Tag: marriage

A Prudent Wife

A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping rain. House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.  Proverbs 19:13-14

Today is my mom’s birthday. She would have turned 68 today, which doesn’t seem all that old. And yet, she’s already been gone 24 years. How that much time has passed, I have no idea.

I’ve been reading one chapter of Proverbs each day of January and these verses made me think of my mom. She lived daily with an alcoholic who failed at being a good husband and father in so many ways. She could have nagged and picked quarrels with him every day. Most people probably would have thought her justified.

Yet, she was prudent. I remember her talking to him about it, calling him out on it, and standing her ground on some things that were extremely important. But she didn’t nag or cause quarrels. And that’s not an easy thing when someone close to you is in sin!

It made me think about how I want my home life to be. I want my husband to want to come home to me. I want my kids to feel peace in our home.

That doesn’t mean we don’t address hard things. We need to! But the way we do that matters. We can address conflict, sin, and behavior issues with calmness and grace without backing down on what we believe in.

This isn’t easy for me at all. I tend towards anger and can jump the gun on conversations because I get heated. My hubby is so good at this and I’m learning from him. And my mom was so good at it too. I remember feeling like I could go to her with anything and trust she’d listen and talk it through without just getting angry with me.

I hope and pray I can emulate her! And as I read through Proverbs I hope and pray it sinks in and changes my heart to reflect Christ more and more in my roles as wife and mother.

National Spouse Day

Well, apparently today is National Spouse Day. A day to remember that significant other in your life. Who knew? I kind of thought that was what Valentines Day was for, but whatever.

I do think, though, that we all too often take for granted that person by our side. I know I do. Andrew is such a steady, easy going guy that I take for granted he’ll always just be that steady, easy going guy by my side.

But when I do for a moment to think about it, I realize how blessed I am. God knew I needed, not just someone, but Andrew. That very someone. I needed and still need that steadiness and easy going manner in my life to look up to. God knew my tumultuous thoughts and sometimes impulsive actions needed to be tempered. And he knew just who to give me.

Sometimes I think about every little detail that had to be worked out in order for Andrew and I to meet. My mom could have chosen to stay in Germany after she had me instead of marrying this American and moving to a country she’d only read about in school, barely able to speak the language. They could have ended up anywhere in the country because of the airforce. I could have had a different best friend who didn’t have an older brother who happened to be best friends with Andrew. On and on the list goes.

But God.

He orchestrates our lives perfectly, even when it doesn’t seem good or right or easy. He knows what we need best. Way better than we know.

Our memory verse this week speaks perfectly to this:

Ah, Lord God ! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
Jeremiah 32:17

Nothing is too hard for God. Do you believe that? Do you rest in the knowledge that he has created everything, including you. He knows you well, loves you lavishly, and has your life in His hands.

Today, I’m thankful for the amazing man God put by my side in this crazy life and for my Creator God, for whom nothing is too hard!