Blessing #10- The Beard

I never thought I would like facial hair on my husband. About a year ago though, when Shad started to grow a beard, I was shocked to find out that I loved it. I have no idea what makes it so, but I think he just looks handsome with it. After a freak shaving accident in July, he was forced to shave off the beard. I was out of town when this happened, and Shad chose not to tell me until I got home. I showed back up, jumped out of the car, and said, "I missed you so mu......WHERE'S THE BEARD!!!" I moped around for a few weeks until it grew back. Recently, when Shad had to get stitches in his lip, he told the doctor, "Be careful with my beard. My wife loves it." However, for some reason, he decided to shave the beard off this week. At least he gave me a warning this time and let me say my goodbyes. At first I wallowed in self pity, but now I have come up with a plan,

Operation Bring Beard Back

You can follow this pattern if you are looking to accomplish something with your spouse. Operation Bring Beard Back has three parts.


1. Conspirators - Enlist help from others! The day after Shad shaved his beard, B was praying over our food. He ended his prayer with, "And be with daddy's beard and help it to grow good. In Jesus name, Amen." I didn't even tell him to do this, but I may have slipped him a piece of candy afterwards.



2. Complaining- This is positive complaining not negative complaining a.k.a. nagging. What is positive complaining? You focus on the positive (what you want to happen) and not the negative (what is not happening). Let me show you how it works. There are three steps to positve complaining.



Step 1- Don't just come out with your problem like you would in negative complaining. Get him interested.

Step 2- Evoke pity, make him feel your pain.

Step 3- Make him think it was his idea. Men are naturally fixers. If you have a problem they will want to fix it.


Now let's look at an example of a conversation using positive complaining:

Steph: *sigh* (step 1)

Shad: What's wrong honey?

Steph: Oh nothing. *sigh* (step 1)

Shad: No really what's wrong?

Steph: Well, if you really want to know...I miss the beard, because it was...you
know *sigh* awesome. (step 2)

Shad: Yeah, The beard was pretty awesome.

Steph: Totally.

Shad: You know what? I think I'll grow it back!!! (step 3)

Steph: Well, I guess. If you really want to. (step 3)

3. Capitalize all Resources- Use your facebook status to let the world know what you are doing. Or if you have a blog about blessings, name the beard as a blessing. That will guilt him into growing it back, or at least that's the plan.