Day 27: Your Superhero

Happy Monday, folks! You know what's better than writing about encouragement for 31 days? Encouraging others to write about encouragement, too! I hope you'll enjoy one of my dearest friends, Karen, as she gives us awesome suggestions to encourage the men in our lives.

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superhero

A being with extraordinary physical or mental powers, far beyond the

range of normal human ability, who uses these powers to protect the

innocent and for the general good. (source)

“Go lay down and scream help!” my son ordered.  He had just received his new Buzz Lightyear costume in the mail for Halloween and he quickly put it on and was ready to play.   With Mommy in “distress”, he flew into the room, shot down the bad guys with his Astro Blaster laser, and rescued me.  I expressed my gratitude to him for saving me from the Evil Emporer Zurg.  He walked away with his chest proud and a smile on his face.   I am sure this scene is one that is reenacted in many households that contain preschool boys.  All boys want to be our superhero.

But boys grow up and outgrow their superhero costumes.   They stop acting out their rescues.  Surprisingly though, they never outgrow their desire to be someone’s superhero.  

Ladies, inside every man and therefore every husband is a little boy, wanting to be their wife’s superhero. 

Who would Superman be without Lois Lane?  Or Batman without Rachel Dawes?  Ironman without Pepper Potts?   Have you ever stopped to wonder why that is the case?   These women provide encouragement, support, and love to their men.  These men wouldn’t be who they are without these ladies. 

Every day, when our husbands walk out into society, they are faced with extraordinary pressures of providing for their family, juggling commitments at work with time with their family, and dealing with bosses who possibly belittle them.  On TV, they are portrayed as buffoons who can’t do anything right except hold a remote and a beer at the same time.  Sure, these issues are not as extreme as saving the world from nuclear destruction or space alien invasions, but to the men we love, these burdens weigh them down just the same.   Who is there to build them back up when the world has beat them down?   

You are.

Our husbands need to be encouraged within our home.  We mean well, but unfortunately, without even thinking, we are so quick to discourage: 

Maybe he does a load of laundry, but ends up putting your favorite sweater in the dryer?  Do you get mad at him for ruining the sweater, or thank him for trying? 

Maybe he doesn’t change diapers the “right” way, but at least he is tackling toxic waste disposal.   Do you barge in and take over his attempt? Or more, do you squelch his courage, and then tell him to do it like mom?

Maybe he cooks the kid’s breakfast, but leaves the kitchen not as clean as he started (the way YOU left it the night before).  Do you first thank him for cooking, or just complain about the mess? 

Why are we so quick to criticize?  Men will not always do things the same way we do them.  But we have the opportunity to make our husbands feel like superheroes.   Yes! We have THAT much power with our words and our gestures.  We can make him feel like a hero or a zero.  Which will you choose? 

So, let's put our words into action. Here are four practical ways to make your husband feel like a superhero:

{Express Gratitude}
Thank him for the little things. To him, they are the big things.

{Build Him Up} 
Tell him daily, hourly, even every minute if you feel so inclined, what you love about him. Remind him who he is before he walks out into a world that tells him who he isn't. Tell him he is a great husband, a great friend, a hard worker, and a smart man.

{Publicly Support Him and Disagree With Him in Private}
A superhero wants his leading lady to stand by him in the face of a challenge. This includes in front of your children, your girlfriends, and especially in front of his friends.

{Be Ready With a Smile and a Kiss}
After combating an evil villain or saving the world, the first thing a superhero wants to see is the love of his life. No matter how hard your day was, when he walks in the door each night after facing the world, greet him with a hug and a kiss.

Not so hard, right? Now get to it! And, if you're not married? Encourage the men in your life. After all, they all just want to be your superhero.

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Karen is married to her devoted (albeit, at times bogged down with alien invasions) husband, and they have two awesome kiddos. On any given day, you can find her running, making others smile, and there's a pretty good chance she'll have a cup of coffee in hand. Karen has served in her local MOPS group for five years, and is currently serving under her church's women's ministry team, where she is able to follow her passion for encouraging women in all stages of life, helping them to realize they don't have to carry their burdens alone. Please email Kristin if you'd like to reach Karen directly!

Can we talk about how fantastic (and totally doable!) those suggestions are? So thrilled to have had Karen join us this month. See y'all tomorrow!

xoxo, k.