By now everyone is probably sighing at my blogs. ;) Aha...caughtcha!
Last night was a little different than the evenings before. It was more of a recap with lots of practical suggestions for the husband on showing love and the wife respect.
~ I have a choice whether I want to obey God's Word or not.
~ Eph. 5:33 is without options and is not neutral.
~ Respecting my husband works because God said so.
~ Respecting is a command.
~ Focus on what I can do, not on what he can do.
~ Get my mind off of myself and onto my husband.
~ My fear and love of God is my motivation.
~ How do I want my kids to treat their future spouses? They watch us closely!
~ Do I forgive my husband when he asks or do I harbor bitterness and keep a history?
~ Speak only honorably about my husband.
~ NEVER make fun, criticize or speak down to my husband!
~ Am I living in such a way with my husband today that will make him want to be with me in 50 years? (I have a story about my grandparents on this point)
~ Marriage is not about ME!
~ We Christian women have bought into the feminist theology more than we know.
~ My husband will not generally tell me what he needs from me.
~ God created my husband differently, not wrong.
~ I am responsible for my attitudes and actions.
~ Thank him for his work.
~ Share with and in his successes, whatever they are.
~ Be my husband's biggest cheerleader.
~ Do NOT pop his dream bubbles! Let him dream and be able to share with me!
~ God created my husband to DIE for me! Do I really get that?
~ Praise his provision whether it be great or small.
~ Praise his good decisions; minimize his not-so-good decisions.
~ NEVER undermine his authority in front of the children; discuss concerns in private.
~ Male bashing is huge in today's society- in the church and out of it. I need to see this as the sin it is and refuse to participate.
~ Negativity crushes the spirit.
~ Life is too short to not live it pleasing to God.
~ Jesus wants to know how I am going to change to be more like Him.
~ Encourage my husband in the times he wants to be alone.
~ Initiate and respond positively more often sexually.
~ Make it easy for my husband to have eyes only for me.
~ It honors my husband when I make an effort to improve my appearance before he gets home from work.
~ Let him be able to acknowledge his sexual temptations without making him feel shame.
~ Denying my husband sexually is a sin.
The best part of the evening for me was when the couple who organized this series shared their testimonies. They were transparent and honest and it is absolutely awesome to see the wonderful love and respect they have for each other today! Let me tell you that it does NOT come naturally; it is a LOT of hard work, but oh so worth it! It's interesting to me that we share the exact anniversary date as theirs- June 20, 1981- and our testimony would be very similar; this couple is a great encouragement to us. Thank you, Rich & Linda; we love you!
4 years ago
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1 comments:
Hey, Margaret--These summaries are so good! I've seen those videos several times and couldn't do this good. Session five was the chin-dropper for me. I had never thought of the fact that it really isn't about my marriage, but my relationship w/Christ. We were already on the climb out of the marriage pit when we stumbled onto Emerson's teaching, and it just really pushed us over the ledge into a great marriage.
Not that we don't still get on the crazy cycle! Just a couple of months ago we planned a "romantic" weekend in Indianapolis. Had a lovely motel room with a kitchen, bedroom, and living room--Rich ended up in the bedroom watching a Colts game and I in the living room watching "Fiddler on the Roof." At least I got the biggest TV! Not alot of romance. At least we can recognize what's happening and why and get to the laughing stage quite soon.
And thanks for those sweet comments! That was all because you put yourselves out there back in '07, you know. When we become open with who we really are it's amazing how God uses that. Even though it's not always easy, we've never been sorry.
I do wonder though how you can like "strong" coffee but yet dring hot water?! And consider hot dogs a veggie--ick! Truly God is diverse in His creation of women!
God's blessings to you and Jerald as you go forth in His work! Love back to you--Linda
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