Day #2 - Love is Kind - Nicole

I am so glad that we have taken this dare. We both are so busy with work and family that it is easy to loose sight of one another and our kindness. I love the fact that this book is making me think about my actions & thoughts. I took the day to think, what would Andy appreciate today, no matter the cost to me... A Back Massage!! I had no clue that he would be in an attic all day and really need the time to relax and be pampered!

When I came home from work I had no clue what was up Andy's sleeve. It was such a blessing to have my Kitchen cleaned up, dinner made, dished cleared from the table and my dishwasher cleaned and repaired! My love language is acts of service, so this was such a huge blessing! It was helpful and so KIND!!! I do have to say, that a lot of nights, Andy does already do all my dishes and cleans up the kitchen without me asking. He has stepped up to help me since I went back to work 3 months ago. He has made me feel so appreciated, cared for and cherished just by simple acts of kindness.

So, when he was done with his amazing job in our kitchen I was able to tell me I was ready for my dare!! He was delighted I believe! He rubs my back many nights a week and I realized that selfishly I do not reciprocate nearly enough. I know that he would love it and he probably needs it more than I do.

You know 3 years ago, none of this would have happened. We were both so selfish and focused on our self and all the ways that we were not making each other happy. I was taking Andy's inventory daily and making him out to be such a failure to me. I refused to see good in anything that he did because I was keeping a tally of his wrongs. I was in such a bad place, that even when he did something nice, I considered it manipulation. So I chose never to see Andy's heart. I am so glad today, that we have made it through 2 years of weekly counseling to help me look into what I can do to change me. What I can do to be a good wife and mom. About 2 1/2 years ago I got a mentor named Kimberly. She walked me through a book called Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney. It helped me see what it means to be a godly wife! Then my friend Brook mentored me for about a year. And now a friend named Tracy is mentoring me. She took me though a book called The Invisible Bond that changed my life also because it had me deal with my past hurts! The reason I mention all these situations is because God used each one of them to chip away at my tough exterior that blinded me to kindness, giving or receiving.

I am so grateful that I am learning, each day still, to be more kind!