The Saturday Six

One.

Now this fascinated me. I still keep a really small wardrobe, after trying the capsule lifestyle almost four years ago, but I also still struggle to mix and match well. I sometimes have a hard time thinking outside the box. I've never heard of a "style sudoku" concept before. Fascinating.

Two.

Obviously we don't have kids, so I don't really need this, but I happened upon it on Facebook this week and thought it was a FANTASTIC idea for those who do have kids. Disclaimer: I don't know that I would support or endorse the specific podcasts she lists, but the idea is pretty solid.

Three.

I found this post through another blog, but it was f.a.s.c.i.n.a.t.i.n.g. to me. The blogger's home is regularly rented out for use in commercials, TV shows, and movies. I don't think our part of the country really lends itself to such an industry, but this was so interesting to read. (Also: could you do it? Could you hand your home over to be reinvented by filmmakers?)

Four.

Valentines aren't just for kids, in my opinion. If you need some little cards to share with friends, neighbors, co-workers, or yes, even your kids and their friends, here's a post with a link to free printables! I'm all for sharing love with others, and to be able to remind them of God's love in the process is just a sweet bonus!

Five.

Maybe it's because my creative juices have been free-flowing, or maybe it's because I've been hunkered down for most of January, but whatever caused it, I'm ready to go to IKEA and buy all these things and make them over just like this blogger did!

Six.

People used to make fun of me when I was single, because I loved to read books about marriage. I devoured them. I wanted to learn as much as I could while I had nothing but time on my hands. And as a now-married woman, I must say I appreciate my thirst for knowledge at that stage, because it has served me well. I often think of lessons I learned from those books, and hopefully my attitude and actions as a wife reflect that I didn't just absorb the knowledge, but I know how to apply it, too.

I've noticed that now that I'm married, I'm pickier about marriage books. I feel like there are many fluffy ones floating around out there, and I don't want to fill my mind with fluff. So I really don't read as many of them now as I used to, and that probably seems all kinds of backwards.

But a few weeks ago, I signed up to read Dr. Ron Welch's new release, 10 Choices Successful Couples Make, and I hoped my time reading would end up being a good investment and not a waste of precious hours.

I feel like I made a good choice. The author's name is familiar to me; I'm not sure if Lynne interviewed him while I worked with her or not. (This is not his first book.) I will say I was a bit nervous diving into a book written by a clinical psychologist, because I really don't like reading books that are too academic. You may be smart, but I'm not, so please don't talk above my head. And he didn't. The tone of the book was extremely conversational, interesting, and pleasing to read. He exerted enough of his knowledge and authority to establish trust with me, but not so much that he came across as someone who had all life's answers.

I actually drew a big star in the margin when I started reading, because early on in the book, he mentioned that he'd been married over thirty years, and he and his wife still celebrate monthiversaries! See? It can be done for the long haul! We aren't crazy or alone in our choice to celebrate those! (I think he won me over with that admission.)

The entire book, as the title might lead you to believe, is based on the premise that successful couples make choices. They don't leave their love up to chance. It's not about "falling" in and out of love. It's about making conscious decisions to live by specific practices, regardless of current circumstances. The chapters address different choices couples make that can allow them to have successful, thriving marriages. The choices include communication, forgiveness, unselfishness, intimacy, trust, and more.

While many of the principles in the book could be called just plain common sense, it's true that too many people have misplaced their common sense or are flat out missing it entirely. And for those who hang onto it for dear life, the chapters offer helpful reminders of what to do and what not to do so they can continue in the success they've found.

Dr. Welch uses illustrations (names changed, of course) from his years of counseling, offers personal examples from his own marriage, and finds a good balance in being forthright yet kind. Each chapter also includes exercises couples can choose to do if they want to improve their relationship or even merely test the health of it.

I underlined many things that I wanted to make sure I keep at the front of my mind in my relationship with Ryan. Even though I feel like we do well in the areas he addressed, I want to make sure I evaluate my part in our relationship so I'll the best I can to show love and support to Ryan.

I'm definitely keeping this book on my shelf and will refer to it in the future in moments when I need to evaluate how I'm doing - or reach for an exercise to help us improve our marriage.

I didn't find the offerings in the book cheesy. I thought there was a great amount of depth and insight, and that's so refreshing to find in the land of fluffy marriage books. I appreciated Dr. Welch's challenges and his attention to areas of marriage that other books tend to gloss over or skip entirely. (Like, for example, choosing not to take your spouse for granted and what that looks like in practical application.)

Who would benefit from this book? I would recommend this book to any married couple, whether you're in a sweet season or a challenging season. I think there are good ideas for either one. I would also recommend this book to engaged or even single people, because I think the advice is worth hearing and filing away for a later date. Valentine's Day is in just a couple of weeks. This would be a great investment in your own love life or a great gift to offer to a couple you want to champion toward success!

* Revell provided a copy of this book to me at no charge. All opinions are my own! *