Absence Makes The Heart Grow Thankful ~ Angie Maldonado

As a military family, my husband and I are often separated for months at a time.  During those periods, the challenges of being a full-time mommy and daddy and chief manager of all household decisions are numerous and sometimes overwhelming.  It becomes easy to visualize why God's perfect plan for a family involves both a mother and a father.  It is during these periods of absence that my heart overflows with thankfulness for my husband and his diligent fulfillment of his roles as husband and father in our family.  And, I realize I need to thank him more.

I also realize I need to thank him more often than periods of absence.  Many of you who are with your husband's daily and it can be easy to stray from thankfulness to complaining.  Why is it so easy to notice all the things someone does wrong?  "There sits the garbage, not taken out again...He's not leading our family spiritually like Sally's husband." When we let complaining kick in, it can certainly overshadow goodness. Philippians 2:14 tells us, "Do everything without complaining or arguing." James 5:9 says, "Don't grumble against each other..."

Instead, our Heavenly Father wants us to build each other up.  That building up should occur directly to your spouse and behind his back.  I can't prove it, but I think we might get extra points for building up our husbands to others when our husbands are not around.  Ephesians 4:29 tells us not to let "any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."  Saying kind things about your other half will definitely benefit him.  Have you ever thought about it benefiting others who listen?

During your girl chat time, share a few positive comments about your husband.  I bet it encourages your friend to think positively about her own husband.  Isn't it harder to complain when the person you're with is thankful?  It also develops a good habit in you.  When you start thinking on things that are pure, good, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), you may be surprised how your thankfulness grows and how you begin to notice more positive attributes of your husband.

In a recent message, my pastor gave a wonderful illustration of the difference between eating God's Word and swallowing it.  Revelation 10:10 talks about John eating God's Word (the scroll) and it being sweet like honey.  God's Word sounds wonderful when we read it and hear it, but sometimes swallowing it, or applying it, can bring conviction, or bitterness, as John shares in Revelation.  Take His Words we have read today and swallow them. Allow them to be sweet like honey, but know that you've swallowed them if they also hold a little bitterness and conviction.  Let the bitterness prompt you to apply His truth.  Be thankful for your husband and share your thankfulness with him and with others. 

~ Angie Maldonado is a home schooling mom of two girls (ages 3 and 5) and an Army wife. Her greatest goal in life is to leave a remarkable spiritual legacy to her two girls and to see them mature with hearts to serve the Lord.  She enjoys crafting, reading, and of course, writing.  She is working on her first book dedicated to encouraging women to let their lights shine for the Lord Jesus.