Marriage

Hi, 

Isn't this the cutest!!!

I think it accurately describes the way I feel right now.



Not to long ago, actually... about a month ago.
Kurt and I were attending a Marriage Enrichment course at our church.

WOW! It was really awesome, we learnt so much about one another, the skills of a good marriage, and that we are not the only couple that irritate and get annoyed with one another.

We were taught how to deal with conflict and a particular sentence stuck out for me:

"If you are fighting to be right, you are making your spouse wrong, the loser"
DO YOU WANT YOUR SPOUSE TO BE A LOSER??

We were taught that everyone has a love language.
There are 5 love languages to look out for.

You can spot your spouse's love language by their actions and also the things they complain about.

The 5 love languages:

1. Words of Affirmation

“If this is your love language, you feel most cared for when your partner is open and expressive in telling you how wonderful they think you are, how much they appreciate you, etc.”
2. Acts of Service
“If your partner offering to watch the kids so you can go to the gym (or relieving you of some other task) gets your heart going, then this is your love language.”
3. Affection
“This love language is just as it sounds. A warm hug, a kiss, touch, and sexual intimacy make you feel most loved when this is your love language.”
4. Quality Time
“This love language is about being together, fully present and engaged in the activity at hand, no matter how trivial.”
5. Gifts
“Your partner taking the time to give you a gift can make you feel appreciated.”

http://www.kevinhalloran.net/what-are-the-five-love-languages-summary/

We had a session on sex, nothing dirty and "sexual", but sex in marriage and they way that a man and woman's brain is SO VASTLY DIFFERENT.

The session leader played parts of 2 different DVDs (The tale of two brains and Laugh your way to a better Marriage) by Mark Gungor, whom I have become very interested in.

-If you can get hold of those videos, you really should watch them, he is a pastor and keeps things very clean and clear.

 Mark keeps things so simple and explains everything in a very funny way.
He refers to scripture for everything he relates to and I really really enjoyed this session.

Just for the way it was explained and kept so fun and light.

Here are a few of his best quotes:





One Hundred Happy Days.

Can I?
Can I really?

I have seen A LOT of these little hash tags all over Facebook and Instagram.
#100happydays followed by a happy message and pictures of yummy food, new things, sunsets, smiles and joy.

I never even considered doing it, BUT then the website mentioned that only 71% of participants actually complete it....challenge accepted.

Hmm..I have to try this. I want to be the other 29%...

All I need now is a phone that can take pictures..no I'm not stuck in the stone age.
I have a fancy phone :) ... Its just decided to grow a bum.
In other words, the camera has a huge crack in it.

Oh well, I will be starting my challenge once I get my phone upgrade next month.
I am hoping for the 7 April 2014, but I will see if I cannot do it sooner :)

If you are interested in joining in on the fun, I have attached the link for you.
http://100happydays.com/

If you would like to follow me once I have started the challenge, you can find me on Instagram.
@chrne

Head, Shoulders, Knees, Knees, Knees... Toes

I chose this title mainly because after feeling very proud of myself for working my ass off for 2 weeks, I have a knee injury.

When I was fresh out of school I bought an old, piece of junk scooter.
It carried my then skinny ass to and from work, through rain, storms, and firey hot days.

One day stands out though.
It was raining "cats and dogs", insanely heavy rain, horrible stormy weather and I was travelling by scooter down Blouberg road on my way home.

My scooter slid out from under me and I landed knee first on the tar, with my scooter on top on me.
I had to ride with my buckled wheel and painful legs all the way home, on Koeberg road.

Anyway, back to the point.

Since that lovely day, I have had a knee that cramps when its cold and gets red and hot when I walk to far.

So...because of my dedication to wearing something skimpy this summer, I have bruised the inside of the joint without bumping,knocking or touching my knee.
I have a massive blue mark and I can barely bend my leg.

I am to stay off my leg and resume exercise after a week, DOCTORS ORDERS.

I am not very excited about this arrangement, I am VERY scared my laziness kicks in again.

I guess its up to the 2 liters of water per day and high protein to burn my fat for me.

1. 2. 3. GO



Today marks 2 weeks since my Boyfriend and I started our OFFICIAL eating clean/ excercising 6/7 days a week.

I must honestly say, its not that easy to get into a pattern of excercise and sore muscles, but its fantastic.

I have Zumba'd everyday for the past 2 weeks, so I can say I am a pro at shaking my hips by now.

When my dad was in the process of loosing 50kg, he bought a huge weight-lifting machine that works so well for arm excercises.

I am telling you, doing the job I do with sore arms... not so nice, but I am not stopping now.

Hopefully, I can continue the pattern I have developed and this time next year I am looking even better than before.

Passion



Since I was very little, I can remember having an incredible passion for music and singing.

I was the first to sign up for choir, and performed in many concerts between Grade1-3.

I was home schooled from Grade4 - 5, but I continued singing.
At church, at home... teaching my little sister.
I went to a private school until matric.

This school offered no extramural activities and this meant, the only way to practice was to join the church choir.

I was very involved in the church and love nothing more than singing.

Unfortunately, my father was a bit strict and I had to give up choir for my school work.

Needless to say my passion has still grow, but as one gets older, it becomes a bit more difficult to follow the dreams of a little girl.

My passion is still to be professional, maybe one day in God's plan it will come true.

Life

Life... it doesn't always work out the way you imagined it would.
I can remember dreaming up a life of Planet Shakers and being a full time youth leader, touring the world, studying accounting and singing my heart out as often as I could.
A lot of things determine your success in life; being passionate about what you do, having support, stability, and putting your life 100% in Gods hands.
Family, I would say your family makes a huge impact on who you become and where you go.
I thought my family was perfect, everyone fights so mine is no different, RIGHT?
It took only so long before things started to fall apart.
A marriage without God at the center never gets very far.
I was 20 when my mom decided to take my little sister and go live her life with her boyfriend.
Im not saying my dad had no part in the mess and pain caused for a woman to leave her child and hurry away.
Court appearances, phone calls, missed birthdays and a lot of pain filled the next year or so of my life.
Life doesn't go the way you want it to...
Besides all the gloomy bits, I can say with a heart full of love and joy...that my boyfriend is by far the best thing that has come along since high school.
Cliché? Naaah.
His wonderful and so so patient even on the worst days.
Although not many approved of our relationship at first, I am yet to meet a family member/ friend that doesn't love him now.
Its taken a year to forgive my mother and father for all the pain caused.
But id like to say that I am moving past it and trying to live a life of forgiveness and peace.
Life doesn't go the way you plan, or dream.