Do you ever wish the preacher would just hush?

His last three sermons have been on Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." On Sunday when he preached it for the third time, did I think that I already do do that? Yep! Do I still think I do do that after yesterday's drama? Nope!

My whole marital theology/philosophy/foundation is being shaken! Years ago, a book called "The Excellent Wife" grounded me in the thinking that unless my husband asks me to sin then submit. Beth Moore concreted that learning by convincing me that if it's not sinful and I submit and he's wrong then God would 'get' him. Soooo...merrily on my way I've skipped through eleven years of marriage trusting the One who is soveriegn over the ones who are over me. LOTS of times I've disagreed with my hubby, but have submitted out of honor to God and the Word. Lately, the Lord has had me pondering the sin of grieving the Holy Spirit which is a very grey area. It's challenged me to do something about the no's, can't do's, and the forget its that come my way and see if submitting would grieve Him.

Well, that was an update on the last eleven years, as well as, last week. Now I'll try to put into words what happened yesterday. There is a cell phone commercial on t.v. lately where a wife is trying on shoes and asks her hubby's advice. "Honey, pumps or flats?" He replies, "Pumps." She said, "Okay, I'll get the flats." The same funny scenario follows on selection of a dress, etc. Then the last question she asks him is the color of a cell phone...Blue or Red? He wises up and says the color he actually wants for himself because he knows she'll disagree anyway. Thus, he gets his phone...all is well. My point, my hubby and I have disagreed about EVERYTHING lately. Little things, big things, ANYTHING! We've even joked about that commercial and threatened to 'use' it on each other. While talking about wall covering for the office, he stopped me mid-sentence and asked if I was trying that commercial thing on him. Bahahahaha...I was!

Yesterday a BIG thing came up and, as usual, he is at the opposite end of the spectrum than me. I'M GOIN' CRAZY!!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!...is what I told God. The lesson at Kidmo was about Jacob wrestling with God over a family issue with his brother, no doubt. What did Jacob do? Genesis 32:9 'then Jacob prayed'! Did he get his blessing? Yes! So...all I knew to do was pray.

Last night, Kent and I had a deep talk...and God gave us a light bulb moment. It dawned on us that when an opportunity, decision or whatever comes our way we say..."I don't know, let me ask Kent/Tammie first." And that is exactly what we do..."Kent/Tammie what do you think?" NOT, that that is bad! But, we didn't 'Seek Ye first'....we sought he or her first. As of last night, we have agreed (monumental moment, people) that we'd say when asked our thought or opinion, "Have you asked God first before asking me?"

The inspiration for Kidmo and now my marriage is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 (The Message) "Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live."

Ge. 32:28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome....v30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

In regards to marraige....Can I get a witness? Eleven years with a man and yet my life was spared! hehe