I used to be a teacher, so I LOVE themes. I love that without meaning to, this week, Nina and I both blogged about humility. (See her’s here and mine here.) We don’t plan these things, but God is really cool and does stuff like this all the time.
So at the end of my post, I said I would, Lord willing, talk about humility in marriage. This isn’t quite about marriage, but this is what I got.
Saturday we were at a family meal, and my cousin saw me using her hand-me-down baby carrier. I told her I didn’t know what I’d do without it – my little guy lives in this thing with his desire to be held all the time. She’s a Supermom so I was shocked when she told me her 3rd was the same way and she would put him in it and let him cry with her ear buds in but she knew he was safe, even if she couldn’t listen to the crying anymore.
Monday, my husband left for his first ever business trip – a whole week on the west coast. I am so happy for and proud of him, but I knew this week would be hard. I can’t remember Monday. I know I survived. But it was a hard day. I ended up taking the little guy to the chiropractor with me and imploring him that something MUST be wrong with him because he cries SO much and I don’t know what to do. The Dr. asked a lot of questions which, at the end, told me that nothing was wrong with my baby. He is just different than his sister, and perhaps a little more needy.
Now, did I know this already? Yes, of course. He’s 8 weeks old and he cries a lot. I knew he was different than her and that as much as I had told myself I knew they would be different, I wasn’t ready for it.
Why did these two incidences have such a huge impact on me? Because someone else said it was ok. I wasn’t just hanging out on my island of self pity and I wasn’t complaining to my sister and hoping she would say it’s ok. I heard that other people do this too, can you believe it? And they survive! Their kids are well adjusted, play with their siblings, and still love their parents. Incredible.
So Tuesday, my little guy cried a little more because his sister was a little more needy and I can’t hold them both at once. I discovered that he finally likes his swing, if he’s sitting a certain way. He fell asleep – on his own – two times that day.
But the amazing part was Wednesday. He slept in his swing. ALL. DAY. LONG. I only had to hold him while he slept for an hour. And he went to bed at 7! And slept through till 4:30 am and that’s only because my hair tickled him when I bent down to check on him.
In the middle of all this, my daughter has been waking up from naps and sleeping with dry diapers, so I decided to really kick the potty training into gear (I know, what was I thinking?) and making her go instead of just asking her. And she’s doing it. ALL. DAY. LONG.
I text my husband Wednesday night and told him what happened. Thinking about it right now I have tears in my eyes. I told him how the day went and said I was so happy I could cry. His response was incredible.
“You are supermom.”
I thought to myself, yeah, I could take credit for this but I didn’t DO anything. I got great encouragement, just when I needed it. I let myself loosen up when I needed to most. My kids are wonderful. I have a lot of help. But mostly GOD is good and gave me TONS of what I needed, exactly when I needed it to put together a beautiful picture of humility.
My response to my husband was that I had nothing to do with it and that I was just so thankful.
God is good. I am in utter amazement of that feeling of humility as it washes over me.
I feel like this Psalm is what my heart is singing. Psalm 4-:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
Even speaking about this humility feels prideful. That is not my intention. My intention is to encourage you because I KNOW that He will also give you what you need when you need it. Seek Him and cry out to Him. Your patience may have to last a long time or a short time, but it’s God’s timing that will put a new song in your mouth.
Dare you today to seek encouragement if you need it and definitely give encouragement to others around you.
Share some encouragement you have received or given that has helped you learn about humility. I’d love to hear from you.
I forwarded this to my daughter- in-law with two young kids:)
Thanks, Annie!
My lesson is in being humble before God.. I’ve struggled to do things “my way” and have fallen into that slimy pit. I bowed down and submitted my self to God’s will and he has pulled me out hosed me off and clothed me in my royal robe… I continue in humility to show the world that I am a gentle creature who went astray for a while and thought I needed to fight. Gods love and peace has helped me through this difficult time in my life. I pray daily to not fall back in. 30 days to make a habit.. I was almost there last month.. This month and all that follow will be walked with The Lord as he is my comforter and deliverer. I know he has forgiven me, but humans take longer to get there so until I’m forgiven by those on earth, I take comfort on knowing God has used this tragedy for good
Tiffanie – Don’t we all struggle to do things our own way? Have you checked out “The Respect Dare”? It’s a 40 day journey. It’s like your comment about 30 days to make a habit. I’m glad you’re here and sharing with us! -Leah