Ya' Know What My Hubby Just Did?!?!

When I was first married, I worked in a secular environment

and was soon exposed to the American sport of
"Husband Bashing."

It wasn't for the purpose of learning how to be a better wife
and learn to deal with some of those "husband issues,"
it was to ridicule them.

In one year, Scott and I were one of five couples who got married.
The women who spoke highly of their husbands are still married.

Not scientifically calculated, just an observation.

It's easy to be a Christian testimony by just
not talking negatively
about your husband.

Easy to preach,

hard to do.

Like all of you,

my husband can drive me crazy!

In all fairness, I drive him crazy, too,

and that's why we came up with this simple rule

early in our marriage.

We promised to never talk about
one another in a negative fashion.

Personal problems, fights and experiences in marriage are only to be shared

after resolution for the purpose of ministry and encouragement.

I talk and blog about him only
when my heart is right and I really don't  secretly wish
he had chosen another course of action.
Once I learned to laugh and enjoy my husband's craziness,
it blossomed more.
He's the sunshine of our family,
even though he
has bad manners,
leaves messy trails,
has an addiction,
does Redneck Repairs,
feeds my kids a lot of sugar,
got a parking ticket,
and can't make cookies.

 But there are things I will never share.

Why Not to Talk:
1. We erode the foundation of our husband's spiritual headship
when we share his faults in front of others.
It may be harder for your children, relatives and other believers
to value him as they should if you've share too many failings.

(I'm not talking about covering up sin that should be disciplined,
I'm talking about normal, every day type struggles and habits.)

2.  Talking may keep us from praying.
Our main duty when we see a fault or a struggle,
is to talk to the Lord constantly about the issue.
Talking to someone makes you feel better,
but won't change your husband. 
If only the Holy Spirit can provide the solution,
why not tell only Him the problem?

3. When we verbally disagree with a decision he's made and do it our way,
we teach our kids to get their own way behind Dad's back.
If a child has grown up with a mom who scorns her husband's guidance
or secretly finds ways to run things her own way when he's at work,
a child will do the same.
They'll  smile pleasantly to Dad's face, but defy behind his back.

Women may gossip under the guise of
sharing prayer requests.

An older woman, Carol, gave me the best advice
for handling this misguided spiritual activity.
When a woman starts sharing something about her husband
that's making you uncomfortable, stop her and say,
"Let's pray about this right now."

If she's sincere, she just found someone faithful
 to walk her through her trials and help her build a stronger marriage.
If she's wanted to gossip,  she won't come to you again.


Women may not share prayer requests because

they fear gossip.

Some women really are in troubled marriages.
Unfortunately, we've known Christian husbands that have struggled with
drinking, faithfulness, anger and abuse.

Especially during the times that a husband  like this won't seek help,
a woman desperately needs help.
She may be slow in opening up, because she fears others will
skip the "prayer" and focus on sharing the "request."

When to talk:

If you've prayed, searched the Scriptures, talked with hubby

and still don't have answer concerning how you should be handling your
part of the problem, you may need Biblical advice and encouragement.

Choose a woman you and your husband are comfortable with,

 who knows the Scriptures, won't share your confidences and will

 forgive your husband without holding a grudge.

(Unfortunately, there may be times is a woman's life,
when her health and  spiritual welfare are in danger
 and she needs to confide without her husband's approval or knowledge.)

Why To Talk

When you want to build up your husband,
teach your children what a good father they have,
make single women jealous :),
be a good testimony,
give a good spiritual example,
or make someone laugh,
then you  can tell hubby stories.

Then you have the right to exclaim,
"Ya' Know What My Hubby Just Did?"


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Other blogs in a similar line

Dad, That's Not the Way You Do That!

What If Daddy IS Wrong?

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What if Daddy Is Wrong?

Yesterday, we determined that Daddy's way is OK.  Daddy may use too many wipes, Daddy may put the sheets on the bed the wrong way, but as long as there is no harm, there is no foul.

Sometimes the problem isn't Mommy being too picky, too naggy or too much of a perfectionist,  and not allowing Daddy to function his way.  There are times when  Daddy is wrong in his decisions or actions.

Determination
Is it really wrong?

Are you using your standards or the Lord's?  If you're thinking about Daddy hanging the toilet paper the wrong way, please go back and read yesterday's post. Pray and meet me back here.

It's amazing. A young mother who thought she knew it all, I was soon humbled  by the realization that my husband was rarely wrong on issues that mattered.  He was in the Word, he prayed about his leadership in the family. Yes, he might be at work all day, but when he walked through that door, he could tell if I had been neglecting to instruct or discipline in areas such as whining or prompt obedience. He could also tell if I'd been nagging  the kids.  My initial responses were due to wounded pride and I wasn't open to encouragement to improve my parenting.  It wasn't Daddy that was wrong, it was me.

Direction

If you've determined he is wrong, don't point it out in front of the kids. Present a united front as a team, deal with issues behind closed doors  in a way that honors the Lord.  Like we tell our little ones, "God can hear you!"

If his parenting or housekeeping methods are causing you extra work, talk to him.  Just don't sound like his mother. Find a way to make it easier for him to follow protocol.

When approaching a  on a small issue, use the sandwich method. Like with a real meal, give thanks first, pray for your husband, pray about the issue, then discuss.
COMPLIMENT-CONCERN-COMPLIMENT

Be sincere in your praise and thankfulness, effort is as admirable as ability.  But, if he's throwing the laundry from the dryer into in the laundry basket  and causing you hours of ironing, it's necessary to work out a solution together.

Disagreement

Occasionally the kids ask something and Scott and I will answer at the same time, but disagree. 

If I have no serious opinion, I will laugh and remind the kids - Daddy has veto power.

If I have opinion, I respectfully give it.  If we have disagreed publicly, it's fine to work it out gracefully in public. My husband married me because he loves and respects me.  He wants my opinions and doesn't want me silently nodding and following any and every decision.  At this point, he still has veto power.

For serious disagreements that require more conversation, Scott and I take it offline.  I'm not trying to show the kids  I can snake my way through daddy's heart and get my own way, I'm trying to show them Daddy is approachable and will admit when he's wrong or when there's a better idea. I'm also showing  my willingness to lovingly submit when I don't agree, because he still has veto power.

The goal in resolving a disagreement is not to always get my way, or to let my husband always have his way, but to move the family in the Lord's way.

Deliverance

When there is serious spiritual concern about the spiritual leadership of your home, it can't be solved with a candid conversation between a husband and a wife or with a casual approach.

 

1.  Pray.  Tell the Lord instead of a friend.

2.  Pray some more. Remove your reactive sin before you approach his active sin.

3.  Pray until you pray. When you are grieved and understand your husband sins against a holy God and not against you, you might be ready to say something.

4.  Seek verses in the Scripture about the issue to make sure you have the mind of the Lord.

5.  Wait for the leading of the Holy Spirit if and when to bring up the conversation. Sometimes at this point I still pray, because I would rather have my husband changed by the Holy Spirit and not by my directive.

A conversation begun with these steps will have fruit, can bind your hearts closer together and impact your family.

Even when we're right about their behavior, if we pound on our husbands with self-righteous pride or give them ultimatums, we're wrong. Many times these steps  silence me before the Lord because I no longer see my husband's supposed error, I see mine. Other times, the Lord gives me patience to wait and watch Him work in my husband's life.  He's the One who began the good work, I can let Him finish.

A truly changed man is changed by the words of the Lord  and the faith of a praying wife, not the drips of a nagging wife. 

When I was young, we always bought shoes just a tish too big for "growing room."  It's not just kids' feet that need growing room, it's husbands. 

If you learn to wisely and correctly encourage your  husband when he's wrong, he'll not only increase in   praise and love for the Lord, he'll increase in  praise and love for you.