it before. The gist of my rant is that if we don't teach each child to be responsible and reteach each adult who can't seem to live responsibly as opposed to just pushing rights and entitlements, our country will descend to a selfishly motivated sespool of "rights" with nothing to show for it but millions of discontent and whining babies regardless of age. It all starts at home and in your personal choices. I'm aiming to do my part. I hope you are, too! Our country depends on it. </span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-80863814768541056872010-09-30T21:32:00.003-05:002010-09-30T21:58:48.120-05:00Gibson's almost 1!So the child is walking and almost one. He's just shy of a full year old! Oh, my. How did it fly past so quickly? I'm remembering to seize each moment and ponder them in my heart. Ah! I love this kid! Motherhood has brought out a huge dose of tenderness in me that I never knew I had. God bless this experience! You are good. I'm also the new VR Program Coordinator for LifeChoices, which means I plan when schools have VR classes and who is teaching them. I still get to teach - a bonus. I love it and don't want to stop. However, I had to give up being a volunteer counseling pregnancy clients. This is good, though, because it's helping taking some financial burden off of Monte.<br /><br />With his birthday approaching it means that I'm only 4 weeks away from mine. I'll be starting the last year of my twenties. And I love it! Marriage is good, parenting is a daily challenge, Gibson makes my heart flutter and act like a complete sentimental goob, and I am confident that God loves us. I'm on the alert though. It seems at times like these Satan finds a way to trample on my bliss. I'm staying prayed up.<br /><br />Ironically, my birthday is on the mid-term election day where the USA will probably be changing the landscape of Congress and many governorships across the country. It's exciting! So many are actually paying attention to the politicians and listening and holding them accountable. Yay! That is a great birthday present. Now I'm praying that Christians will do the same with their church leaders and personal faith. I am ready to celebrate real change. Plus, last election day I had surgery after a miscarriage that wouldn't pass. And then the election results rolled in. Very bad day!<br /><br />My hope for the USA is to be great again by the results of our hard work and personal responsibility. A few basic principles make the USA unique and exceptional - not the people. And they are found in the Constitution, which is an amazing document. Monte & I have read it again in the past few months to make sure we weren't misspeaking when discussing the facts. I encourage everyone else to do the same. It's amazing how many "educated" people get the facts wrong and then spout them all over the airwaves to ignorant & obliging minions. I'll leave it at that; otherwise, I'll get on my soapbox, which will make for a very long blog post!<br /><br />Our lives are grand and so precious. I'm excited about what is to come and how God will mold me toward His glory.Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-48791863161755673852010-08-06T14:25:00.001-05:002010-08-06T14:25:13.383-05:00Gibson 8 mos., by Amy Hunt<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bHQ9MTI4MTEyMjY4NDQ*NyZwdD*xMjgxMTIyNzA4MDc*JnA9NjUxMzIxJmQ9Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTEmbz1jYmYzNWVmYzMwZTE*/NTI1OThiZDBlZGNmOTA3Y2QxOCZvZj*w.gif" /><a href='http://photos1.walmart.com/walmart/fbshareredirect/p=36961281122684197/l=1027706006/g=616951006/redirectURL=share/otsi=SALBBL/AlbumID=2827752006/a=616951006_616951006/usercomments=I_xqd%20like%20to%20share%20my%20Walmart%20Digital%20Photo%20Center%20photos%20with%20you.%20Once%20you%20have%20checked%20out%20my%20photos%20you%20can%20order%20prints%20and%20upload%20your%20own%20photos%20to%20share./counttext=/COBRAND_NAME=walmart/isForUpload=true/'><img src='http://photos1.walmart.com/walmart/getimagetnurl/AlbumID=2827752006/a=616951006_616951006/'/><br></a><a href='http://photos1.walmart.com/walmart/fbshareredirect/p=36961281122684197/l=1027706006/g=616951006/redirectURL=share/otsi=SALBBL/AlbumID=2827752006/a=616951006_616951006/usercomments=I_xqd%20like%20to%20share%20my%20Walmart%20Digital%20Photo%20Center%20photos%20with%20you.%20Once%20you%20have%20checked%20out%20my%20photos%20you%20can%20order%20prints%20and%20upload%20your%20own%20photos%20to%20share./counttext=/COBRAND_NAME=walmart/isForUpload=true/'>I'd like to share my Walmart Digital Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.</a>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-65606869682500041822010-07-15T10:00:00.002-05:002010-07-15T10:22:36.213-05:00Craziness in the worldSo I've been trying to stay up on current events and finding it harder and harder to rely on the typical 3 networks to do so. There are several serious things being said and movements that are full of hate that aren't being reported via NBC, CBS, & ABC. Shame, really. We don't have cable. So now I'm fully aware of other news websites and lots of talk radio. What I find so crazy is how offended so many people are when someone on their side is criticized. I'm a firm believe that if you need to be criticized, then buck up and take it, especially when in a place of power. And part of that position is to be receptive on neutral grounds. Our president, like many other presidents on both political sides, is very defensive when criticized. It's over 1.5 years into his term and life here in the USA is not getting any better, and he's still blaming "the past administration." I'm sorry. Whenever I would blame my brother and sister over and over again, my parents would let me have it. How is it okay for President Obama to keep passing blame? Well, it's not. And he's an adult who chose to run for president and won. So buck up, buddy. It's time to put on your big boy pants and govern like a responsible adult. Even President Clinton, who is almost as liberal as Obama, found a way to govern from a more centric position with a Republican Congress. I guess, politically, he had to. But, all the same, it was a great move for our country. The budget was balanced, welfare was reformed, and the list goes on. President Obama isn't learning from the past, which frightens me. Every great country has fallen due to repeating history. It's a simple concept that I believe pride prevents from soaking in to political thought.<br /><br />It's also a shame that almost all politicians are more concerned with reelection and saving face than governing, legislating, judging, etc. according to our founding documents. Really? Monte and I have recently read the Constitution. It's pretty overwhelming how far from it most politicians have gone. That's on both sides. We, as Americans, have let them drift without any threat of being checked or voted out. We have been complacent and did not want to do any homework to make sure we were on the right track. That's everybody as a whole to blame. We liked where we were and wanted our way. When we didn't get it, we voted to an extreme opposite instead of finding out who was really there to serve publicly. And that's what it's supposed to be...public service. Why are they getting rich off of it? And they, as a whole, aren't any good at their jobs? We need to wake up, clean it out, and get back to a place where the USA is a leader for true freedom and a democratic republic. And our politicians need to listen to the voices of their constituents. We are the boss of them. We need to remind them that they are representing us and not their personal side of things.<br /><br />Life is too short to let the ideals of the USA to fall to socialistic plans. With freedom comes hard work and taking care of yourself. You don't like that responsibility, find a place that will take care of you. But beware. They want power over you too. You can't have freedom and a free meal ticket. The two directly contradict each other. I'll take care of my family and myself. You take care of yours. And we'll all enjoy the freedom to do so. I hope God will continue to bless America. When will we learn that the freedom we enjoy came from Him and is innately all people's everywhere? I give thanks and will teach Gibson and all future children to do the same. I love being in a free land. I just hope it lasts and lasts.<br /><br />On a much lighter note, Gibson is now the proud owner of 2 teeth. He's enjoying feeding himself all sorts of things. He especially enjoys watermelon and cottage cheese, separately is not necessary. Monte is busy with weekend services and all the planning and prep that goes into them. He just started his own Facebook page. Look him up and friend him. He'd like that. We are heading to the McCoy Family Reunion next week down in north central AR. I'm looking forward to that. There will be 35 of us and many are quite eager and competent babysitters. Oh, yes. I will enjoy that. Gibson has new adventures in crawling everyday. He really likes the dog bones. This has been a major point of discipline. I shouldn't move them since they are in a place where the girls can reach them. So Gib just has to learn they are off limits to him. He has been quite persistent in his attempts with a few times where Momma has had to intervene. Not fun. He's also starting to pull up. It's mainly just to his knees now, but he has once gone to his feet! Already! I'm not ready for walking yet. I hope he sticks to cruising around furniture for a while. He's also found his toy basket. He enjoys pulling it over and letting the toys tumble into his face. Fun but energy sapping. Good thing I'm staying fit.<br /><br />That's it for now. Thanks for visiting!Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-75033134247347917812010-06-08T10:31:00.002-05:002010-06-08T10:38:44.148-05:00Summer Fun<span style="font-family: arial;">Lots and lots of summer fun. We just returned from a 9 day journey that led us to Louisville, KY to visit our dear friends, the Semenicks. We got to cuddle and coo with Baby Gabe, who is now 11 weeks old. He's a big kid - long and strong! He's got the crazy old man hair thing right now. Love it! Max and Sara are doing well and obviously elated every day they get to love that little guy. God is good! Then, we trekked to Myrtle Beach, SC. Gibson did amazingly well in the car despite not sleeping much. Since he prefers the tummy, the carseat offered him little sleeping comfort. Too bad there isn't a contraption that keeps babies safe while sleeping on their tummies. Gibson would be a happy kid! Myrtle Beach was beautiful and warm. We got to spend some great time with most of Monte's side of the family. It was fun to see all the energy in our nieces and nephews as they played in the ocean most of every day. It wore me out! Now we're home and back to normalcy. Whatever that is!<br /><br />Gibson is well into his new adventure of eating solids. He loves his spoon and cup even though he doesn't really attain any nourishment from these tools on his own. He's still perfecting those abilities. He's getting the hang of picking things up with his pincer grasp. It's fun to see all the concentration that goes into putting the pointer finger and thumb together. I make most of his baby food, which is a good way to save some cash considering how much he likes to eat.<br /><br />I've posted more pics at our website. www.hunttrio.shutterfly.com. Enjoy!<br /></span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194481662384026933.post-59895233338427593482010-05-19T16:23:00.003-05:002010-05-19T16:35:08.626-05:00New People To Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5qg3d6K-mNTpC3fg4sJpfuvhYm-FhLw2trQX9wGc3kTmHkORKxi6P9JXmvCDeaFkYlho0diy8rc61bUExozKx1WY1QSW1qbCncQMsyuyafNII5JqsDDxlVjysqQhM4Ytru1iCbsCAVSm/s1600/IMG_3338.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5qg3d6K-mNTpC3fg4sJpfuvhYm-FhLw2trQX9wGc3kTmHkORKxi6P9JXmvCDeaFkYlho0diy8rc61bUExozKx1WY1QSW1qbCncQMsyuyafNII5JqsDDxlVjysqQhM4Ytru1iCbsCAVSm/s320/IMG_3338.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473097778517390914" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So there are some new people in my life to love. Most were expected like Jani's baby, Anke, Sara Semenick's baby, Gabriel, Sara Conley's baby, Darcy, and the list grows on of all the friends of mine who are expecting. However, there was a little bundle of love that joined my family all of a sudden. But what a great surprise!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">My sister, Sarah, and her husband, Nathan, were privileged and beaming with pride to take home a little baby girl who needed a great home and some super great parents! Elizabeth Kay Reyna was born April 8th and joined their home on the 13th. They just went to court yesterday where everything is now legal and complete! She's theirs on paper as well as in their hearts. Yay! Loving a baby is a whole different ballgame. People always told me that before. I would usually look at them and give them a polite smile. But now I know. How dare I assumed I knew better?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">This weekend Gibson and I are traveling down to Arkansas to see the family and celebrate with one of four showers for Elizabeth. Monte, of course, will be working with the church and leading the services' music, which means he will not be joining us. Plus, we're heading to Myrtle Beach, SC next weekend and get to stop in and see the Semenicks on our way. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">I've taken a huge breath of relief now that the school year is over. I never realized how crazy I would feel tackling a few hours a day teaching sex ed and trying to get Gibson cared for and dropped off and all that. Madness! I'm sure this fall will be much simpler since he'll almost be weaned and can fend more for himself in the eating department. I'm super glad I don't have a 40 hr/wk job anymore. I'd lose it or be a gigantic mess!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">This summer brings vacation, a family reunion, a 10 year high school reunion, and hopefully lots of swimming! I'm stocked with swim diapers for Gib. Love you all and make today your greatest!</span>Amy Hunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214468859234790135noreply@blogger.com0