Get Past Those Habits that Drive You Insane

If you were to ask my husband to tell you the one thing I do that gets on his nerves, without a doubt he'll tell you that it's the sound I make when I'm scratching my throat. The first time I ever did it around him, he spun around and looked at me like I was a kitten stuck in the garburator.

And if you were to ask me to consider a few of Michael's quirks, "cereal" would definitely be at the top of my list. Since it's a well known fact around here, I don't think that Michael would mind me telling you he loves cereal more than the average person should. In and of itself cereal isn't a problem, but after several years it got to be a point of contention between us.

Here's the thing... once we got comfortable as a couple, Michael started asking if it was okay to have cereal instead of the dinner I cooked. At first I didn't mind too much thinking that maybe this dish or that dish wasn't his thing, but when he started repeating this behavior time and again I got discouraged about cooking a meal for myself and later for me and the kids.

Can you sense how much this got under my skin?

There's always communication. But when we communicate our desire to have things a certain way, it's not always met with our expectations. I knew a girl once who told me that her husband left his socks on the back of the couch. Yeah--right there by her head. Every day he did the same thing and it started to drive her insane. Of course she told him about it, but things didn't change.

When we don't get our way, we have a choice. One--we can go out of our mind with frustration that builds over the years to point where we don't even know what we're even angry about any more, or two--we can choose to focus on the positive and respect the differences that we have.

Getting along has everything to do with putting aside your desire to have things your way so that you might strengthen the bond of unity.

With maturity, communication, and time we finally came to appreciate each others differences and make inroads toward respect. Eight times out of ten Michael will eat what I've made for dinner unless it disagrees with his stomach and I'll often go hunting for funky cereal bowls that add to the collection he has.

I love the fact that he's willing to give up cereal for a sense of peace in our home and I know he appreciates that I give him freedom in this area to make his own choice!

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ~ Ephesians 4:1-3

You are loved by an almighty God,



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