How-To Love Your Husband
By Shannon Popkin

Sometimes a wife needs a little “how to” guide in loving her husband. Here’s a real-life take on a popular Bible passage about love.

Love is patient when you’re dressing for the wedding and discover your husband forgot to pick up your dress from the cleaners.

Love is kind as you pick up your husband’s pile of sweaty gym clothes … or clean the mirror that was spotless before he brushed his teeth … or take out the garbage (his job) for the fifth time this week.

Love does not envy when someone else’s husband arranges a romantic weekend away, or purchases a bigger house or organizes the storage room.

It does not boast about your husband’s new position when your friend’s husband is still unemployed.

It is not proud as your husband plays soccer in the yard with the children while your neighbor’s husband can be seen through the window reading the paper.

It is not rude during the empty chatter at your husband’s office party, though you’d rather be spending time alone with him.

It is not self-seeking when your husband wants to be romantic and you want to sleep.

It is not easily angered as you cradle your crying newborn for the sixth time tonight while your husband slumbers peacefully beside you.

It keeps no record of wrongs, like the number of hours he’s watched TV, or the number of pounds he’s gained or the number of checks he’s bounced.

Love does not delight in evil when he gets pulled over for speeding just after he brushed aside your warning.

But rejoices with the truth when he holds your hand and tells you he’s so glad that he chose you.

It always protects when your mom criticizes the way he spends money, or disciplines the kids or dresses.

It always trusts when he’s surrounded by attractive young women at work and you’re 8 months pregnant.

It always hopes that he will someday accomplish his secretly confided dream.

It always perseveres when he loses his job, or learns he has diabetes, or accepts a position in another state or invites his mother to live with you.

When you’re not sure what to do, remember: Love never fails!

Shannon Popkin is a freelance writer and speaker who lives in Michigan. Visit her blogsite at www.shannonpopkin.com.