I Love Being Married

In Australia, August 13 is National Marriage Day.

My husband and I wholly support marraige as an institution between a man and a woman. We also think it is great! We have had struggles in the time we've been married (five years in December), but we have worked through many of them. We aren't in a rush... we have the rest of our lives. 

We are the best of friends, and we are each sure of the others commitment to our marriage. I think we have a beautiful thing!

When there is Love in a Marriage there is harmony in the home; 

when there is harmony in the home, there is contentment in the community; 

when there is contentment in the community, there is prosperity in the nation; 

when there is prosperity in the nation, there is Peace in the World.

~Chinese proverb

10 Smile Quotes

I'm in a smily mood! This is blogpost number 100! Yes, one HUNDRED. I was going to do a giveaway when I reached 100 blogposts, but am in the middle of a very busy week at uni... stay tuned though, because a celebration giveaway is coming soon!
 
In place of a giveaway, here are ten (ten times ten is one hundred!) quotes about smiles, and their absolute wonderfulness :)

10 Quotes About Smiles

1.  A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. ~Phyllis Diller

2. Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.  ~Mother Teresa

3. Before you put on a frown, make absolutely sure there are no smiles available. ~Jim Beggs

4. A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks. ~Charles Gordy

(smiling lets others know that you are feeling happy)

5. The robbed who smiles, steals something from the thief. ~ William Shakespeare, Othello

6. Peace begins with a smile.  ~Mother Teresa

7. If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it. ~Andy Rooney

8. Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.  ~Mark Twain

 (sometimes people do silly smiles just for the sake of being SILLY)

9. You're never fully dressed without a smile.  ~Martin Charnin

10. A laugh is a smile that bursts.  ~Mary H. Waldrip

And a bonus one, because writing this post is making me happy:

I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful. ~Anonymous

Loving My Home

In the past I have struggled a great deal with taking care of my home. This was hard, because I love to have things looking welcoming and cozy. However, mild depression and harsh criticism from others did wonders at making the simple task of washing the dishes an overwhelming THING that I felt I cannot "cope with".

Happily for me, the depression has gone now (at last) and I am focusing very hard on correcting myself with "yes I can!" whenever thoughts "I can't do this" creep in. I'm so pleased to be able to tell you that I am enjoying getting my house beautiful - I'm planning on dusting sometime within the next week - would you think I was strange if I told you that I'm excited about it?

I believe that the home is not merely somewhere to eat and rest your head, but a place to find rest that restores you and to welcome people who need encouragement. It has upset me deeply in the past when I have looked around and seen a place that needs a thorough tidy-up and clean before being ready to welcome anyone. This only served to add to my depression and feelings of failure. 

But now... oh my! You should visit me just to see how tidy and lovely it is right now! I am feeling so good about it and that makes my feel all happy inside.

This is a quote which has encouraged me greatly:

Cooking, cleaning and beautifying your home are not small things - they represent a slice of the creativity and beauty or Christ and we literally minister to our families and those who come into our homes by the simplest of these acts ~ Kelly Crawford. 

(Go here to read the full post.)

As if to reaffirm how important the home is, I recently stumbled upon this blogpost, which talks beautifully about having a Biblical perspective on the importance of the home. It really made me think about how I look after my house and how to make it a welcoming place for visitors - and for my husband when he gets home from work.

I'm so happy with how my home has changed over the last couple of weeks. My only issue is that my house gets messy again so quickly - keeping it cosy and lovely is a full time job!

Me and Mr M

I find it strange that I can be motivatived to do things that are unimportant and of no lasting value (such as eating a whole jar of nutella), but when it comes to writing an essay by a certain due date for a subject I need to pass so I can get the qualification I need in order to actually earn money, motivation quietly slinks away to go hide in the corner.

Thanks for that, Mr Motivation.

(In the past, my husband has tried some wacky things to try to motivate me. Filming himself in the mirror and playing the video as punishment for lack of productivity was one of the most extreme. Despite the genius behind the idea, it failed miserably.)

I have eaten all the nutella in a fantastic procrastinating effort, instead of doling it out every 200 words as a reward.

Knitting Night, which usually works without fail, has failed. (I know - what is wrong with me?)

Even the husband, whose extreme grumpiness determination for me to do well has not managed to scare motivate me to churn out the words I need.

Despite the extreme uncooperativeness of Mr Motivation ("I refuse to leave my corner!") I am determined to get it done before I go to bed tonight. Only 600 words to go!

I'll show you, Mr M.

10 Things A Dog Would Teach

*** In an effort to get rid of random bits of paper, I'm turning them into blog posts. The upside? A lasting record and I get to share them with all of you!***

10 Things you would learn if your teacher was a dog:

1)  When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

2) Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

3) Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Image from here.

4) Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

5) Stretch before rising (it really gets you energized, believe it or not!).

6) Run, romp and play daily.

7) On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass, and on hot days drink lots of water and rest under a shady tree.

 Image from here.

8) When it is in your best interest, practice obedience.

9) Be loyal.

10) When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

Okay, this picture is just funny... it is from here.