Crown or Rotten Bones?

As I strive each day to be the Godly woman God has created me to be and desires me to be, I realize more and more everyday that I NEED HIM to give me the strength to live everyday and to love in the way that He commands. Some days I succeed in this endeavor, through the strength of the Father, but lots of days I fail, when I do it on my own.   I want to speak love and truth into the lives of my family and friends everyday. I know that the only way I can do that is by spending time in His word.  I know the only way that I can speak the Truth is if I have it in me!

Do you stink of rottenness??

I can tell the difference in a day that is surrounded by prayer and His Word and one that isn't. The days that I am frustrated so easily, snapping at my kids and wishing I could go back and hit the rewind button. Yeah those are the ones I can tell I need to be in His Word and letting it guide me and my actions and reactions. 

  Proverbs 12:4

    " An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
      But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones."

What a contrast!  Two things that are so starkly different. Something beautiful and something disgusting and putrid.  When I think of a crown I think of something beautiful, something to be proud of, something that showed that a person is honored.  I want to be that! I want to honor my husband in a way that He is proud of me.   

I want to be his crown! 

But am I doing it?? Am I living in a way that speaks love to him and shows him respect? That is my goal! Just as in all things, some days I fail, but by the grace of God some days I succeed!

Jonathan were talking last night and just discussing what he had been reading earlier in the day and he said something that I think is so true...He is the SMART one of the family. He told me I could write down some of his thoughts if I gave him a kiss...I guess I can take that deal.

He said that in marriage there is a paradox between loving yourself and loving your spouse. The Bible tells the husband to love the wife as he loves himself. So, the crazy thing is, is if you love someone more than yourself, then you are really loving yourself. I know it is a crazy thought that not loving yourself or being selfish can actually bring you to find yourself being more loved and making yourself happy!  Got that?? If you LOVE more you get LOVED more!!!

It is a similar concept to John Piper's Christian Hedonism  where he says that the way for us to be most satisfied with ourselves and be most fulfilled is to be most satisfied in God. 
I like what he says: 

"We all make a god out of what we take the most pleasure in. Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—pleasure in him."

I want my satisfaction to be totally in God and serving Him. Delighting in Him and Rejoicing in Him.  So that He will be honored and glorified through my life!

So, I think along the same thought line, it is safe to say that the more we take pleasure in God the more we are satisfied with Him, and with ourselves; and the more we take pleasure in (or love or serve or sacrifice for) our husbands the more we will be satisfied with them and the more we, ourselves, will be satisfied and feel loved. 

Some of my favorite verses are in Philippians 2:3,4, where Paul says to consider others better than yourselves and not to look only to our own interests. I think by considering our husbands before ourselves and loving them fully we will be a crown to their heads and bring them honor. And in turn, I bet you will feel more loved and more satisfied! But it all first hinges on our delight and satisfaction in the Lord Jesus. Seek Him. Love Him. And then we will have the ability to love others.  

What are some ways that you can show your husband love this week?

What are some areas that maybe you have just been seeking your own interests?

Take time to just tell HIM and him how much you love them!