Submission Part I

What does this picture have to do with submission?

So I promised to publish a post on submission. Oh, boy! Why did I decide to do this?! I don't know. Except to share with others what God has taught me over my many years of marriage. But just how does one do this gracefully? I'll do my best. As you read this, please keep in mind that I would never want to dishonor my husband. He is an amazing man and an awesome father. He is faithful, loyal, smart and he sacrifices so much for us. I am a lucky woman.

A number of years ago, I was at a small group meeting and I asked the other women: "Don't you find submission to be difficult? One of the younger, very sweet women said "No. Because I know he makes all the decisions with my best interest in mind."

I was so discouraged. I didn't always feel that way and I felt so alone in my attempts to understand the whole "submission" thing. Over the the years, I have only met three women who really understood and counseled me in a way to which I could relate.

Rob and I are so very different. Can I bore you with a few of those differences that have caused some sparks over the years?

• He hates to be early I hate to be late
• He loves risks I love security
• "night person" Yay, morning!
• He doesn't sleep sleep..... zzzzzzzzz
• He is high energy I am low energy
• He loves to be impulsive I hate surprises
• Logical emotional
• Bold Gentle
• Blunt Sensitive
• Unconventional Status Quo all the way
• White Cake/Chocolate icing Chocolate Cake/White icing

This list would go on and on for pages and pages. Now please do not think I am complaining. I think it has added a lot of variety to our lives and the children have benefitted from the diversity. But as we all know, when two people disagree about something, someone has to "win". Now I can always let my preferences be known to him, but he has a strong personality. I am very accomodating (although stubborn on certain issues.) And he rarely makes a decision based on what others think he should do or based upon what I "want." He makes decisions based on what he thinks others need. So I have fought and cried and complained my way through a LOT of our decisions. But I recognize that God's word is true and there is that whole thing that Paul wrote about the wife honoring the husband. If you don't believe in the bible, you may as well stop reading right now because you will be disgusted with my archaic ideas and this post will only frustrate you. But if you want to see what I have learned about this, come back and I will explain what the wallpaper picture has to do with submission.