Day 8 & 9

So today is double wammy because It totally slipped my mind to put Day 8 into action yesterday. But it kind of worked out because Day 8 & 9 pretty much go hand in hand with one another.

Day 8 is To speak well of you in front of others

Now this may come easy, or so you may think, to most of us, especially of those of us who truly still are in love with our spouse, however, it is much easier said than done, even in couples who couldn't imagine talking badly about the other.

She talks about how they went out with their friends and had a great night laughing and enjoying each others company, but at the end of the night her husband was very quiet. She tried to ask some questions about why he was quiet...r u tired? did our friends say something to upset u? did I do something to upset you? And that's when she realized she and their friends were joking about something her husband does or did and didn't notice it offended him. Just like the way jesus was mocked on the cross, Im sure that is how her husband felt in that moment when they were joking about something as trivial as it was, whether it was about the way he brushed his teeth or did his hair, or to something as big as how he cried uncontrollably at a wedding like a girl. Whatever the case was, it was important to him and she realized she was wrong. Even though what they were joking about wasn't how he really felt about him at all, she still laughed about it, and it hurt his feelings.

It is so hard for us to remember not to do that, even when it really isn't supposed to mean anything, it can. Just like when a comedian takes stabs at one person just because he wants to sound funny. Even if what he is joking about isn't truly how he feels about that person. And that is wrong. This is one of those "put yourself in the other persons shoes" lessons. The Challenge? Look after your husband's heart, particularly by looking after his honor in public settings.

As Proverbs 31:11a says: The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.

And Day 9 - To Protect your Reputation

Josh isn't perfect. He has made many mistakes. And no, I don't mean something like leaving the glass casserole dish in the sink without soaking it, or buying the wrong piece of furniture, no nothing like that. I mean big mistakes. Those hefty booboo's, the one's that make you take a step back and say, is this really what my life deserves to be like and is this the person I really want to be with for forever? Yeah, those mistakes. 

Anytime a mistake in that nature was made, I ran...not always physically, ran away, but I ran...ran to seek the advice and knowledge from someone else. And it usually was my parents, my mom in-particular. Let me tell you, man did they get tired of hearing it. In the beginning it was OK, and unfortunately my ranting and raving all the bad things about josh got my mom and family only seeing the bad in him. Which was horrible and completely my fault. It was always the same old thing, me ranting and complaining and whining about all the bad things he did and how I hated him for what he did that time. Then after I talked to her I would call up friends and rant to them. In that moment, and it's not until now that I realized this, I was being so rude and disrespectful to my husband. And not just to him but to everyone else I got involved too. Yes, he screwed up. Big. But how could I justify all that ranting? I couldn't. It didn't make me feel any better afterwards and it didn't change anything. At least not for the good anyway, so what was the purpose? There wasn't any.

Now, I am not saying you can't call up a friend or confident and speak to them about what is going on in your life, but be sure it's in a way to help the situation and to create peace. Not to talk badly about the man you are supposed to love unconditionally and create tension and anger. This one was a big deal for me, but I have learned, through new mistakes that have been made since coming to church, that it's not ok and there are better ways to go about it. Always. And now, now that I am handling those issues through God's Grace and Word, my parents are starting to see it. There is no more negative, and it's awesome.

The challenge? Whether you're talking to your friends, your family, or your children, protect your husband's reputation by being careful with the words that you choose.

Ephesians 4:29 - "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

Till next time bloggers, and God Bless!