#1 - Get your man some fresh reading material.
Some men maintain that they aren't readers, but they'll read the whole newspaper or an article on their favorite slice of the hunting world, so I believe that most menfolk actually do like to read, if you find them something that grabs their attention. To do this the thrifty way, I drop by my local library. In this case, I asked around for book recommendations, browsed genres I know he likes and looked for authors with a similar bent in their writing. Notice it took my time, but not my money to find him something fresh. Libraries lend out copies of magazines too! Another friend gave us a whole stack of a magazine the Rugged Mountain Man likes, so I simply rotated the stock in the bathroom. He enjoyed the new reading material and it makes me smile every time I see him reading something I chose.
#2 - Anticipate something he needs to do and do it.
The Rugged Mountain Man wasn't feeling so swift the other day and I noticed. Realizing that he had an out of town meeting, several chores to do that evening AND it was garbage night, I did the garbage for him. That's really not a big thing, but it blessed him.
#3 - Clean your coat rack or coat closet.
At first glance I'm sure that seems silly, but the coat rack or coat closet may very well be the first glimpse he has of your little slice of home-paradise. Even though warmer weather is on the way, why not do a quick little tidy-up and take the load of clutter off his mind? And hey, c'mon mamas, no excuses. I finally tackled mine and it literally took three minutes.
#4 - Give him kids who listen.
I realize you now have a rock in the pit of your stomach after reading that. I feel you! Our family is a work in progress, just as much as yours is. I was recently inspired to redouble my efforts to train our children to obey immediately. God expects this immediate obedience of me; why not train the girlies that this is right and good, especially in regard to listening to Daddy? It's a blessing to him and less stress in a day. I may not see instant results, but I can persevere in an effort not only to please God, but also to bless the Rugged Mountain Man.
#5 - Fix something for him.
Ok, sewing on buttons and mending are not one of my favorite things to do. I do like to sew, but mending doesn't count, does it? The Rugged Mountain Man was walking around with his slipper flopping off lately, all because one little thread came loose. One. So, I fixed it. Did I particularly enjoy it? Nope, but I did enjoy thinking about how it wouldn't annoy him anymore. What about your husband's favorite shirt? Does it need a new button? How can you use your domesticity to bless him? Not all of us have a Seamstress Extraordinaire Mom to teach us how to mend, but most of us have access to the internet. You can find out how to do everything on the internet. Everything.
Sometimes we just need to buckle down and bless our man, whether we enjoy the actual task or not. I believe it's called self sacrifice. The more I die to self, the more Christ can live in me. And the more I can bless my husband.
Dominique
