by tascha
I missed my scheduled posting time last week. But the children and I had great fun visiting my grandparents, whom I have not seen since my oldest child was a few months old! It was so wonderful for them to meet the other 3! It was a rather spur-of-the-moment trip, so I had time to schedule any posts.
 |
| my grandparents, my children & myself |
I have long heard it proclaimed to men: “The best way to love your children is to love their mommy. and let them KNOW you love their mommy!”
This obvious affection creates stability that children so desperately need.
This idea is rooted in Biblical truths, but for today I am simply relating personal experience.
And I am going to tip the tables and say it backwards: “The best way for ME [mommy] to love my children is to love their daddy. and let them KNOW it!”
I must be INTENTIONAL about my love for him.
I have come to notice that the more I devote my time, attention and even Bible study & prayer to simply loving my husband in the way he feels love [his love language], the nicer I am to my children when they are whiny and the more joy comes to me when doing the mundane–laundry, dishes, etc.
Happy Mommy = Happy home.
So, my goal is to commit my mind to pleasing my children’s father; and whether or not the clothing actually gets put away, our home will be a happier place! [but I’m working on getting the laundry put away!!]
I pray these thoughts are encouraging to someone today!
being part of:
by tascha |
But today I am going to tell you a few things I have personally learned about being the wife my husband praises {wow! that sounds boastful, but his praises are how I know I have done something right! so I am going to share what that has been recently}.
**And just because my husband has noticed these things does NOT mean I can give them up as “accomplished”! I still struggle with these -and so much more- every. single. day.**
1. being intentionally “beautiful” for him- dressing more for his eyes.
{I know that might sound like I think I’m pretty, but really, I just mean that what he enjoys about my wardrobe has become more of my focus when I dress & shop}
When I keep my hubby’s likes in the forefront of my thoughts when dressing for the day, I find there are a few items of clothing that really need to go! And when I allow it to influence what I buy, I feel better about spending a few dollars on my wardrobe. I also find that I feel more feminine knowing that there is a man out there that appreciates the way I look { 🙂 }.
**Have you ever asked your husband what clothing he likes on you? or just taken note of his expressive reaction to your outfit?
2. making our supper daily- and usually it is edible. { 🙂 }
I try to make note of the meals he eats quickly and those he gives me some “direction” on… and take the direction as a gentle reminder that I am not the only one eating the food I prepare! While I do try to make our food as nutritionally healthy as possible, sometimes I just try to make something I know he thinks is YUMMY! because HE is my #1!
**Do you let your husband occasionally criticize your food with an open mind {and heart!}? It’s not easy sometimes, but it can show him your love.
3. allowing God to work in my heart.
{if he can notice it, it must not be my imagination that God is working, and He has shown me some ugly things about myself recently}When I ask and then allow God to show me that ugliness called SELF in my heart and then also allow Him to work a change in my life, it makes me a more pleasant person {just trust me on that if you have never experienced it}. And living with a woman who has a pleasant disposition is at least part of EVERY man’s dream! { 🙂 } Yes, it IS hard sometimes.
It is painful to know… sometimes agonizing to admit… that I am wrong– that things I have thought and acted on were just not right, not Godly, not Christlike.
But when I have allowed God to work, and I have humbly told my husband that I know this or that was wrong and will you please forgive me, there is such a freedom that comes. And usually he turns right around and tells me that he realizes it was not all my fault.
** When you have conflict with your husband, do you ever honestly asked God to reveal your own fault in the situation? and then talked humbly and openly with your husband about it?
How do you intentionally show your husband he is your #1? I’d love to read it in the comments!
I pray these thoughts are encouraging to someone today!
being part of:
by tascha |
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
Proverbs 31:25
I so enjoy simply breaking things down into the definitions of words to understand what is going on.
Strength: “the quality of being strong; physical strength; mental or emotional qualities necessary to deal with stressful situations; the capacity to withstand great force or pressure”
Honor: “high respect; adherence to what is right; fulfill and obligation” …also called an “ornament”
There were a couple other phrases, but these were the gist of them all.
I think we might all agree that “clothing” is something we wear. My husband once preached about putting on our spiritual ‘underclothes’–that was quite interesting.
But we ARE to put on things that are not just physical. So “the mental qualities necessary to deal with stressful situations” could be something we are to actually, consciously wear… spiritually.
And since we’ve already talked about what she might wear physically, I think I’ll focus on the spiritual dressing here.
I must put on strength. Clothing is not usually something worn for days on end without changing out of an old and into a new item. So, applying that spiritually, we need to put ON a new “strength” every day.
I must put on honor. We’ve talked a little about respect. We must show respect towards our husband, as this is God’s plan for marriage. And when we “adhere to right and fulfill obligations” in our daily lives, we show the respect we have towards God and His plans.
Each day this “ornament” must be renewed. We must choose this fulfillment of obligations, this adherence to what we know is right. This becomes an ornament of our spirit.
These thoughts are rather weighty. This is purely a heart issue, but it will manifest itself in actions and deeds, in our speech and dress, in our attitude and reactions.
And as the verse continues… our rejoicing will come.
It may not happen the same day we chose to do right when it is the most difficult thing to do.
But it will come. {Remember that God specializes in the impossible.}
It may be a year or even a decade later. Or it may not happen until our own children are fully grown and we see them making right choices, because we did.
There may even be sometimes that our rejoicing does not come until heaven, with eternal rejoicing!
But our hearts will know rejoicing in time to come, because God tells us it will be so. So, let us put on strength {His strength!} and put on honor, daily… even hourly, and expect the rejoicing to come later.
As a new mother I was also a young wife (which many new mothers are) and thus I was learning so much in such a short time.
