Monday, February 22, 2010

The True Wife Part III


"Every true wife makes her husband's interests her own. While he lives for her, carrying her image in his heart and toiling for her all the days, she thinks only of what will do him good. when burdens press upon him she tries to lighten them by sympathy, by cheer, by the inspiration of love. She enters with zest and enthusiasm into all his plans. She is never a weight to drag him down; she is strength in his heart to help him ever to do nobler and better things."

JR Miller

As a new wife, there are many things I am still learning about my husband. As I mentioned in my first post, my continual goal is to write down things that I know my husband appreciates and try my best to always do those things for him. For instance, I discovered that my husband thoroughly enjoys a cold glass of freshly brewed iced tea. And although I haven't the slightest craving for tea, it is my aim to please my husband by preparing and serving it to his delight. I also learned that my husband feels great satisfaction when we work together on projects, namely projects that take place in the garage. It can be a bit tempting to brush off this desire of his when I know that a multitude of my own projects await me within the walls of our house. But then I remind myself that helping my husband is what I was made to do. If brewing him tea helps meet his needs, then I will brew. If postponing a household task helps meet his needs, then I will postpone. After all, I was created to be his help meet, to help meet his needs.

It is an awesome realization to know that I alone am the woman that God created to be my husbands helper, that He created in me attributes that no other woman can offer my dearest. It is my calling and responsibility to apply these God-given traits to my marriage, thus becoming strength in my husband's heart and helping him ever do nobler and better things. And how blessed I am to have a husband who values my opinions, compliments my strengths, forgives my weaknesses, appreciates my seemingly insignificant tasks, and invites my flawed, inexpert help. What a marvelous man is mine! May I never be a weight to drag him down.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

The True Wife: Part II


"The true wife needs to be no mere poet's dream, no artist's picture, and no ethereal lady too fine for use, but a woman healthful, strong, practical, industrious, with a hand for life's common duties, yet crowned with that beauty which a high and noble purpose gives to a soul." -JR Miller

This quote from JR Miller embodies the Proverbs 31 Woman. She is healthful and strong, girding herself with strength and strengthening her arms (v. 17). She is practical, rising while it is yet night(v. 15), clothing her family with scarlet(v. 21). She is industrious, buying a field and planting a vineyard from her profits (v. 16), not letting her lamp go out at night (v. 18). She has a hand for life's common duties, stretching out her hands to the distaff and holding the spindle(v. 19), willingly working with her own hands (v. 13). And she is, of course, crowned with beauty. Not only is she clothed in fine linen and purple (v. 22), but, "Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her, 'Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.'"

In verse 30 of Proverbs 31, King Lemuel writes, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." While I would be the last woman to say that looking outwardly beautiful for your husband isn't important (for it is very important, indeed), I see clearly that this scripture admonishes women to focus first on those God honoring tasks which supply, protect, and edify her household. It is not merely her beauty that causes a woman to be praised by her children and husband, but her attitude, her spirit, her sacrifice. Every work of a woman should benefit her household and build it up. And even this must not be a self-gradifying act, but one that comes from a pure heart ready and willing to serve the King. It is only when a woman's guiding ambition is to be pleasing to Him, that she is "crowned with that beauty which a high and noble purpose gives to a soul."


Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The True Wife: Part I

"The true wife clings and leans, but she also helps and inspires. Her husband feels the mighty inspiration of her love in all his life. Toil is easier, burdens are lighter, and battles are less fierce because of the face that waits in the quiet of the home, because of the heart that beats in loving sympathy, because of the voice that speaks its words of cheer and encouragement when the day's work is done." -JR Miller


As a wife it is so important to focus on truly helping and inspiring my husband. Do I truly make his toil easier, his burdens lighter, and his battles less fierce? It is my goal to begin a journal, writing down all the actions I know my husband appreciates. Whether it be getting the mail every day or greeting him at the door with a kiss when he comes home from work, I want to remember all of the seemingly small, but vastly important things for the future and start now habits that will please him forever. By the grace of God, I pray that as the years of my new marriage come to pass, I will become more and more sensitive to my husband's needs and make my home a place of true comfort, peace, joy, and love; a haven of rest for my dearest.

Jessica