Today’s Post By: Rae Lynn DeAngelis
My husband and I wrestle over the right to control the thermostat in our home. When he’s cold, I’m hot. And when I’m cold, he’s burning up.
On a quest to regulate our personal level of comfort, our home’s thermostat fluctuates more than the stock exchange.
It seems our bodies function on completely different plains. But since my husband is the one paying the bills in our home, he has the final say. I can either bundle up or strip down.
Although Gerry assumes ultimate responsibility when it comes to heating and cooling our house, after thirty years of marriage, I’ve come to the conclusion that I wield a lot of influence when it comes to a different kind of temperature in our home.
The old adage, “if momma isn’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” carries a lot of truth.
As women we have been entrusted with a great deal of responsibility to nurture and care for the needs of our family. Part of our responsibility includes the temporal influence we have over our husband and children.
For me personally, anytime I become angry, upset, or stressed, my family quickly follows suit. On the opposite spectrum, when I’m even-keel with my emotions, our home is a pleasant environment. My emotions regulate the highs and lows of our home like a barometer.
If my husband comes home from work filled with stress, I can soften his disposition with a few carefully chosen words of encouragement, or magnify his anxiety by heaping grudges from my own day.
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” (Proverbs 31:10-12)
With great influence comes great responsibility!
Over the years I have learned to appreciate and respect my position of influence with careful restraint. The moment I begin sensing emotional instability in our home, I do a self-evaluation. What is the countenance of my own spirit? Am I stoking the fires of discord or fanning the flames of tranquility? Ultimately, my response is my responsibility.
Dear Lord, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 119:14)
