I cleaned for someone last Wednesday and Thursday and then my kids said they needed to eat. Do your kids require food every day? It was clean for others and feed my kids or clean for others and blog... I think I chose wisely. They seemed to appreciate it. Honestly tho, I do NOT know how working mothers get everything done. Hats off to working moms today, seriously.
That said, I have had several emails and in real life comments assuming that I fell off the "no complaining train' and that's why I wasn't posting. Well, I'll have you know, I'm still on this fast moving train and enjoying the ride immensely.
In fact...
Jon said Saturday... and I quote... "this has been the best week and a half of our whole marriage".
That's both a very sad and a very wonderful commentary, isn't it? Let's focus on the wonderfulness of this, if you don't mind. Because truly, it HAS been wonderful.
But...
I cannot take even one little bit of credit.
I am a complainer by nature. I wake up on a beautiful morning and think about how muddy it is outside. I find a great sale on grapes and wish that watermelon was on sale. I wash all my windows and feel awful because I didn't get the floors done. Yes, there is always something to complain about.
God has blessed me beyond anything I deserve during this week and a half, that is certain. I have prayed that He would help me not complain and I have thanked him over and over (and over and over and over) for the attitude He has allowed me to have. It is NOT me that is being positive, it is God IN me. It doesn't even FEEL like me, it FEELS like God. It's odd and weird and wonderful.
Just to (briefly) touch on what the challenge has asked of me...
Day 8: Faithfullness. Jon is faithful. He's a faithful husband, faithful father and, mostly importantly, a faithful follower of Christ. He hasn't always felt close to the Lord but has continued in his walk, pressing in and encouraging us (his family) to press in too.
Day 9: Listen. On this day I was asked whether or not I take time to listen to my husband. She used the verse "... let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:" (James 1:19). This very verse was brought to my attention at least 6 times last week. The kids and I did a devotional on their snow day and that was the verse used, I heard it on 2 different radio shows, it was mentioned at Wednesday night Bible study, and Jon brought it up during a family devotional last week... then here... do you think God is trying to tell me something? Yes, I think so too.
Day 10: Appreciation. I appreciate Jon more than anybody could imagine. He often asks me what I would do without him around here (teasing but he knows it's true). He gets things done... thankfully, because there is so much I don't know how to do (computers and homework come to mind, but there's much much more).
Day 11: Respect. I respect Jon. A lot. I admire the way he lives his life and his convictions.
Day 12: Grace. Do I extend grace to him when he makes a mistake? Um... I have for this past week and a half and I think that's enough said about that (honesty at it's best right there).
Day 13: Intimacy. For obvious reasons I will not address this subject, but I will say that it's important to have an intimate relationship with God first and foremost... then everything else falls into place.
I'm thankful for this challenge and I'm thankful for the work that God is doing in my heart. I'm also thankful for the work God is doing in Jon's heart through all of this. I'm certainly not saying this is it for complaining. I have another half month to go before the end of this challenge and I pray that I can do this. I'm trusting in His grace because I know mine isn't trustworthy.
Jon loves this picture of he and I
and
I love him.
I am a living and breathing example that God still performs miracles.
Have a great week. My mom and sister are here visiting. It has been so long since they were here and I was beginning to feel sad thinking that my mother may never again visit my home. I'm thrilled they are here and plan to enjoy every second of it... without complaint.
Love,
Susan
No comments:
Post a Comment