When We Begin To Sound Like A Faucet With A Slow Drip…
“A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold something with greased hands.” Proverbs 27:15-16, NLT
Do you every wonder if Solomon lived with a quarrelsome and moody wife? I am just speculating here but out of seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, there was surely a few surly ones in the bunch (1 Kings 11:1-3). What in the world was he thinking? He laments about his struggles at least five times in Proverbs.
Sometimes we just want to be a whiny hiny. And sometimes we feel so unheard that we think repeating, insisting, pleading and well, nagging, will certainly bring action. What’s a girl (or a guy) to do?
Being apart of the solution irons out the deep creases nagging presses in.
Lary and I have both lived in Nagging Nellie’s skin, whether it was his displeasure at my tardiness or my aggravation with his messiness. How do we handle those issues that just drive us crazy?
We take control of our actions. “The reality of boundaries in marriage is that no matter what the issue in your marriage, you need to take the initiative to solve it.” Boundaries In Marriage – Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
Lary began to go to church separately from me and I began to put all of his stuff in his office to wait until he had time to put it away. You know, the out of sight, out of my mind thing. Once we each decided to work on a solution ourselves it sure became much more peaceful. As time has passed, we have both worked harder to be apart of the solution for each other. Giving each other a gift of changing something within ourselves that is really important to the other.
I don’t want to be know as being moody and grumpy, do you? If Lary ever writes a proverb, I don’t want it to read, “It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome Carmen in a lovely home.”
Linking with Messy Marriage, Intentionally Pursuing-Intentional Tuesday and, Purposeful Faith-#raralinkup
Oh Carmen! I just loved and laughed as I read your post. I am the messy gal on this side of the laptop. :) My husband, not so much as late, but so often not concerned about being on time. This weekend we both worked together on those little things, and it was actually fun! I worked on my messy, out of sorts cupboards and he left when I said it was time. Your encouragement is timely! Thanks!
Kelly I love a good teamwork story! So glad you came for a visit.
Carmen, I love the wisdom in your words to take the initiative and become part of the solution. My struggle is then not proclaiming my grand gesture, which is still complaining. I pray I apply your words … quietly. Thank you, Carmen, for sharing your heart and linking up at #IntentionalTuesday on Intentionally Pursuing. : )
You made me smile Crystal, “quietly”. I mean, if they don’t notice our sacrifice, maybe we need to shine the light on those grand gestures. Been there but so has my hubby so we just forgive each other. Glad you stopped by friend.
You make-uh me smile. Soloman, oh my goodness! I pictured hormones a-flying. No wonder he lamented. lol Your point, though, my friend, is spot on. Your experience in marriage leaves me wanting to come back here time and again to glean the wisdom. #intentionTuesday
That Solomon. It’s hard to feel sorry for him isn’t it Kristi? Glad you visit me often cause I love your visits :)
Whiny…gripy…selfish. So me…so often. Thanks for the reminder that I don’t have to be this way. With the Lord’s help, I can change. And it is up to me to do so. Love you, Carmen!
Love you Sabra! I consider you and David marriage experts so it’s good to know, I’m not alone. I mean, not good that you struggle too but good to know even the experts do :)
I am so guilty of being a nagger! I love that we really CAN take things into our own hands and make changes. And we don’t have to feel guilty for doing so! Thanks for writing this :) Visiting from Intentional Tuesday!
We can take charge of our actions. Now, Lary didn’t always enjoy lots of stuff piled up in his office and I must admit that aggravation set in sometimes as him left without me but, it’s was the wise thing to do. So glad you stopped by Rachel.
Carmen, with 700 wives, I’m willing to bet that Solomon had more than just a few persnickity wives. Oh I think I transformed into a complainer when I married! Part of Satan’s design to destroy marriages, I’m sure. I love this tip on working for practical solutions. My husband goes downstairs to get our car ready now when I’m running late. And he’s written himself a note to empty out pants pockets and taped it to our dirty clothes hamper, so that I won’t be forever telling him to do it!
Oh those are good tips Betsy. On a side note, why would you want 700 wives? He might have been wise, but was he smart? The beginning of his downfall was wife #2. God said don’t do it and he thought himself so wise, he did. Wait, that sounds like Eve and…maybe me sometimes.