Some Assembly Required

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”        Gen 2:18

The weekend before school begins can be a frenzied time.  Summer is over and real life is about to hit full force as alarm clocks, bagged lunches and homework come back into focus.  Labor Day weekend is a time to take a breath and gear up for the next season.  If you are mindful, you can make it significant by setting a beautiful table and sharing summertime memories over a special meal.

I am not mindful.

Ask my husband and he might mention that sometimes not only am I not mindful but sometimes I am not thoughtful either.  Which is ironic because it was my desire to bless him that got us into trouble in the first place.  Like any homemaker, I am forever looking for ways to improve my surroundings without spending any money.  My latest budget adventure had been to purchase a second hand Ikea loft bed (for a screech of a deal) from a dear woman and to bring it home to him unannounced.  He looked surprised.  When I suggested that he help me put it together, he didn’t look surprised any more.  He didn’t look anything actually, because he has a really good poker face.    What should have been crossing his countenance was a look of amazement, then horror, then frustration.  Instead he stared at me blankly, plastered a grin on his face and said “Okay.”   

He is a prince.

It is a well-known fact that people who write instruction manuals for a living hate people.  Not just people, but humanity at large.  Masquerading as individuals who pay attention to detail, these maladjusted wordsmiths are out to take anyone down who fancies themselves handy with a screwdriver.  Equipped with translation software, they hate in many languages.  Something should be done to stop them.

Instructions can be helpful if you learn by reading.  If you are a kinesthetic learner, you might as well bash your hand with a hammer at the outset of the project because the manual writing reprobates have your number.  My husband is aware that written directions mean little to me; armed with this knowledge we began to assemble the bed. 

If anyone asks me how I know Jesus is alive, I won’t quote scripture, I’ll point to my man.  Without the Lord, neither of us would be here. When we were in our 20’s we had to instate a rule of silence before church on Sundays, because it was the only way we could get to church on time.  Without fail some quarrel would break out Sunday morning that was so volatile we would sit in the parking lot and argue.  I would have blamed spiritual forces were it not for my vicious temper.  I would rather have taken the credit.

For the first 7 years of our marriage my husband would continually tell me, “We are on the same side.  We don’t need to argue, we are on the same team. In fact, we are the team!”  It was a mantra and it was sorely needed.  I didn’t play well in groups.  But God is amazing.  We were now 4 hours into a project, laughing because we had come to an impasse.  I had interrupted him three times after asking his opinion and in retaliation he ran away with the tools so I couldn’t do anything. We managed to put the darn bed together without arguing. Shouting, laughing, teasing, eye rolling, but no arguing.  I can tell you honestly, that only the power of Jesus made that possible.  Without him, it would have been war-zone.  At the end of the day, I was very thankful.

What about you friend,  

How is your husband or wife? When the tension rises, do you know how to argue lovingly?  Are you arguing the point or the person?  Are you known as people who work together or against each other when things go sideways?   I hope as the years pass you are learning how to play on the same team.  I pray that when you argue, you will pray at the same time. That by asking for help, the Lord will get you on the same team.  If He can do it for me, He can do it for you. 

I’m praying for you this week,

xoxKaren