It is Christmas morning as this post publishes. I’m certain you are probably reading this after-the-fact. And I totally get it. In fact, I expect it.
What does your Christmas morning typically look like? The kids busting out of bed with excitement way earlier than you expected? A messy post-Christmas morning breakfast kitchen? A plethora of wrapping paper on the living room floor? Recipes to prepare for a family Christmas celebration?
So much for a quiet Christmas morning.
Are there any other fans of the Hallmark Channel during this time of the year? I’m not even joking, I could watch the holiday movie extravaganza that is the Hallmark Channel all day long.
It’s actually a good thing we don’t even get the Hallmark Channel because I would not be very productive. Like at all. Instead, I make myself earn a movie break during the holidays and watch online about once a week. I may have a problem, y’all.
I know that not everyone shares my affinity for all things Christmas during this time of the year.
Can you believe there are people that get sick and tired of Christmas music? I can’t even fathom. Though, I’ve been told this is because I’ve never worked in retail.
In the quiet mornings of the Christmas season I often find myself sitting with a hot cup of coffee by the light of our Christmas tree watching the flames of a fireplace flicker.
Ok, full disclosure…so while the picture I’m painting you with my words is all truth, I feel the need to share with you that, said fireplace is actually a DVD. But, if you put a little space heater in front of the T.V. you can fool anyone. 😉
Regardless, the point I’m trying to make is that, for me, Christmas often brings with it a time for introspection. The year is drawing nearer to its end, the stirrings of my faith are awakened with the meaning of Christmas, and the quiet solitude amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays allows me a few moments of reflection.
I’m a terrible multi-tasker. I used to think of myself as skilled in this area. I no longer consider multi-tasking a strength of mine. I’ve even justified my poor abilities with the idea that multi-tasking is over-rated anyway.
Honestly though, when I get emotionally overwhelmed or just have way too many things on my plate at the moment I tend to get one-track minded. Even hyper-focused. So much so that all other things fall by the wayside. Even the basics like eating and drinking water.
Am I crazy?
Well, probably a little. This is who I am. Who I sometimes struggle with.
Wow, I mean, is it just me, or did the past four weeks just fly by? I can’t believe we are here at Week 4 of the Wife on Fire Challenge.
How have you been doing? Are you surprised by the reality of an intentional marriage? Would you claim to be a Wife on Fire by now?
Regardless of whether or not you’ve breezed through the past four weeks or if you’ve struggled to get each week’s task accomplished, you made it. You have reached the final week of the Wife on Fire Challenge. Which, I think, is cause for celebration!
Woot! Woot! If you started with the Wife on Fire Challenge two weeks ago, you have officially made it to the halfway point!
If you are just reading this post and you’re new to Country Wife Chronicles or you have just missed a few weeks of updates, please check out the first two posts of this series here:
In Week 1, I took some time to explain this idea that I hatched about bonding together to be better wives and encouraging one another in the process. It’s all about choosing intentional marriage and making the effort.
What does it mean to be a Wife on Fire?
At face value, directly from Google, here’s what you get:
Ok, that’s good, there’s our English lesson for the day.
But what does that mean in the context of marriage?
Do me a favor. Stop for a moment and think about the vows you said on your wedding day. Were they traditional vows? Did you write your own vows? Do you remember them?
What did you promise?
Do you still mean it? Do you still practice it? Do you live out these promises in your marriage today?
Let me take it a step further…
…hold up, I know what you are thinking.
“Well, it’s not like my husband lives them out either.”
“This is just how marriage looks after awhile.”
These past few weeks here at Country Wife Chronicles have been all about marriage. Strengthening Your Marriage, specifically.
Today, I’m super excited to be able to share a little resource with you that I’ve created. I’m sharing a template for a DIY Marriage Retreat designed to allow you to get away for a weekend and strengthen your marriage with intentionality.
But first, let me give you an idea as to what exactly a Marriage Retreat is.
The next few weeks here at Country Wife Chronicles are all about marriage. I decided to write a whole series on “Strengthening Your Marriage.”
Not because I’m an expert or anything. Not because I know all there is to know about marriage. Not because Wildland Man and I have endured the deepest of depths in a lifelong marriage.
No, I’m not an expert. Or a counselor. I certainly don’t know it all, because I’m constantly trying to figure it out. Over and over again. Day after day. It is an intentional effort on my part to make this marriage not only work, but be great.