18 July 2007

What I have in common with Sarah

Last week I was struggling with my attitude pretty much every other minute. I absolutely needed a muzzle for my mouth so that I would stop snapping at my children. One morning I actually seriously considered putting some duct tape over my mouth. (Until one millisecond later when I thought of the pain of ripping it off and decided that would be a no.) And my husband-- oh, poor guy-- patiently put up with more criticism and irritability than anyone ever ought to. I wish I could say it was just an off week. But this does occur approximately once a month in my life, and in the lives of all who suffer living with me during that time. (My apologies to the one male reader who occasionally checks in --hi, Dan!-- but that's the extent of that kind of talk, I promise.)

This excerpt from John MacArthur's book Twelve Extraordinary Women gave me such hope. In this portion he is writing about Abraham's wife Sarah.

Let's be honest: there are times in the biblical account when Sarah comes off as a bit of a shrew. She was the wife of the great patriarch Abraham, so we tend to think of her with a degree of dignity and honor. But reading the biblical account of her life, it is impossible not to notice that she sometimes behaved badly. She could throw fits and tantrums. She knew how to be manipulative. And she was even known to get mean. At one time or another, she exemplified almost every trait associated with the typical caricature of a churlish woman. She could be impatient, temperamental, conniving, cantankerous, cruel, flighty, pouty, jealous, erratic, unreasonable, a whiner, a complainer, or a nag. By no means was she always the perfect model of godly grace and meekness.
On a week when I was displaying just about every single one of those unbecoming traits in the above list, I was so heartened to remember this part: Sarah's name was among those listed in Hebrews' Hall of Faith.

Oh, and because I spent most of last week being so cranky-- and making Mark feel so unlikeable-- I've purposed this week to go a bit out of my way to tell him how much I *do* like him! Each day this week I'm posting a new list up on the wall containing Reasons why I like Mark [today]...

13 comments:

  1. Sounds familiar to me... I know those moments very well...

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  2. Oh, Stacy. Were you watching me last night? Thankfully, my hubby was gone, but my thoughts were awful. Terrible. Shrewish.

    Think I'll go make my list right now.

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  3. Very encouraging! I also can relate. Thank you for this reminder...I can easily become numb to this kind of behavior.

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  4. Oh, that sounds familiar.
    Great idea and thanks for the reminder in this.

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  5. This is great! I love your honesty.
    Here's me:
    Mike walks in: "You O.K.?
    Me: Babe. Nothing is right, right now. You really have done nothing wrong. It's just me. Give me 24 hours. I may need more. Don't take it personnaly. I'm not. This is serious.
    Mike: Thanks for the warning.
    And he laughs.

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  6. Stacy~

    How sweet, your little lists for your man! Think I'll file that away in my mind for a necessary moment. Wait, why not start now?

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  7. Dana,
    Yeah, I do a little of that, too. Sometimes I preface or follow up my criticism with, "But don't take this too seriously. I'm sure I won't feel this way in another couple of days." (The problem is that I go ahead and dump my irritabilities anyway!)
    *Sigh* Thankfully I married a good man and he doesn't hold it against me! :)
    ~Stacy

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  8. This is why women need to be married to men! I can so relate. I am so guilty of this. And am so thankful that Mike does not fall to this same sin.
    I am thankful that we have a savior who did not sin in this way and we have the Holy Spirit to help us toward godliness.
    How wonderful, to look forward to that day when our tongue and attitudes cause us to sin no more!
    Love ya friend,
    Amy

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  9. Oh that's so cute - "Reasons Why I Like Mark"! I love it!
    I can join you, and Sarah, in that once-a-month club mean club; it is such a battle, and I always come out the other side wishing I had kicked it's behind, rather than it kicking mine. Next month!

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  10. Stacy, were you peeking through my windows last night??? :)

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  11. Mad Cow Disease (PMS)... I was suffering from this last week and also thought a muzzle on my face might do my family some good!!
    Then I remembered the very thing that takes the edge off MadCow... Evening Primrose Oil. I have no idea why this works, but it really does. I read it on one of those health-nut websites and thought I might as well give it a try. Praise God it works enough to make it worth it.
    Love your blog!

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  12. Thank you so much for your transparency! I love the encouragement you give in marriage. And boy can I relate about my bad attitudes!

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