That time of the year is here for many of us again. The fall colors start to change, the winds begin to chill and our husbands rush out into the fields with their combines. It’s hard to watch them go some days, especially when it’s been almost a week since you’ve seen them last. But amidst all of the long early mornings and long nights, here are 5 things that I have found that keep me connected with my farmer during harvest. I hope it can encourage you to do the same for your man this season.
1. Write him a love note: Many of us take meals out to the fields during this busy season so our guys can keep working with short breaks. Something SO easy and encouraging you can do for your husband is to write him a note and stick it in his lunch or snack bag. Tell him how proud you are of him for his hard work, write him some uplifting scripture and tell him how much you love him. What a great surprise he will get when he opens his sack lunch and finds that you took the extra time to give him the boost he needs while he works all day! If you don’t bring meals or snacks to the fields, simply stick a note in his truck or send him a text over your lunch break.
2. Late Candlelight Dinner: I have to admit, sometimes it’s hard to be with the kids all day long and stay up late for some extra one on one time together, let alone go on a date night. But after your kids go to bed, the fun can begin! Pull out a nice table cloth and your fine china, make him his favorite meal or dessert, light the candles and wait for him to come home. Be ready at the door with his favorite cold drink in your hand and invite him in for a late candlelight dinner for two in the comfort of your own home. And the best part? When you are done you can hop in your jammies, head straight to bed and get ready to harvest all over again tomorrow.
3. Keep the Lines of Communication Open: Whether it’s at the beginning of the day, a call over lunch or in the evenings, take time to talk about what your days were like and what your weekly schedule holds. This will alleviate so much stress!
4. Take a Drive in the Combine with Him: Some of the times that I will always cherish is time spent combining with my husband, especially at night, just the two of us. So do whatever you have to do, call a friend or hire a sitter, just make it out to the field with a couple of cups of coffee and just ride around with him for a couple of hours. Ask him how his fields are yielding, listen to a ball game on the radio, talk about what’s on each other’s hearts. Just ride and be together. You won’t regret it!
5. Pray for your Marriage: If I have learned anything from being a farmer’s wife it’s that things can get stressful this time of the year! And Satan loves nothing more that sneaking into our marriages when we are tired, stressed and missing each other. Take time to pray through the day that God would strengthen your marriage and allow you to love one another.
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