Good Morning Girls!  Before moving on to Day 10 of the Love Dare, I suggest we take this weekend to work on the previous 9 assignments.  It is my understanding that we continue to build on the things we have learned.  For example, even though it does not say it every day, I am assuming we are still not to say anything negative to our spouse.  We should confirm daily a positive attribute to our spouse.  We should continue to greet them in a manner than displays our love towards them.  We should continue to control our reactions and believe the best, rather than become irritable.  We need to continue to add time to our schedule to help us meet the needs of our family.  Whew!  This is a lot of stuff!  For some of you you, this may mean one or two new things as you were already doing most of them.  For others (like me), this is a whole new ballgame!  I want to take this weekend to look back on my past notes, see where I can make improvements and practice them before adding on. 
For those of you who may be counting down the days until we reach day 40, I think you are missing the point.  I haven't seen the movie, but it is my understanding that at some point the wife learns what her husband is doing and asks what day he is on.  He responds "day 43".  You see, we are taking these 40 days to focus and learn a new marriage lifestyle.  On day 41 we don't get to tell him all of the things that have bugged us the previous 40 days that we had to hold inside because "we could say anything negative"!  Try not to look at this as a 40 fast of selfishness.  Think of it more along the terms of 40 days walking in the Wilderness; the Promised Land of a better marriage is waiting for us at the end. 
I am so excited to be sharing this journey with you.  Knowing you are reading helps hold me accountable to pressing on, when it wouldn't have been easy to quit. 

Have a Blessed Weekend
Jen

Philemon 7 for I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love.