hello. thanks for calling. please listen carefully as the menu options have changed. the old menu was 1 for snappy, 2 for bossy, and 3 for what-do-you-mean-you-can't-read-my-mind... the new menu is 1 for forgiving, 2 for supportive, and 3 for i'm-so-proud-of-you-i-could-just-explode. press 0 at anytime for the bottom line.
1. though my husband has always been a good man as long as i have know him (and he was good before that too, i just can't site specific instances), he has not always been active in church. i haven't either. but... this summer when my sister visited, we started going to church at her old church (we went our first time as a family-of-four with her). i can't even begin to explain how life-changing something so simple has been. i suppose that people that are inherently good may not realize why they are that way. and, by going to church, my husband has seen the light inside of him - and it has only grown brighter. where he was kind before, now he is even kinder because he knows that his God wants him to be that way. where he was gentle before, he is now even gentlier because he knows that God wants him to be that way. this has also helped him (and us) handle one small situation that has burdened us for years. that'd be an issue of forgiveness. i know things don't just happen instantly (for the most part), but over the last month i think the meaning of forgiveness - and the fact that we must forgive because God wants us to - has really sunk in. praying about burdens such as this has really become a release. (reminds me of that book about baggage - melissa, what is it called? i still have it but it is at home so i can't think of the name right now.) so anyway, it is so refreshing to have God at the forefront of our lives in our lives 7 days a week now. Let all bitterness
and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all
malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in
Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)
2. i had an opportunity a few weeks ago that would have meant big changes in our life. rather than doing what i usually do - which is whatever i want to do, even if it involves our family - i solicited my husband for guidance and leadership on the matter. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (Prov. 12:15). this is probably my first time making an effort to not "lead myself" but to let nathaniel do what God intended of a husband, which is be the head of household. he is a kind and gentle leader, just like God says for him to be - he does not rule me (for anyone with their mouths on the floor right about now). so, after he thought about it - his response was the opposite of what i wanted to do. but, i let him make the decision because it was truly a family decision and, honestly, he was right. i prayed for myself to "get over it" so to speak. as hard as it was (ok, so i did feel a little bit ruled when i didn't get my way), i swallowed that pill and just let it go. in the end, everything turned out better than i could have ever imagined regarding that opportunity. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Phil. 2:3-4).
3. nathaniel has been reading the kids bible stories + a devotion every night. interestingly, the devotion he read always seemed to have something to do with an issue we had that day (fighting, not listening, being kind to animals, etc.) last night, he didn't feel well so i was going to read them their devotion. i looked for the index... there wasn't one! i just KNEW nathaniel was picking out certian stories to read based on their meaning. interesting that he was not... God was present and in control! I can't say i have as good of an eye (or hand) for picking out devotionals, though. or maybe there just wasn't a bible devotion about why you should not get in trouble playing in the bathroom. lol.
0. i want to be my husband's biggest fan. it will be a tough competetion (being the biggest) because kendal sure loves him a lot.
How beautiful! I am reminded of my father reading Bible stories to my sister and me before bed each night when we were small girls. Although my parents divorced when I was 12, I was raised in church from birth as well attended Christian school and all that has certainly stayed with me. I can still smell that book my daddy read to us from every night. Be proud of yourselves. Your children will never forget these days.
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