Learning to be the Wife and the Employee…The Struggle is Real

When Taylor and I first got married, I read a book called The Five Love Languages. It's a good book that focuses on helping you understand how to love your spouse in the way he/she needs. The book lists 5 basic ways to express love emotionally (love languages), and each person usually has a primary love language that they need in order to feel truly loved. These languages are:  1.Words of Affirmation 2.Acts of Service 3.Receiving Gifts 4.Quality Time 5.Physical Touch

I thought the book had a lot of wonderful points, but it took me 3 years to figure out what my love language was - physical touch. I had discounted that this could be my "language" - I assumed it probably only applied to people who were nymphomaniacs. ;) But now that I look back, I realize this should have been obvious - I'm constantly reaching to hold Taylor's hand; I rest my hand on his leg if we're sitting next to each other; when we're driving in the car, I'm frequently rub his shoulders/play with his hair; and when we're working through a disagreement, I don't feel like the issue is resolved unless he's held me close.

Understanding my need for physical touch has been helpful even in unexpected ways.

Recently, one of the office clerks at the feedyard had a baby, and she is now on maternity leave. During her time off, my mother-in-law, Roshel, and I are filling in. This means I'm working in the feedyard office with Taylor a few days of the week.

Generally, Taylor and I make a pretty good team, so, initially, I was surprised how challenging this arrangement could be for us at times.

Then it hit me what part of the problem was - in the office my role is the worker, not the wife. So even though I'm around Taylor, I don't get as much opportunity to be loved by him in my "language"… holding hands, hugging, touching, etc., because at work he has other things that need his attention. But understanding this allowed me to share with Taylor how I was feeling and made it easier for us to deal with.

It's been good for me to learn more about what goes on in the feedyard, but I have to say I much prefer my role of "wife" in relationship to Taylor than that of "employee". At times it's been challenging, but I also know that these new situations are helping our relationship grow stronger, and for that I am grateful.

Western Kansas Fact: The schools have really nice activity buses.
Growing up in Eastern Kansas all the schools in our district would take all the athletes to games in one of the regular school buses. But in out here all the schools seem to have nice tour buses for their athletes because they have to travel so far to go to different athletic events.

For the past three years I've been working to read the entire Bible.  Nearly every morning I spend a few minutes reading a passage - even if it's only a paragraph or two at a time. Maybe not the fastest method, but it works for me.
Then this morning I saw this Scripture and accompanying lesson, and it made me really consider and appreciate the time I get to spend in His Word
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16
Too often I've thought of the Bible as a bunch of stories/words that God approved, of written by men from long ago, but this Scripture lesson really made me think about how the Bible is truly the Word of God Almighty. He blessed certain men and women by allowing them to be part of recording His Word, but it is His. And I have been given the privilege to freely read His Word and know Him more through it!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Lyndee