Reason #567
I got home from work at 6:00 tonight. Boo! Working late on a Friday is for the birds. Aaron and I are going out of town this weekend for our third monthiversary (basically, we just make excuses to do fun things), so I wanted to clean the house before we left tomorrow. Nothing is better than coming home from a vacation to a clean house, and nothing is worse than coming home from a vacation to a dirty house. And so I thought through my time line for the evening. Home at 6:00, finish and clean up dinner by 7:00, start cleaning then and finish around 9:00. Boring, I know. Who wants to spend their Friday night cleaning? But it had to be done. I texted Aaron to let him know I was going to be late, to which he replied that it was okay because he was busy cleaning our house. What a stud! I walked into a clean house. No dust, vacuum lines, fresh smells, it was amazing. I couldn't have been more thankful, especially after such a long day, to have my evening of chores already taken care of. Aaron is always a huge help, no matter what I ask him to do. In this case, I didn't even expect this or ask it of him, but he chose to do this because he realized how helpful it would be to me.
Sometimes in marriage, you have a hard time finding that "helpful" balance. Not to discriminate, but men often see their wives also taking on the role of their mothers. Am I right here? I didn't get married thinking that my laundry would be done for me, my space would be cleaned for my, my food would be cooked for me, and my clothes would be ironed for me. I didn't get married so that Aaron could take care of me, either. And maybe sometimes I come across a little too independent, but I've just always been of the mindset that two are as capable as one. That's probably the modern day woman in me. Anyway, Aaron and I have had to figure out our roles and the level of help that is required around the house. Every one is different, every home and every relationship is different, so no two will look the same. And when you grew up in different homes, help looks different to you, too.
I drove to work this morning and I prayed for us. To be honest, I prayed for me. I've shared with you before about my wifey-ways and how I continuously see areas of improvement on my part. Anyway, my prayer was that the Lord would open my eyes to see my husband the way the Lord sees him. That I would see our marriage in the context of our relationship with the Lord. Little did I know that a clean house was going to be the answer I was praying for.
How many times in scripture do we see the Lord as a helper? King David refers to God as his helper over and over, and reminds us that help is from the Lord. You know, sometimes we get this mindset that we can do it. We may not necessarily need help, but isn't it nice to have? And I realized this today when I came home to a clean house. I could have totally cleaned the house without Aaron's help. I have done it by myself many, many, many times, and I know I am completely capable of doing it. But there was more going on here. I had a long day, a long week, and it's the weekend. We have plans, and Aaron realized that if the house didn't get cleaned until I got home, that's all that would get done tonight. We wouldn't get to enjoy time together, I would be even more tired than I already am, and since he was home a little early, he decided to help because he wanted to relieve some of my burdens.
In marriage, and in life, you need a lot of help. First, you need help from the Lord. But then you also need to be helped and you need to be a helper. And as I've thought about this topic tonight, I've come to see that this is a really integral part to a successful marriage. Help. We can divide the lines and say, "you do this, you do that, you're responsible for this, you're responsible for that," or we can help one another. And although we usually see help in tangible forms, help comes in so many other forms. Because maybe your spouse doesn't need a clean house or a mowed yard. Maybe your spouse has slipped into addiction and they need your help getting out of it. Maybe your spouse is suffering from insecurity, and they need your help believing the truth. Maybe your spouse has been deeply wounded, and they need you to help them heal. They might have suffered a loss, and they need you to help them get over it. Maybe your spouse is going through depression, and they need you to help them find joy and hope again. Or maybe your spouse is really struggling with staying committed and in love with you, and they need your help to remember why they married you in the first place.
Help only works when it is received. People can offer to help you all day long, and it won't make a world of difference unless you actually let them. And although, sometimes, we want to refuse help, the Lord has given us each other for that very reason. Sometimes we may require a lot of help, and sometimes we may be required to give a lot of help. Either way, it works. And that's one thing I am grateful for about Aaron, he helps. No matter what it is, tangible, emotional, financial, or spiritual, he helps.
A good marriage is made up of two good helpers, and the Lord was the first to exemplify that for us. Because when we fall, He helps us up. When we are in battle, He helps us overcome. When we are hurting, He helps us heal. When we are stressed, He helps lift our burdens. When we are excited, He helps us rejoice. When we are lonely, He helps us find comfort. When we are afraid, He helps us to be brave. And on, and on, and on. So be a helper when you see a need, and don't turn away a helping hand when it's stretched towards you. Help is all around you, it's just up to you to accept it, appreciate it, and return the favor.
#567 - Because He is always there to help us with or through anything.
"You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great." - Psalm 18:35
Sometimes in marriage, you have a hard time finding that "helpful" balance. Not to discriminate, but men often see their wives also taking on the role of their mothers. Am I right here? I didn't get married thinking that my laundry would be done for me, my space would be cleaned for my, my food would be cooked for me, and my clothes would be ironed for me. I didn't get married so that Aaron could take care of me, either. And maybe sometimes I come across a little too independent, but I've just always been of the mindset that two are as capable as one. That's probably the modern day woman in me. Anyway, Aaron and I have had to figure out our roles and the level of help that is required around the house. Every one is different, every home and every relationship is different, so no two will look the same. And when you grew up in different homes, help looks different to you, too.
I drove to work this morning and I prayed for us. To be honest, I prayed for me. I've shared with you before about my wifey-ways and how I continuously see areas of improvement on my part. Anyway, my prayer was that the Lord would open my eyes to see my husband the way the Lord sees him. That I would see our marriage in the context of our relationship with the Lord. Little did I know that a clean house was going to be the answer I was praying for.
How many times in scripture do we see the Lord as a helper? King David refers to God as his helper over and over, and reminds us that help is from the Lord. You know, sometimes we get this mindset that we can do it. We may not necessarily need help, but isn't it nice to have? And I realized this today when I came home to a clean house. I could have totally cleaned the house without Aaron's help. I have done it by myself many, many, many times, and I know I am completely capable of doing it. But there was more going on here. I had a long day, a long week, and it's the weekend. We have plans, and Aaron realized that if the house didn't get cleaned until I got home, that's all that would get done tonight. We wouldn't get to enjoy time together, I would be even more tired than I already am, and since he was home a little early, he decided to help because he wanted to relieve some of my burdens.
In marriage, and in life, you need a lot of help. First, you need help from the Lord. But then you also need to be helped and you need to be a helper. And as I've thought about this topic tonight, I've come to see that this is a really integral part to a successful marriage. Help. We can divide the lines and say, "you do this, you do that, you're responsible for this, you're responsible for that," or we can help one another. And although we usually see help in tangible forms, help comes in so many other forms. Because maybe your spouse doesn't need a clean house or a mowed yard. Maybe your spouse has slipped into addiction and they need your help getting out of it. Maybe your spouse is suffering from insecurity, and they need your help believing the truth. Maybe your spouse has been deeply wounded, and they need you to help them heal. They might have suffered a loss, and they need you to help them get over it. Maybe your spouse is going through depression, and they need you to help them find joy and hope again. Or maybe your spouse is really struggling with staying committed and in love with you, and they need your help to remember why they married you in the first place.
Help only works when it is received. People can offer to help you all day long, and it won't make a world of difference unless you actually let them. And although, sometimes, we want to refuse help, the Lord has given us each other for that very reason. Sometimes we may require a lot of help, and sometimes we may be required to give a lot of help. Either way, it works. And that's one thing I am grateful for about Aaron, he helps. No matter what it is, tangible, emotional, financial, or spiritual, he helps.
A good marriage is made up of two good helpers, and the Lord was the first to exemplify that for us. Because when we fall, He helps us up. When we are in battle, He helps us overcome. When we are hurting, He helps us heal. When we are stressed, He helps lift our burdens. When we are excited, He helps us rejoice. When we are lonely, He helps us find comfort. When we are afraid, He helps us to be brave. And on, and on, and on. So be a helper when you see a need, and don't turn away a helping hand when it's stretched towards you. Help is all around you, it's just up to you to accept it, appreciate it, and return the favor.
#567 - Because He is always there to help us with or through anything.
"You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great." - Psalm 18:35
Comments
Post a Comment