Big Vs Small

My wife and I have a funny thing going on.

She’s petite while I’m an average sized guy. However our choice for sizes of stuff varies in the opposite direction.

Take our choice of laptops: she bought herself a 17” HP Pavilion.  I’ve got a 13” Macbook.

Our choice of dogs: She loves German Shepherds and I like mini Schnauzers.

Our preference in cars: she prefers the Nissan Murano and I’m quite content with a VW Golf or Mini Cooper.

Notice the trend?

Recently I bought a pair of headphones for my wife. They’re noise canceling and cover the whole ear. Very comfy, very good high quality sound and, in comparison to my tiny in-ear earphones, very big.

She then cheekily quipped, “I should plug my headphones into an iPad to listen to music while you listen to your iPhone with your earphones on.”

What a sight we would have been!

Maybe that’s why we click so well.

 

what?

Ah, to be a guy and clueless

Big thanks to Baby Blues for always putting smiles on our faces.

ABC and 123

there have been many times when we’ve felt that we’re both speaking in a totally different language from the other.

HY reckons it’s like as though she’s saying “ABC” and all i ever hear is “123″.

no wonder we have so many misunderstandings!

i guess the fault lies in both of us.  we have spent our lives learning [chiefly] about our individual needs, preferences and what gets us through the day.  then along comes this other individual with his/her own thoughts, feelings, likes and dislikes, and we have to live together!  Talk about a tricky situation.

we each respond to words, actions and commands differently and that’s just natural.  we ARE by God’s design unique and that means we WILL always approach communication in the way that we deem suitable for our needs.  However that’s not necessarily what’s best for our partner.

so part of the challenge of being married is learning what your husband/wife needs in communicating thoughts, queries and problems, as well as learning to listen to them when they communicate to you.  to hear the “ABC”s as “ABC” and the “123″s as “123″.

I hear that it’s one of the biggest hurdles in relationships.  I also hear that once you’ve been through many years of a loving walk together as a married couple, you learn the little nuances in how they communicate and know exactly how to get them to hear you.  I hear that it’s what makes being married such a wonderful and cherished experience.

Hear, hear!

Two Quaint Genders

1.  WORDS

Man and woman have different quotas of words. Say if a man has 1000 words quota per day, a woman will have 10,000 words per day.  In a normal day, we have to communicate with our employers, colleague at work, friends and families. By and large the man probably used up 90% of his quota, while the woman only used up 9% with the same amount of words. This discrepancy is even larger if the woman is a stay home wife with few people to speak to. So after a long hard day at work, the wife will want to talk while the husband does not want to, which can be very frustration for both sides. Hence husbands, listen to your wife patiently when she talks. And wives, spare your husband as he is running out of words!

# Point: If you wonder why does woman have such big quotas – For God give woman that much as the woman needs to repeat her words many times before the man finally understood.

2. THOUGHTS

Woman always complained that men are so thick-headed. Man on the other hand, grumbled that women are so complicated to understand.

I recently discovered a book titled “ Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti” by Bill & Pam Farrel. Though I haven’t read it, how appropriate I thought the title was! Like spaghetti, women mind works in such complicated ways. Even though each thought are a single strand, they are intricately woven together, top with saucy emotion. They can think about so many things at a time and jumbled up so many topics into one conversation. Men, however, think in blocks and compartments, individually one at time. It’s simple and it’s organized like waffles. And they can’t easily jump from box to box. No wonder we frustrate each other so much with our conversations!

# Point: If you ever wonder why woman is so difficult to understand – It’s because God took those qualities out of Adam, and put it into Eve when He created her (ref Gen 2:20-22).

3. APPRECIATION

One day, a wife was unwell and unable to perform her usual housework. So the lovely husband did it and he was very proud of it that he told a few of his friends that he helped his wife on the housework. When the wife recovered, she thanks her husband for doing the housework and resumed her chores. But then she realized that nobody even notice or thank her for doing it every single day…

In this typical world it is expected that woman belongs to the kitchen and man belongs to the living room. Even though modernized society might not agree and debate about women’s right in a social context, deep down inside there are still a cultural expectation for the different role and hierarchy between man and woman.

But God created woman to be the helper of man (Genesis 2:18) and to submit to him (Ephesians 5:22). And He also called man to serve, protect and love his wife (Ephesians 5:25 and Mark 10:45). Both are to render service to one another, not as master and slave, or boss and employee, but as ONE in marriage (Genesis 2:24). In a way we are created equal in status but different in role.

A noble wife cares for the family with no grumbling nor nagging. And a loving husband sacrifice for the family without boast or expectations.

# Point: Even a simple ‘thank you’ will brighten the days of your spouse.

Words Women Use

From an anonymous email, I am sure Sean will agree to most of them *wink*.

____________________________________________________________________________

“FINE”
This is the word women use to end an argument when they feel they are right and you need to shut up. Never use “fine” to describe how a woman looks – this will cause you to have one of those arguments.

“FIVE MINUTES”
This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five minutes that your football game is going to last before you take out the trash, so it’s an even trade.

“NOTHING”
This means “something,” and you should be on your toes. “Nothing” is usually used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting to turn you inside out, upside down, and backwards. “Nothing” usually signifies an argument that will last “Five Minutes” and end with “Fine”

“GO AHEAD” (With Raised Eyebrows)
This is a dare. One that will result in a woman getting upset over “Nothing” and will end with the word “Fine”

“GO AHEAD” (Normal Eyebrows)
This means ” I give up” or “do what you want because I don’t care” You will get a “Raised Eyebrow Go Ahead” in just a few minutes, followed  by “Nothing” and “Fine” and she will talk to you in about “Five Minutes” when she cools off.

“LOUD SIGH”
This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A “Loud Sigh” means she thinks you are an idiot at that moment, and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over “Nothing”

“SOFT SIGH”
Again, not a word, but a non-verbal statement. “Soft Sighs” mean that she is content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe, and she will stay content.

“THAT’S OKAY”
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. “That’s Okay” means that she wants to think long and hard  before paying you back for whatever it is that you have done. “That’s Okay” is often used with the word “Fine” and in conjunction with a “Raised Eyebrow.”

“GO AHEAD”
At some point in the near future, you are going to be in some mighty big trouble.

“PLEASE DO”
This is not a statement, it is an offer. A woman is giving you the chance to come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for doing whatever it is that you have done. You have a fair chance with the truth, so be careful and you shouldn’t get a “That’s Okay”

“THANKS”
A woman is thanking you. Do not faint. Just say you’re welcome.

“THANKS A LOT”
This is much different from “Thanks.” A woman will say, “Thanks A Lot” when she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that you have offended her in some callous way, and will be followed by the “Loud Sigh.” Be careful not to ask what is wrong after the “Loud Sigh,” as she will only tell you … “Nothing”