My E5H

If you visit our home or are around Ridley and me, you might hear me call him my E5H. That stands for my "Ephesians 5 hunk". That is my way of flirting with him and remembering how grateful I am to have him. I have tried very hard to send him Monday morning emails thanking him for all the little things from the past week. It started as a way to encourage him and to let him know I recognized what he did for me, our family, and our church.

Mondays can set the pace for the week so I wanted to do my part to make sure his weeks got off to a great start. By doing that, I found that I lived my week with a different attitude. I was looking the entire week for the "little things" to add to my Monday morning emails. I logged them in my brain throughout the week and sometimes I would even keep a running list in my computer. At the end of the day, my last thoughts were all the sweet things my husband did or the things he sacrificed for us. It totally changed the way I looked at my day and at my best friend.

I haven't done my Monday thank you e-mail for a couple of weeks. That isn't due to Ridley slacking. It is because of my slacking. I have had every intention to and distractions have pulled me in other directions. Boy, I can tell a difference. The sweet thing is that he hasn't stopped doing the little things.

So today I am back in Ephesians 5 remembering all the times that my husband is an imitator of God (verse 1) and living a life of love. (verse 2) He doesn't just do this in the public eye. He does it when no one else is watching. He does everything he can to avoid any kind of sexual immorality or impurity (verse 3) by turning his head during an inappropriate commercial or making sure he isn't anywhere one on one with another woman for any reason.

He doesn't deceive with empty words. (verse 6) He preaches truth in its entirety and he prays for our family, friends and church family all the time. He is a wise man always begging God for more wisdom (verse 15)and he makes the most of every opportunity since he has experienced that the days really can be evil.(verse 16) Ridley doesn't always speak to me in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs but he does make music in his heart to the Lord (verse 19) AND he even sing 80's songs to me. *(smile)* He truly gives thanks to God for everything....even the yucky stuff with an attitude ready to build character.

Verse 22 through 33 in Chapter 5 is all about the kind of husband (and wife) we need to be. Ridley loves me and continues to teach me what this Chapter 5 kind of love is all about. Now, don't think for a second that our days are perfect. We are just like everybody else and have those days where you want to poke each other's eyeballs out. It is his love that has taught me how to love on those eyeball poking days.

I am grateful for a husband who continues to strive to be his absolute best for Jesus because I get to reap the benefits. Verse 33 at the end of Chapter 5 ends with "and the wife must respect her husband". I have so much respect for Ridley. He is truly embracing each day with an attitude of living out Ephesians 5. Whew! I must go flirt now.

THANK YOU E5H. I love you!!!!!