A little while ago, a friend on facebook posted this picture.

I don’t know if it really was taken from a Home Economics book from 1950 but it has some good points.

• Planning ahead for meals is a good idea that I practice myself. When the kids were young, I tried to have dinner ready shortly after Michael arrived home. We changed things up a bit when the boys went to the tech school and got home after Michael did. We currently wait to eat dinner until Sean gets home from work, as he still gets home after Michael does.

I have recently realized though, that I need to have some kind of snack ready for Michael when he gets home, as he is hungry then. I’ve suggested different snacks but will probably begin to prepare him a little snack plate or appetizer of some sort this year-at least that’s my goal.

• I know I should freshen up a bit before he comes home each day. It really is a goal of mine and something I advise new wives to do. Unfortunately I find it much easier to suggest than I do to follow through with myself. Thus, another goal for myself.

• Tidy up. This one I do most days. I try to run the Shark (small, easy-to-use vacuum cleaner) in the living room and on the kitchen mats each day. It is amazing how much doing this one little task makes the place look so much tidier. Tidying up the coffee table also helps a great deal.

When the kids were young, I had the children tidy up their schoolwork and toys when I knew he was on his way home. It made for a happier husband.

• Minimizing the noise has also been an important key in our home. Michael have sensitive ears and having loud music, television, or games frustrates him a lot. I on the other hand do not have as acute hearing and tend to like my music and such loud. I try to remember to turn it down a bit but if I am not in the room when he arrives, I can tell he is here because the first thing he does is turn the volume down.

I don’t typically run the dishwasher during the daytime, as I do it before bed, so that isn’t a normal daytime noise for our house. I try to get my load of laundry done earlier in the day, so that is also not a noise we have in the evenings, thankfully.

I think the “article” has some merit and is not out-dated, at least for me. If the wife works outside of the home, it would not have nearly as much usefulness but since I believe the woman’s place is at home with the children, I think there is much to be gleaned from the tips shared.

I hope this is food for thought for you. I had no idea that I’d be sharing some “New Year’s Resolutions” per se, with you today, as I had no intention of really making any but I guess God had other plans. I hope you will prayerfully consider what God would have you focus on this year, in regards to thoughtfulness towards your spouse.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº