marriage

“Does making your life better make it better for those around you? “

That is a thought, isn’t it? We connect with, and talk with, associate with, do business with people every single day! Those people that in ANY WAY connect with you, does it make THEIR life better?

SOOO many things, and esp someone who has lost a spouse/significant other in their life — this connects with SO much more….I have noticed the last 5 years, I live my life MUCH more *on purpose*

I thankfully was raised in a wonderful home, great parents, great upbringing, great sisters, grew up, great marriage, great kids, etc, tremendously blessed…..

But what about now, what about that DASH will people say about you one day, what kind of difference for GOOD are you making in the lives of OTHERS that you touch? What GOOD is it, for them to have YOU as a part of THEIR life?

Incredible things to *ponder* — don’t ya think?

Happy Anniversary, from Your Widow

On this day, 24 years ago, Bryan Delk and I became husband and wife, and the 5th one that you are missing….Funny, 5 years ago, everyone told me, *one day* you’ll be able to look

back at this day and not cry, but just be thankful and grateful for the happy memories….back then, I was grateful and thankful still of course, but cried lots and lots too, and couldn’t even begin to imagine that these people that told me this were ‘sane’ in their thoughts…..Today, I can say I am more grateful for the 20 years we had, than crying, although some tears as I get flowers for your grave, but not near as many as in the past….. I remember so much, like yesterday…..

It was hot in Tennessee…. I cried some in the ceremony, but then you had look of relief on your face when I said they were tears of joy. 😉

That last 20 years, we faced many challenges but we got through all of them because through it all we loved each other and we loved God.

Today, sometimes you’ll find me crying again. I know you always hated to see me cry, but it can’t be helped sometimes….I try to remember your words you used to say always to me “I want to see you smile” and I try, I try every day, and I try to focus on the wonderful years God allowed me to have you.

The vows we took said for in sickness and in health and we did that very well, living up to those words. I am confident and happy knowing that you were mine and me yours only, for almost 20 years….The til death do us part, is the most difficult challenge of them all. I said those words without realizing what that really meant because somehow I figured it was going to be SO f

ar off in the future, we would be old and gray before we had to face that… I remember thinking and dreaming of us being in our 80’s, sitting on our front porch, and watching the grandkids playing….Well here we are, or….here I am, faced with life without you…the person I entrusted with my happiness and my soul and now you’re gone.

I am faced with the monumental task of going on with out you with the memories of the times together to see me through the days, weeks, months and years ahead.

Thank you baby for those memories and for the awesome and wonderful children we raised together. I know the road ahead will be bumpy but I know at the end of the road, you’ll be wa

iting for me with welcoming arms wide open to greet me and hug me once again one day.

I do not know how long it will take me to meander down that road, but my anniversary wish is that you are peaceful now and are not sad up there. Your gift to me has been acquired over the years….strength, courage, faithful, and a “we can do this” attitude. So, I wish you happy anniversary. I love you. I promise to always try to smile…I can still hear it in my head you telling me “I want to see you smile” – No matter what was going on, even if I was mad at you
– if you said that – you always made me smile anyway – and you knew it! 🙂

From the time we were married till he left this earth was
7,133 days
or 1019 weeks
or 171,192 hours
or 10,271,520 minutes
or 616,291,200 seconds
This is equal to exactly 19 years, 6 months, and 9 days

For our 20th anniversary, he had planned he was going to buy me an anniversary band to put on the other side of my engagement ring, to match my wedding band. And we were going to take a trip someplace special, don’t know where, but somewhere we had never been, we had thought of one of those couples resorts….

I love you more than anything, I love our wonderful kids God allowed us to have. I am very thankful God let me have you for almost 20 years. Yes, I wish it was more, lots more, never even had the thoughts of what happened….you know you think about sickness, maybe *one day*…..but never this….thought and dreamed about us being in our 80’s on our front porch in our little town, watching our grandkids run around, while we hold hands….sigh….such a pretty dream…..

I was told that one day, I will think that way, and not cry, but just think about the happy times, and be happy … I am thankful and grateful that after almost 5 years, it is more that way now…..although I still and will always love and miss you

I found one of his notes to me

I found one of his notes to me…..he always wrote me love notes and put on my desk so I would see when I got to work…(a perk of having an office at home) lol
Oh how I miss him talking to me and sending me notes…after almost 5 years, still love and miss you every single day.

I’m sending you one more picture, since I didn’t think that either one turned out very good. That way you can pick the least worst one, ha ha .

I’m sitting here comparing my face in this picture to the pictures that I recently put up on the right side of the computer of us in the photo booth. It is so funny, I look like such a little boy in the ones from the photo booth ( I also can’t believe that I used to wear two necklaces at once – what a dork ! ) I used to hate looking so young, now I wish I wasn’t so old !

You, of course, look like God’s gift to men in those pictures! How I ever got you to go out with me is a mystery. We must have just recently gotten your engagement ring, you are trying so hard to show it off in the first two ; )

I had forgotten about that until I found the pictures again ( I knew exactly which one of the ten huge albums that it was in, by the way ) However I thought
that I remembered the pictures being black and white. I must have been thinking about the pictures of you and your friend Dawn in a photo booth ( also one of my favorites of you ) I think that my very most favorite picture of you is in photo album 1, you are wearing a red top with white sleeves, your hair is very curly and black, and you are smiling very big, with your eyes squinting and your braces showing ( very very sexy ) I’ve always meant to ask you where you were & how old you were in that picture, but I always forget to ask you the next time I see you, and also
I’m almost afraid to ask, in case an old boyfriend took the picture, or you cut him out of the picture(s) ( there are two of them ), because I wouldn’t want to ruin it for me.

Anyway, I am going to stop rambling now because I know that you have a lot of other mail that you have to read, and I don’t want you to have to spend all day on the computer.
I love you, Laurie. P.S. don’t let me sleep too long today, and be thinking of when you want to go to the gym. xoxoxoxoxo

60 Ways to make your marriage rock

60 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE ROCK!

1. PRAY TOGETHER ALWAYS

2. READ THE SCRIPTURES TOGETHER ALWAYS
3. Go on regular date nights
4. Hide notes in secret places
5. Go to bed at the same time
6. Listen to music together-share ear-buds
7. Buy him gifts he will love
8. Revitalize the romance with intimate dates
9. Wear shirts that tell the world you love your spouse
10. Praise your spouse to other people
11. Read a marriage devotional
12. Sleep in his t-shirts
13. Renew your vows privately with whispers and memories
14. Renew them publicly with cake and bubbly

15. Go away together at least once a year

For Women Only
16. Hang pictures of the two of you around your house
17. Make his favorite dessert
18. Make sex a priority
19. Spend time apart occasionally
20. Learn to enjoy something he loves
21. Surprise each other
22. Meet him at the door
23. Text each other from across the room
24. Set reminders on your phone to remember him/her throughout the week
25. Call him right now and tell him you appreciate himFor Men Only
26. Leave work on time and come home early

27. Engage every day in meaningful conversation

28. Compliment each other

29. Take one day a month to make your spouse your total focus
30. Argue fair: avoid these words “you always” and “you never”

31. Kiss every day
32. Find tangible ways to serve your mate without complaining
33. Forgive quickly
34. Be honest.
35. Get on the same page: plan your budget together
36. Look your best as often as you can
37. Guard your marriage
38. Laugh together

39. When you are together-BE TOGETHER (take a break from phones, technology, etc)
40. Tell her she’s pretty, especially when she’s not feeling it

Both
41. Make each other breakfast in bed
42. Do her chores for her
44. Get a couple’s massage or host your own privately
44. Dance together-soft music (both of you alone) or rocking music with the kids
45. Exercise together- hikes, bike riding, etc
46. Choose not to be annoyed by an irritating behavior/disappointment from your spouse
47. Thank your spouse often even for the least reason or gesture

48. Lay in bed together and stare into each other eyes, without talking
49. Learn something new together-take an art class, cooking lessons, etc
50. Leave a sweet comment on the Facebook wall
51. Support each other’s goals
52. Bring her flowers/gifts (even when she says they are too expensive)
53. Wear something your spouse loves
54. Share furniture-sit in his lap
55. Fight for your marriage
56. Make a point to eat dinner together most days of the week.
57. Never let your spouse feel like they come second place to your career or any other thing.
58. Talk about your dreams and aspirations. Be supportive of each other and dream big together!
59. Maintain a united front as your motto: Meaning- “Me and you against the world.
60. Speak well of your spouse.

Remember your Spouse Rocks- Even when they don’t at the moment!

Today is my 16 year Anniversary

Today I was sitting here thinking about my business, and my clients business. I was talking to a client on the phone, and he was asking me about being able to KEEP his clients. I gave him some ideas, as usual, then got off the phone.

The more I sat and contemplated our phone conversation, the more I began to think. I thought about my anniversary, and comparing that to business….and I thought….you know – for my husband to KEEP my *business* in our marriage, he had to WORK at it over the last 16 years. He had to KEEP in TOUCH with me. Many businesses, they think that they can do the sale, take care of you whenever you call them for something, and that is it! And you will STAY FAITHFUL to being their client for 16 years! What do you think???? Do you think if my husband only took care of me when I called him for something or asked him for something – do you think I would have *stayed his client (wife)* for the past 16 years??? No! So WHY would you expect your CLIENTS to do the same???

If you want to KEEP your clients for 16 years, you need to KEEP in TOUCH with them….you can do this many ways, via email, via telephone calls, via webinars, via greeting cards, etc – There are many ways that you can keep in touch with your clients, build rapore with them, as well as give them ideas to increase their business, and just remind them who you are and say hello to them!

I heard it once, people do business with those who they know, like, and trust. Well it’s true! The thing is, after you GET your clients, you want to KEEP them don’t you? Just think about it. If you only send them your sales special once a year, and nothing else all year long, or their invoice once a year…How loyal do you think they are going to be to you? What reason would they have to stay with you – rather than go to the next person that comes along, that offers them a better deal, a better offer, a better sale, etc.

One of the things I do, is help people to KEEP in touch with their clients – all for about $5 a year per client. I can help you set up with email autoresponders to keep in touch with your clients, as well as greeting cards – we can design CUSTOM cards for your business, as well as CUSTOM campaigns for your business – where you hit CLICK – and cards are sent to your client over the next 5 months, or even 5 years, all with one click from your end. I talk to you, find out about your business, what you want to do, as well as give you ideas that I have seen be proven with other people in their business that I have already helped them with.

So you CAN KEEP your clients and customers for 16 years…..and longer…..

See some greeting cards and post cards I have done for over 600 other clients – ILoveCards.net