Temperate? No.

Well, after the last three postings, I decided that it was time for confession. I want to remind you that although I have definite opinions, and beliefs about what is Biblical, I still fall short - often. I know that I have a tendency to look at authors and think that they have it all together; whether they are writing about marriage or child rearing or patriarchal living. So, I think it's a good reminder that we are all sinful human beings in the process of being refined by our Creator.

Because of time constraints, my last post took several days to write. God is good to convict us when we need it, and unfortunately I need it more often than I would like.

My Beloved is my floor man. Several years ago, he asked me what one thing he could do around the house that would be of the most help. Because of the way he was raised, he's pretty picky about the floors, so they are "his". I still sweep, and vacuum, and I do mop up spills; but when it's time for a real cleaning, and waxing of the wood floors, he does it. Well, by the time I got up the other morning, my floors were done, and he had moved on to other things in the kitchen.

The day before I had washed my gallon jar that usually contains choc. chips, but it was still wet by bedtime, so it was still sitting empty. I had also emptied out my noodle jar the night before. So, when I got up, noodles were (are you ready???) in my CHOCOLATE CHIP jar! How could he have done that??? Instead of being thankful for having a wonderful, thoughtful husband, I was irritated that he put them in the wrong jar (which, by the way, looks JUST LIKE the right jar!). He went outside and started on other projects. So, I began to empty the noodles into the "right" jar. As I got to the bottom, there was still water in the jar, so some of the noodles were now wet. Instead of just finishing, and drying out the jar and moving on, I had to go tell my Beloved that he had put dry noodles into a wet jar. Now, in all fairness, had I just put a lid on the jar and placed it on the shelf, those noodles would have molded. The point however, is that I had to go and tell him what he had done "wrong". Not because I was concerned about the potential loss of noodles, but because I had to be right. :-( Being the good-natured, loving man that he is, he took it all in stride. As I walked away from him, I felt that distinctive "prick" of the Holy Spirit, but continued on my way. After stewing a while (fighting with the Holy Spirit - you know, there could have been a waste of noodles, after all!), I had to agree with Him, and go and apologize to my husband.

I am so thankful to be a daughter of the King! I am so prone to attitudes like I just shared, and if my husband and I were not Christians, I would probably have brought my house to ruin long ago. However, I have learned over the years, to be "mostly" quick to apologize when I have been wrong, and I have truely been blessed with an easy going man who is always quick to forgive and move forward.

It's not about "getting it right" everytime, or being perfect. Yes, we are to strive toward it. We should desire to be as godly as we possibly can be. But where the rubber truely meets the road is how we respond when we have behaved in an ungodly way. Are we sensitive to the Holy Spirit? Do we shove Him in a corner and ignore His promptings? Or, when He pricks our conscience about wrongdoing, do we repent and apologize - making atonement if necessary? This is where the godly woman distinguishes herself. By the way, that part is totally not fun; so it is by far better to behave in a godly way to begin with! Praise God there is hope for us when we fall short.