The sunrise is one thing that I seldom see, unless it is because it coincides with a feeding for my ten month old son. I will admit that I am not a morning person AT ALL! So this verse has been a bit more difficult for me to try to "conquer" this week. Proverbs 31:15 says, "She is up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day." I just don't think I can tackle the "up before dawn" part of this one. My son is exactly like my husband and I... He likes to sleep. He goes to bed at 7:15pm, usually wakes around 5:30am for a quick feeding, then he passes back out until 8:00am. Sure, I could stay up after I feed him, and accomplish a lot more, but the sun isn't even up yet! So, I stumble back to bed half asleep anyway (after slurring my words through "Jesus Loves Me," his current favorite,) and wait until later to begin my day. This past week, I tried to be up before everyone else in my family a few times. Let me just tell you how that went...
It didn't. Not one day did I wake up early. I thought about it today, but when my husband reminded me that I need sleep (which is true,) I went right back upstairs until my son woke me up by laughing over the monitor at 8:30am. But, even though I didn't wake up at what I think is just a crazy hour, I did accomplish a lot this week! I work as a nanny from my home, but I don't start until around noon everyday. So while I am not waking up before dawn, I am still getting about four hours before work everyday to cross some things off my list. My son and the child I nanny both nap at 2:00pm, so I get a good hour at least in the afternoon to myself as well. While I don't wake up before the sun and get things done, I am becoming a master of time management during the rest of the day, and have learned how to distract an almost one year old with random things like ladles and oven mitts!
I truly believe that some people just aren't made to be awake early. I'm sure if I adjusted my bedtime enough, I could be a morning person. I used to be one when I worked at 5:30am most days with my previous job. But those days are long gone. I now struggle to calm my mind down at night, which is busy thinking of all that needs done the next day and wondering why time is flying by so fast, and typically don't fall asleep for a while once my head hits the pillow. So adjusting my bedtime hasn't worked well in the past. So, I became a list person. Every morning, I make a list of all that I want to accomplish in my day. I also keep a running list in my "Mommy Planner" of things that need done around the house so that I can check off as I have time to do them in the week. The satisfaction that I feel when I cross something of the list is probably borderline ridiculous. In fact, some days I write things down that I have already completed that morning just so that I can cross them off. I know that I am a nerd. No need to remind me!
I have begun keeping a binder with all of our "home" things in it for both my husband and I to have easy access to all of our important items. We follow our financial accounts in it, have a bill calendar, a gift register for Christmas, reminders of what has/hasn't been paid for the month. I am in the process of typing up my cleaning schedule to add to it, as well as some bulk meal plans. I plan out all of our meals for the week on Saturday, including my son's babyfood schedule. Some people may think that it's dorky or over-organized, but it keeps me feeling prepared and ready to worry about other things in my day, like spending time giggling with my son, and enjoying the evening with my husband. Our binder has not only helped me keep more organized, but I have found that it has lifted a large burden off of me being able to, at a glance, know what bills need paid and how much money we have. (I HIGHLY recommend making a home-management binder. If you need an outline for organizing one, feel free to email me for more information!)
No, I don't wake up before my husband and make him breakfast everyday. But I am always sure that there is a plethora of things for him to consume in the morning. I keep my day organized despite waking up a few hours after the sun, and I think that's good enough. Sometimes the Proverbs 31 woman will outdo me, and you know what... That's okay! Because I am always giving my best to my family, and providing for them every way I can. And if you would have met me five years ago, you would be amazingly surprised that I am the same person. I've come a long way from shopping at Kroger once a day so that I could have dinner and keeping my home as messy as possible. I'm honestly surprised myself as I sit here and think about it. It's crazy how maintaining a steady relationship with Christ can mold you into a better person without you even realizing it. I'm thankful for the things He has done in my life, and I can't wait to see what else He has planned!
I am studying Proverbs 31:16 for next week: "She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden." Considering the fact that I live in an apartment/townhouse complex with a 2'x2' flowerbed area, I will not be planting a garden this week, nor will I be buying a field. But I will have some interesting things to ponder on, so I can't wait for next week! Have a great week, and don't beat yourself up for not being perfect...
Blessings,
Trish
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Crafty Cooking Momma
First off, I apologize for not having the post up on Monday like usual. I have been fighting a bad sinus infection and have been resting every chance I get. Thankfully, I woke up today feeling semi-normal, so I am finally updating!
This week, I studied on Proverbs 31:13,14, "She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing. She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises." (MSG) Okay, this woman is already seeming like an overachiever, right? Not only does she care for herself, her husband, and her children, but she knits and sews too?! I love to knit, but with everything else going on in my day, there is just not time left for it. I equate these skills to craftiness... Some of us have it, and some of us just don't. I have received a bit of craftiness in my little box of skills, and I try to use it to the best of my ability. So here is what I got from this verse: Maybe you're crafty. Maybe you're not. But are you using the skills that you possess to do good for your household? Some people are "crazy crafters" and can do just about anything. But is that really helpful to your family? Sure, you can make a gazillion candles and wreaths, but is that productive? I think there is a fine line when it comes to craftiness. Doing things that enhance your home and make it more welcoming is wonderful. But sometimes the little crafts that we do can add up to be a big burden. Did I really need to buy over $100 worth of jewelry making items a couple years ago just to make a few things?... No, I didn't. It wasn't a good use of our money or my time. (But thankfully, I sold all of the leftovers at a yardsale for $30, so at least I got something out of it!) Craftiness can be a wonderful thing, but can be a hindrance as well. If you are not managing your money and time well while also using the skills you have been given, then it really isn't worth it to have fifteen different wreaths to hang on your door.
While I'm on the crafty side of the discussion, what about the website that has taken the world by storm in the last few months... Ahhh, Pinterest. Full of amazing ideas to make your home more beautiful, recipes to try, workouts to do, activities to do with your children. It seems like such a wonderful site to help you get even more crafty. How many things have you pinned that you have actually done? I spend a lot of time on Pinterest when my son is napping and I have nothing else to do. Lately, I have been asking myself before I pin something, "Am I really going to try this, or is it just something else pretty to look at?" So, on my Pinterest boards, I made a "Tried It!" board to keep up with the things that I actually do. I was honestly surprised by how much I had done, and because of my goal to be able to review everything in my "Tried It!" board, I haven't been pinning random ideas that will never cross my mind again. While it is a great resource at times, Pinterest can take a lot of your time (and provide you with more ways to waste money) just like any other social media website, so my tip is to be sure to not spend so much time on it that you don't have time to actually do things.
The English Standard Version says she "works with willing hands." (vs13) For those of us who were not given the "crafty" gene, are we willing to do work to help our household? Sometimes I would rather go spend $15 to just buy another pair of pants because the button popped off mine. But, when I have a full sewing kit, and a couple minutes to spare, it makes so much more sense to just mend the broken ones than to waste the money to buy something else. In the Proverbs 31 woman's day, you made your own clothes and linens. There aren't many women that do that now, but we are given the resources to find clothing at a price that fits within our budget, and we can care for the things that we have in a way to make them last as long as they need to, and to repair them if necessary. We just have to be willing to put forth the extra effort to be good stewards of what we have been given.
Okay, but what about how the Proverbs 31 woman "sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises?" Sure, I'd love to sail somewhere exotic and bring back new things for my family to try, but money and time don't allow for that. However, I am sure that her family didn't eat McDonald's and pizza every night of the week. They tried new things, experienced different cultures, and enjoyed it! So, while I can't sail off across the sea and bring back some new food to try, I can vary the things my family eats and experiences. I love to try new recipes and new cooking methods. Walk through your local grocery store and find a fruit or vegetable that you have never even heard of before. Then go home, find a recipe that includes it, and try it! Something one of the best things about providing meals for your family is having the freedom to try new things. The McDonald's menu never changes, but your menu at home can be different every day! I've recently discovered quinoa, and found some recipes that sound amazing that I can't wait to try out on my family. My 10 month old has already tried it a few times and loves it, so I'm sure it's good.
In summary, you may not be able to knit or sew, or pick your own exotic fruits and vegetables, but we have so many resources available to us that allow us to better our households and family without doing those things, so learn to take advantage of them. Make a new meal this week for your family that not only looks delicious, but is healthy as well. Take steps to care better for the things you already have instead of going out and buying new things. Luke 12:48 says, "...Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." If you have been given much, then God trusts that you will care for it. Show him that you truly deserve and are thankful for everything that He has entrusted you with!
Next Monday, I will be posting on my study for this week, Proverbs 31:15, "She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day." Have a blessed week!
Blessing,
Trish
This week, I studied on Proverbs 31:13,14, "She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing. She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises." (MSG) Okay, this woman is already seeming like an overachiever, right? Not only does she care for herself, her husband, and her children, but she knits and sews too?! I love to knit, but with everything else going on in my day, there is just not time left for it. I equate these skills to craftiness... Some of us have it, and some of us just don't. I have received a bit of craftiness in my little box of skills, and I try to use it to the best of my ability. So here is what I got from this verse: Maybe you're crafty. Maybe you're not. But are you using the skills that you possess to do good for your household? Some people are "crazy crafters" and can do just about anything. But is that really helpful to your family? Sure, you can make a gazillion candles and wreaths, but is that productive? I think there is a fine line when it comes to craftiness. Doing things that enhance your home and make it more welcoming is wonderful. But sometimes the little crafts that we do can add up to be a big burden. Did I really need to buy over $100 worth of jewelry making items a couple years ago just to make a few things?... No, I didn't. It wasn't a good use of our money or my time. (But thankfully, I sold all of the leftovers at a yardsale for $30, so at least I got something out of it!) Craftiness can be a wonderful thing, but can be a hindrance as well. If you are not managing your money and time well while also using the skills you have been given, then it really isn't worth it to have fifteen different wreaths to hang on your door.
While I'm on the crafty side of the discussion, what about the website that has taken the world by storm in the last few months... Ahhh, Pinterest. Full of amazing ideas to make your home more beautiful, recipes to try, workouts to do, activities to do with your children. It seems like such a wonderful site to help you get even more crafty. How many things have you pinned that you have actually done? I spend a lot of time on Pinterest when my son is napping and I have nothing else to do. Lately, I have been asking myself before I pin something, "Am I really going to try this, or is it just something else pretty to look at?" So, on my Pinterest boards, I made a "Tried It!" board to keep up with the things that I actually do. I was honestly surprised by how much I had done, and because of my goal to be able to review everything in my "Tried It!" board, I haven't been pinning random ideas that will never cross my mind again. While it is a great resource at times, Pinterest can take a lot of your time (and provide you with more ways to waste money) just like any other social media website, so my tip is to be sure to not spend so much time on it that you don't have time to actually do things.
The English Standard Version says she "works with willing hands." (vs13) For those of us who were not given the "crafty" gene, are we willing to do work to help our household? Sometimes I would rather go spend $15 to just buy another pair of pants because the button popped off mine. But, when I have a full sewing kit, and a couple minutes to spare, it makes so much more sense to just mend the broken ones than to waste the money to buy something else. In the Proverbs 31 woman's day, you made your own clothes and linens. There aren't many women that do that now, but we are given the resources to find clothing at a price that fits within our budget, and we can care for the things that we have in a way to make them last as long as they need to, and to repair them if necessary. We just have to be willing to put forth the extra effort to be good stewards of what we have been given.
Okay, but what about how the Proverbs 31 woman "sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises?" Sure, I'd love to sail somewhere exotic and bring back new things for my family to try, but money and time don't allow for that. However, I am sure that her family didn't eat McDonald's and pizza every night of the week. They tried new things, experienced different cultures, and enjoyed it! So, while I can't sail off across the sea and bring back some new food to try, I can vary the things my family eats and experiences. I love to try new recipes and new cooking methods. Walk through your local grocery store and find a fruit or vegetable that you have never even heard of before. Then go home, find a recipe that includes it, and try it! Something one of the best things about providing meals for your family is having the freedom to try new things. The McDonald's menu never changes, but your menu at home can be different every day! I've recently discovered quinoa, and found some recipes that sound amazing that I can't wait to try out on my family. My 10 month old has already tried it a few times and loves it, so I'm sure it's good.
In summary, you may not be able to knit or sew, or pick your own exotic fruits and vegetables, but we have so many resources available to us that allow us to better our households and family without doing those things, so learn to take advantage of them. Make a new meal this week for your family that not only looks delicious, but is healthy as well. Take steps to care better for the things you already have instead of going out and buying new things. Luke 12:48 says, "...Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." If you have been given much, then God trusts that you will care for it. Show him that you truly deserve and are thankful for everything that He has entrusted you with!
Next Monday, I will be posting on my study for this week, Proverbs 31:15, "She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day." Have a blessed week!
Blessing,
Trish
Monday, September 10, 2012
Doing Good; Not Harm
This week, I studied on Proverbs 31:12, "Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long." (MSG) Another version (ESV) says, "She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life." How often are we doing harm to our husbands? When you have this permanent roommate who sometimes doesn't pick up his socks, or forgets to tell you the house looks great or dinner was delicious, it is easy to lash out and say things without thinking. Even the smallest snide comment is verbal abuse. James warns us about how deadly our tongue can truly be. "For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God." (James 3:7-9 ESV) Our tongue can get us into so much trouble!
I know that this is something I have struggled with the past few years. When something displeases me, I typically keep quiet. But if it happens multiple times, it just builds up and eventually I just burst open and who-knows-what comes out of my mouth! God threw that back in my face a few months ago when I realized that the "tone" that I had complained to my husband about noticing him use at times had begun to become my tone as well. In the process of suppressing my feelings, I had taken on the very trait that had upset me in the first place. Since the day God showed me my mistake, I have begun to think more often before I speak. I have learned that sometimes a comment isn't needed, no matter how frustrated I can be. And I have learned that there is always a time for discussion when you are upset with your spouse and something needs to be addressed, but that moment is rarely the second that you become upset. Walking away and praying is by far the most successful way to approach a situation where you need to learn to tame your tongue.
Don't get me wrong... Walking away can be so hard at times. When you know you're right, and you can't stand feeling wrong, all you want to do is remedy the situation right in that moment. But when you address things in anger, is it really edifying to your relationship? Does it ever resolve anything? Or does it just make you both angrier and cause an even bigger problem? I'm sure you know the answer to that one... Stephen and Alex Kendrick summarized it well in their book, The Love Dare. "For the most part, the etiquette you use at home is much different than the kind you employ with friends, or even total strangers. You may be barking or pouting around the house, but if the front door chimes, you open it all smiling and kind. Yet if you dare to love, you'll also want to give your best to your own. If you don't let love motivate you to make needed changes in your behavior, the quality of your marriage relationship will suffer for it." Ouch, right?
As women, we don't only have trouble taming our tongues at home. Our flesh naturally tends towards being "gossipy." Put a gaggle of ladies together and oh my, the things you will hear. But we need to treat our husbands generously even when they aren't around! It is sinful to portray our husbands as mean, incompetent, antagonizing men just because we are in a group of ladies who also have permanent roommates that don't pick up their own socks. Our speech is one of the most telling things about our relationship with Christ. One who is developing a deep, personal relationship with Him is not also slandering those whom she has professed to love in front of God. Mark A. Kassian says in Girls Gone Wise, "Cultivating godly speech is one of the biggest challenges for women today. Pop culture encourages us to sin with our speech. It encourages us to talk lots and loudly, to speak up and make ourselves heard, to gain favor with flattery, to be cunning, to manipulate, to be brazen, and to demand that others give us what we want. But the Bible says that excessive, duplicitous, and manipulative speech only leads to strife, iniquity, ruin, and trouble (Psalm 55:9-11). God's way is very different from the world's way and, paradoxically, much more effective."
How do you speak to your husband, how do you speak about your husband, and how do those two types of speech differ? Perhaps some of the problems we feel we are experiencing in our marriage could be remedied by simply taming our tongues...
While you think on that post for the next week, I'll be studying up on the next two verses. I've chosen to combine Proverbs 31:13,14, "She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing. She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises." Have a great week, and thanks for checking in on this awesome, and convicting, journey so far!
Blessing,
Tricia
I know that this is something I have struggled with the past few years. When something displeases me, I typically keep quiet. But if it happens multiple times, it just builds up and eventually I just burst open and who-knows-what comes out of my mouth! God threw that back in my face a few months ago when I realized that the "tone" that I had complained to my husband about noticing him use at times had begun to become my tone as well. In the process of suppressing my feelings, I had taken on the very trait that had upset me in the first place. Since the day God showed me my mistake, I have begun to think more often before I speak. I have learned that sometimes a comment isn't needed, no matter how frustrated I can be. And I have learned that there is always a time for discussion when you are upset with your spouse and something needs to be addressed, but that moment is rarely the second that you become upset. Walking away and praying is by far the most successful way to approach a situation where you need to learn to tame your tongue.
Don't get me wrong... Walking away can be so hard at times. When you know you're right, and you can't stand feeling wrong, all you want to do is remedy the situation right in that moment. But when you address things in anger, is it really edifying to your relationship? Does it ever resolve anything? Or does it just make you both angrier and cause an even bigger problem? I'm sure you know the answer to that one... Stephen and Alex Kendrick summarized it well in their book, The Love Dare. "For the most part, the etiquette you use at home is much different than the kind you employ with friends, or even total strangers. You may be barking or pouting around the house, but if the front door chimes, you open it all smiling and kind. Yet if you dare to love, you'll also want to give your best to your own. If you don't let love motivate you to make needed changes in your behavior, the quality of your marriage relationship will suffer for it." Ouch, right?
As women, we don't only have trouble taming our tongues at home. Our flesh naturally tends towards being "gossipy." Put a gaggle of ladies together and oh my, the things you will hear. But we need to treat our husbands generously even when they aren't around! It is sinful to portray our husbands as mean, incompetent, antagonizing men just because we are in a group of ladies who also have permanent roommates that don't pick up their own socks. Our speech is one of the most telling things about our relationship with Christ. One who is developing a deep, personal relationship with Him is not also slandering those whom she has professed to love in front of God. Mark A. Kassian says in Girls Gone Wise, "Cultivating godly speech is one of the biggest challenges for women today. Pop culture encourages us to sin with our speech. It encourages us to talk lots and loudly, to speak up and make ourselves heard, to gain favor with flattery, to be cunning, to manipulate, to be brazen, and to demand that others give us what we want. But the Bible says that excessive, duplicitous, and manipulative speech only leads to strife, iniquity, ruin, and trouble (Psalm 55:9-11). God's way is very different from the world's way and, paradoxically, much more effective."
How do you speak to your husband, how do you speak about your husband, and how do those two types of speech differ? Perhaps some of the problems we feel we are experiencing in our marriage could be remedied by simply taming our tongues...
While you think on that post for the next week, I'll be studying up on the next two verses. I've chosen to combine Proverbs 31:13,14, "She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing. She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises." Have a great week, and thanks for checking in on this awesome, and convicting, journey so far!
Blessing,
Tricia
Monday, September 3, 2012
Trusting Without Reserve
Week two of my studying focused on Proverbs 31:11, "Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it." (MSG) My mind, of course, automatically jumped to the type of marital trust that I am sure yours did also... Fidelity. In our generation, that's the type of trust you hear about most, and sadly, that's because it is uncommon.
Proverbs 7:10-23 (ESV) describes a woman who is "...wily of heart. She is loud and wayward..." (vs 10, 11) She breaks her husband's trust by eagerly seducing a man while her husband is away. Her speech, her appearance, and her home are all molded in a way to lure a man in as you "lead an ox to slaughter" (vs 22) and "he does not know it will cost him his life." (vs 23) This woman has had no intention of being faithful to her husband, and has no regard for his trust. Too often we hear about women who are exactly like the Proverbs 7 woman! Our society is full of people who are of the "gimme gimme" mindset, only seeking their own happiness and not regarding others.
Mary A. Kassian writes in her book, "Girls Gone Wise," "Faithlessness destroys unity. This is the case in all interpersonal relationships, but especially in marriage. Malachi says that those who fail to faithfully love a covenant partner 'cover their garments in violence.' (Malachi 2:16) They tear apart what God has joined." Your actions have so many consequences. They affect everyone around you, but especially your relationship with God!
Kassian states earlier in her book that, "Marriage is much more than a human covenant. It's a covenant with God. When a woman breaks faith with her husband, she doesn't just sin against her husband, she also sins against God and... against the entire covenant of believers." A covenant is a mutual agreement... a framework of trust, responsibilities, and benefits. If you are like me, you're thinking, "Okay... This all makes sense. I vowed to be faithful to my husband, and I have been. I've never been tempted to stray or cheat, so I've got this verse down! On to next week!" I'd encourage you to not think so quickly on this. Sure, I have never cheated on my husband, and have honestly never thought about it either. But trust is so much more than fidelity!
I'm a work-from-home mother. I cook, clean, pay bills, organize, care for our son, make sure everything is in order for our week, and also watch a toddler four days a week. My husband does not only trust me not to break fidelity with him, but also to continue to cook, clean, pay bills, organize, care for our son, make sure everything is in order, and watch a toddler four days a week. I assume the responsibility to pay our bills because one of my strengths is keeping track of our calendar, and therefore, when things are due. My husband handles the money, and I just write the checks and mail them. When we get behind on a bill for the month because I simply forget to pay it, and we have to assume the ridiculous $35.00 late fee on a $12.19 bill, I'm breaking trust. I've been trusted to write that check, and I haven't.
So I keep organized. I make sure I know what we are having for dinner weeks at a time. I keep our home tidy for the occasional drop-by visitor and our weekly community groups, and so that my nights are not consumed with "speed cleaning" and rather with an occasional clean-up. I care for our son as well as I am humanly able and help to teach him about God's goodness. Not because that's what a stereotypical "housewife" does... Because I want my husband to trust me without reserve, and to never have reason to regret it! And because when I honor that covenant with my husband to care for our family and home, I am also honoring God. Luke 16:10 says "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." (ESV) I want to be faithful in those little things that may not seem to matter to everyone else. Trust is like most traits... It must be built. How can you be trusted to be faithful in the large things when you can't even be trusted to provide your family with food and proper care?
When I first read this week's verse, I didn't realize it would convict me as much as it has. It's funny how when you dig deep, you find things you would have never expected!
Next week will be focused on Proverbs 31:12, "Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long."
Also, as a side note, I've decided Sundays are too hectic to do my postings, so I will be updating on Mondays from now on. So... See you all next Monday!
Blessings,
Trish
Proverbs 7:10-23 (ESV) describes a woman who is "...wily of heart. She is loud and wayward..." (vs 10, 11) She breaks her husband's trust by eagerly seducing a man while her husband is away. Her speech, her appearance, and her home are all molded in a way to lure a man in as you "lead an ox to slaughter" (vs 22) and "he does not know it will cost him his life." (vs 23) This woman has had no intention of being faithful to her husband, and has no regard for his trust. Too often we hear about women who are exactly like the Proverbs 7 woman! Our society is full of people who are of the "gimme gimme" mindset, only seeking their own happiness and not regarding others.
Mary A. Kassian writes in her book, "Girls Gone Wise," "Faithlessness destroys unity. This is the case in all interpersonal relationships, but especially in marriage. Malachi says that those who fail to faithfully love a covenant partner 'cover their garments in violence.' (Malachi 2:16) They tear apart what God has joined." Your actions have so many consequences. They affect everyone around you, but especially your relationship with God!
Kassian states earlier in her book that, "Marriage is much more than a human covenant. It's a covenant with God. When a woman breaks faith with her husband, she doesn't just sin against her husband, she also sins against God and... against the entire covenant of believers." A covenant is a mutual agreement... a framework of trust, responsibilities, and benefits. If you are like me, you're thinking, "Okay... This all makes sense. I vowed to be faithful to my husband, and I have been. I've never been tempted to stray or cheat, so I've got this verse down! On to next week!" I'd encourage you to not think so quickly on this. Sure, I have never cheated on my husband, and have honestly never thought about it either. But trust is so much more than fidelity!
I'm a work-from-home mother. I cook, clean, pay bills, organize, care for our son, make sure everything is in order for our week, and also watch a toddler four days a week. My husband does not only trust me not to break fidelity with him, but also to continue to cook, clean, pay bills, organize, care for our son, make sure everything is in order, and watch a toddler four days a week. I assume the responsibility to pay our bills because one of my strengths is keeping track of our calendar, and therefore, when things are due. My husband handles the money, and I just write the checks and mail them. When we get behind on a bill for the month because I simply forget to pay it, and we have to assume the ridiculous $35.00 late fee on a $12.19 bill, I'm breaking trust. I've been trusted to write that check, and I haven't.
So I keep organized. I make sure I know what we are having for dinner weeks at a time. I keep our home tidy for the occasional drop-by visitor and our weekly community groups, and so that my nights are not consumed with "speed cleaning" and rather with an occasional clean-up. I care for our son as well as I am humanly able and help to teach him about God's goodness. Not because that's what a stereotypical "housewife" does... Because I want my husband to trust me without reserve, and to never have reason to regret it! And because when I honor that covenant with my husband to care for our family and home, I am also honoring God. Luke 16:10 says "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." (ESV) I want to be faithful in those little things that may not seem to matter to everyone else. Trust is like most traits... It must be built. How can you be trusted to be faithful in the large things when you can't even be trusted to provide your family with food and proper care?
When I first read this week's verse, I didn't realize it would convict me as much as it has. It's funny how when you dig deep, you find things you would have never expected!
Next week will be focused on Proverbs 31:12, "Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long."
Also, as a side note, I've decided Sundays are too hectic to do my postings, so I will be updating on Mondays from now on. So... See you all next Monday!
Blessings,
Trish
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