Wednesday, March 09, 2005

A Light Bulb Experience

The light fixture in my closet was broken. Every time I pulled four turtlenecks out of the closet so that I could see what color they were, I grumbled. “Hubby knows how to change this light fixture and I do not. Why doesn’t he fix it?”

I remember someone telling me that marriage is not a 50/50 affair. We don’t give half of the time and take half--it includes our giving 100%. At the time I thought that statement to be ridiculous. I’ve found, however, that being content requires our accepting the responsibility of it all. When I see it as MY task and he chooses to fix it, I can be grateful. When I see it as HIS task, I’ll want to say, “It took you long enough!”

So here is the light fixture. Once I started doing it, hubby decided he better be sure I didn’t electrocute myself and he “supervised”. Next time I will know how to do it.


Purple, blue, green, and pink…the colors in my closet are back!



I did it myself! Posted by Hello

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Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Do you have any light fixtures in your life? When we think we are giving 100%, I’m certain that we are not. Perhaps it is truly closer to that 50% that we think we should give. Go ahead. Change the light bulb…

Blessings.

3 comments:

Kim said...

When I was first married, my mother warned me that marriage was indeed not a 50/50 affiar. She said, "If you each only give 50% how do you think you will be in ten years?"

I strugged for years against "his" chores and "my" chores. As time as gone by, I've just learned to accept, without grumbling (well, most of the time I don't grumble) the tasks God has set before me.

Thanks for this Jean. It was a well-needed reminder.

Anonymous said...

So true, Jean. I learned long ago, being a military wife, that marriage is NOT 50/50. My philosophy is that sometimes you give more than you think you can, and in return you receive more than you ever expected. I figure it'll even out in about 50 years of marriage! LOL

Jill

Anonymous said...

Jean, my girls and I enjoyed looking through your photos and writings. We got a good laugh, though, when I told them, "Oh, I just read here where she was quoting Matthew 5:9-- "Blessed are the peacemakers," and was wondering why she was saying, "Blessed are the pancakes!" My tired eyes are ready for bed 8-)!

In the Orthodox Church, from the closing of our Easter service and all through the Easter season we greet each other by saying- "Christ is Risen!" and then it is customary to reply with- "Truly He is risen!" Have a blessed week, Jean.

Anna, still thinking of blessed pancakes!