Canaan's Story (Part Two)

I would like to dedicate chapter two of Canaan's Story to my man!

My hunk a burnin' love:

This is where I would have to strongly disagree with the argument that submission is bondage for the wife. That a woman should be "equal" to her husband and we should be able to be strong individual women able to stand alone should we someday not have our husbands.

This theory completely misses the point and takes the word submission out of context. It is not becoming a slave, but rather taking on the robe of a servant's heart. It is not about being able to bring home an income...you can have a fabulous job and even be the sole bread winner for your family and still practice true submission. Let your man be a man. Let him be your hero. Support his decisions even when you believe things should be different. Pray for him if you believe he is making a mistake. You can still voice your concerns, but pray about them first and if you still feel let to say something...say it with a meek and quiet spirit.

Two women:

There was a woman whom was not content in her own home, her needs were not being met and she needed change. So, she nagged, argued and spoke condescendingly toward her husband. In turn her husband either

1: Slowly looses confidence, cowers to his wife and she gets her way.

2: Slowly looses respect for his wife, can't stands her and she gets her way just as long as he can work extra hours so as not to have to listen to her.

Or

There was a wife whom CHOSE to be content, CHOSE to show her husband respect, CHOSE to allow him to make decisions even when they seemed to be the wrong ones, CHOSE to have a servant's heart, CHOSE to make him her hero.

This woman also remembers that:

Even though her husband isn't very good at comforting, she serves the Master Comforter.

Even though her husband isn't always able to provide her wants, she serves a God that promises to meet all her needs.

Even though her husband may make her cry now and then, she is daughter to a Father that collects all her tears.

Even though her husband doesn't always know what to say when she is ill, she serves the Ultimate Physician (thanks Raquel for that reminder) and...

Even though her husband doesn't pick up all his dirty socks, dishes and messes, she serves a God that holds the keys to her heavenly inheritance!

What freedom a man feels when he is released from all these burdens!

In turn he:

Wears the pants and takes pride in his family. The woman his wife is becoming is someone he loves to please. When the guys are talking about their nagging wives, he has nothing to say. He would give anything to protect her and cherishes her as a woman, wife and mother. She is valuable to him. *Yes in Canaan's Story I am going to use an example of Phil and I, but this is an area I still struggle in. God used Canaan's birth to show me that when I do CHOOSE to be obedient to God towards my husband, great is the reward. I by no means have accomplished this in my everyday life and it has been a slow journey...I have been the first woman, but by the grace of God am striving to be the second woman.

CANAAN'S STORY (Part 2)

We got back from a trip to California in November and since I had been home, I had a lingering sense of urgency. Not really sure what for, but I felt God was preparing me for something.

Right after Christmas, that urgency surfaced and I felt I needed to begin preparing for the baby. Not just the little things, I mean sewing clothes, diaper bag, cooking freezer meals, purchasing all the things we needed such as car seat, bed, diapers, clothes etc. (I did mention that after Sophie, Phil once again said we were done and to get rid of everything! I was being a good submissive wife and DID get rid of EVERYTHING...there are sometimes consequences to our hubby's decisions ;) )

This is where Phil comes in. He did not once question me on why I was feeling this way so early. Nor did he ever get annoyed or angry when I was telling him over and over, "I think we just need to get all this done. I am so nervous something is going to happen." He opened his pocket book, tight as it was and asked me where we need to start. He took me on numerous trips into town to shop. He bought me a bigger vehicle that was 4 wheel drive just in case something did happen and I needed to get out in the snow.

The day I told him I thought something wasn't right, he didn't laugh when I told him about my braxton hicks contractions (even though I had them for all my children rather early) and didn't roll his eyes when I told him I thought the baby was kicking too much. He just simply said, "Let's go to the doctor."

I did warn you that I am a work in progress, so I declined his offer to drive and drove myself. There are consequences to being a stubborn woman, and in this case it was being alone in a hospital room, being airlifted alone to a hospital further away and humbling beyond belief!

So you see, in my LONG journey to becoming a submissive wife, I am not becoming a doormat. Rather I am blessed to be loved by such a wonderful man. One whom takes care of me, loves me in spite of myself and inspires me to be a better woman.

I love you Phil, and I am so happy God gave me you to walk this road with. Thank you for being so patient with me and for noticing the small steps I am taking to become the Godly wife you deserve.

Thankyou Holy Spirit for speaking to my heart and prompting me to prepare and for giving Phil and I the wisdom to go in to be seen by the doctor.