So, we are going to continue this whole month with the same verse, but different challenges and ways of implementing these things into our daily lives. So just as a reminder, our verse for this month is still Proverbs 31:12 "She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life."
When my husband and I first got married, we went through our pre-marriage counseling. We took a test that asked us each a bunch of questions, like: "How many kids do you want? What would happen if the wife made more money than the husband?" We had a lot of the same answers, but some different. For example, his answer for "how many kids do you want" was 2. My answer was 8. My answer has changed since then, and since I had my first child, however so has his, since we now are about to have baby number 4.
We did have one issue we didn't see eye to eye on at first. It was mostly because I again, I thought it was something stupid, and small, that didn't make a lot of difference. Well, maybe it didn't to me but over time, again, these small things add up! We listened to a tape about respecting your husband. At first I was a little upset that we did that because what about respecting your wife?! And I also felt at the time a bit ganged up on. HOWEVER- it did teach me a lot, and helped out our marriage quite a bit!
The tape talked about how you should never DEMAND things from your husband. Now when I think about a "DEMAND", I think about bossing him around, being moody and telling him what to do. But this was talking about something different. This was talking about the small things; the little things that add up and cause something HUGE!
How many times have you been sitting at the table and said, "Babe, pass me the salt!" When have you been changing a diaper and said "Hon, go get me the wipes!" Or, sitting on the toilet and yelled "HONEY GET ME SOME TOILET PAPER!" I did that ALL THE TIME!! To me it was a simple request, but to him it was a demand! Why was it a demand? Because I wasn't actually asking him to do it, I was telling him! Over time, for men, these little tiny things add up and it starts to make them feel like they have no control. It's like, you have taken their rightful place as head of the household, and it starts to make them feel belittled and overpowered, and this is harmful to our husbands.
We want to ultimately be respectful to them, not demanding or aggressive with our requests. Lovingly ask for things, not demand them. When you take those little demands that add up negatively, and turn them into a loving request like, "Sweetie, could you please pass the salt?" "Babe, would you mind grabbing me the wipes?" or "HONEY, PLEASE WOULD YOU MIND BRINGING ME SOME TOILET PAPER?" Your requests become little things that add up to be positive, and cause your husband to adore you and start to even give you more respect than he did before.
So our challenge for this week is to be Respectful of our husbands, not demanding or aggressive towards them with our behavior. I want you to take note of every time you say, "HONEY GO DO THIS... or COULD YOU THAT", as a demand and not a loving request. If you have to, in mid-sentence after you have said it, correct yourself by saying, "oh I'm sorry I mean would you mind...." Then watch your husbands reaction. Also make sure to praise your husband in private this week, and let him know how much you love him and appreciate all these things he does for you.
Praying for you ladies this week!! Can't wait to hear your progress!!
Please make sure to share the FB link with other friends, so you can be entered into the end of the month drawing for a free prize ( prize to be announced soon). And find your way into the discussion tab on the facebook page to share what you think about the challenge, and how you are doing this week!
Love you and praying for you all as you start the new Challenge!!
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