Alright...now Chapter 2: Working as a Team. I don't know about you, but WOE...this chapter was very convicting! I felt as if God were saying..."LISTEN UP!" I have to confess that this past year has been full of its constant challenges...not only as my new role as a mama but also as learning to be both mama..and wife. I can remember praying, terrified, right after we brought Mackinzie home from the hospital..."God, I don't know how to do both!" (meaning both being Mackinzie's mama while at the same time being Jeff's wife)!
The concept that hit me the hardest was on page 31 of our book. It discusses how some wives become "husband-watchers." Husband watchers...
"know how their husbands are supposed to treat them. And instead of taking care of their own faithfulness to their God-given assignment as wives, they take on the appointed role of playing 'Holy Spirit' in their husbands' lives pointing out their faults and shortcomings. These wives may even assume a 'when...then' attitude. In their hearts (and maybe even verbally), they say, 'When he does this or that, then I'll do this or that. They postpone obedience to their roles as wives and make it conditional to that of their husbands'." (George, 31)
When Elizabeth referred to wives "playing" the Holy Spirit for their husband...it resonated deep! How quickly I have been to point out my husband's inadequacies during hectic moments throughout the day without thinking wisely of the damaging effects that it has caused the peace and order in our family...not to mention his self-confidence in being the leader. It's not my job to be the Holy Spirit, and in thinking in some way that I could live up to this incomprehensible task, I have devastatingly limited God's power and influence that He alone can completely have over our home...if I just let Him!
This week's discussion question is more of a challenge! I want to encourage you to implement one of challenges listed in the "Little Things that Make a Difference" section on pages 40-42. Then, once you have carried out one of these challenges, comment on what happened, and how God used it! Good Luck...and have fun with this challenge!
4 comments:
Hi guys,
This week's lesson was great for me! My fairly new role as a stay at home mom, maid, and employee has been quite challenging. I really needed to be reminded that God has called me to be a helper for my husband. This week especially, when Stuart needed me to stay up very late and help him get through some of the company's paperwork I was reminded not to complain how tired I was. I knew that he could not do it alone and I also knew that he did not have time during the day to complete these tasks. God gave me the endurance and the right attitude to be a good helper for him. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with life, just like the rest of you reading this I'm sure. I am reminded that we have to pick what is most important and go with that first. God will provide a way for us to get it all done. I do know that if I am not walking daily with Him, my world falls apart and seems so much more dreadful! Love y'all!
I get so busy with life, and my mind seems to be in a thousand places at once. Being a full-time mama is busy each second of the day...with very little down-time or breaks. I am guilty of getting so wrapped up with things that I must do that I forget to communicate with Jeff how much I appreciate his hard work for our family. Of course I tell him thank you for this or that, but I rarely elaborate further, describing how much I appreciate one particular act of kindness that he has shown me or Mackinzie. This chapter has convicted me that I need to really describe to him in words what I always feel in my heart. The few times that I have communicated to him this week how much something he did meant to me, he smiled really big, gave me a hug, and told me how much he likes it when I tell him kind things. Obviously, it means a lot to him to hear these kind words...and I am going to work on perfecting this act of expressing my thanks to him in my marriage.
I am a little bit late in posting (my internet was down for a week - YIKES - what is a girl to do?) but I do plan to get back to lesson one and post soon... Anyway, I chose number one: to thank my husband for living out his roles. I think he knows I am thankful, but I also think there is something about hearing it said that can only boost his moral and help keep him going. He happened to have a bit of a stressful day at work and I think that hearing words of thanks and encouragement were just what he needed. I then had the idea to suggest we do something "fun" (because of number 4) and that really helped - he seemed to change his whole outlook and I could see a little bounce in his step again. I probably never would have suggested that if it wasn't for reading about in Chapter 2. :)
PS...in regards to number 6 - seeking out a mentor - I want to share a sort of "virtual mentor" for our virtual bible study. She is in her mid 80's and has been following Christ for most of her life. I have had the pleasure of meeting her as she and her husband are friends of my parents. Anyway, I came across the following little article she wrote called a "Suitable Helper" and it just seemed so fitting to our study that I wanted to share. I think it's really excellent and I was personally very blessed by reading it. I think you will be, too. :) Here is the link:
The Suitable Helper
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