We had another meeting this past Saturday, so I decided to wait until today and post the lesson that we did. I took some things that were on my heart, for myself, and things that I am learning through different blogs, and church, and put it all together for our lesson this month. The title is a sounds a little harsh, but all of us girls found it funny, and everyone received a tote bag to go along with the lesson, and to serve as a reminder this month!
Are You An Nagging Old Bag?
(Be completely honest here! Remember only God will know if you are lying
but in order to help yourself grow as a Christian Woman we
all need to be truthful first with ourselves!)
1. Do you gossip about others?
2. Are you bored when no one else is around?
3. Are you unhappy with the way things are in general around your house?
4. Do you want things for yourself, or would you rather have something that your family or household could use?
5. Do you criticize your husband, family, or friends?
6. Do you mock your husband, family, or friends?
7. Are you disrespectful of your husband, family or friends?
8. Do you mope around and complain about your housework?
9. Do you complain about what your husband does around the house or at work?
10. Do you spend half the day talking on the phone, texting, on Face Book, watching TV, sleeping late, or surfing the web when you know that you should be doing other things?
Total Number for YES _______
Total Number for NO _______
So which is it ladies are you an old nagging bag? It is so easy to complain about every little thing! If you ask any random person how they are doing, what do you get? “Oh well I’ve been better, my gallbladders acting up again, I didn’t sleep last night, my dogs are barking, it’s hot, and well I went to the doctor 3 times this week, so you need to be praying for me.” Right...
Why can’t we tell people how our days are going with praise reports! God gave you the breath to wake up this morning, so use it to glorify His name and show gratitude! Psalms 150:6 says, “Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” I know it is hard even mutter nice words to our family when we are tired and aggravated. I get so aggravated when I start to do something and can’t get it done because someone drives up, or the phone rings, or someone else wants me to do something else for them.
The past few mornings it has taken me almost an hour just to get my Bible reading done. I don’t even want to mention how long it has taken to do other stuff around the house! It’s stressful. Then I stop and think... “Well, if you would have just got up an hour earlier, you could have gotten everything done.” Man, that’s just a slap in my face. (By my own hand!) Instead of getting aggravated at others, I should have really been aggravated at myself for not planning better.
I think all of this boils down to what kind of home do we have? Is it a peaceful home, where your husband can come home and relax after a hard days work? Or where your kids can play with out getting in trouble for disturbing the parents for watching television? Do you do the things that your husband asks you to do? Do you do the things that you know needs to be done? I know that it is very difficult to be a domestic engineer. (I got called that the other day and it tickled me pink!) But it is what we are called to do! It says in Titus 2:5, “To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Now I know that some women need to work, but that doesn’t mean that God, her husband, her kids, and lastly her house should be put on the back burner.
The more that we do when we have the time to do it, the easier our life is, when we are busy or need to be somewhere! That is something that I struggle with. Waiting until the last minute to do things, when I could have done them this morning instead of being on facebook! I’m not saying that women should work from sun up to sun down without ever sitting down. Not at all, I want to rest my old dogs after all, they aren’t getting any younger! I’m just saying that we should get the important things done first, so we can have time to spend with company when they come over. Or watch a movie with our husband. Or even play with our kids! By doing things on a regular basis, they take less time to do. Laundry doesn’t take all day, dishes won’t take hours to do, and cleaning the house is a breeze. (Or maybe just a small hurricane!) We need to find balance in our lives and the first step is to put God where he belongs. In Matthew 6:33 it says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” What things you ask? Anything that you really and truly need to survive is included in those things.
If we are hurting others with our words, complaining about our lives, being lazy and just plain selfish, how is that letting God shine in us? Everybody sees the way that we act. Total strangers will remember your face if you grip at a cashier. And trust me they will remember that face, and point you out to others! We need to be careful with our words and actions especially in our own houses. Don’t be the nagging old bag that everyone hates to be around. Be the cheerful, loving, hospitable, gracious, and humble woman God wants you to be! In Proverbs 27:15 is says, “A continual dropping in a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike.” Have you ever experience something like that? It’s annoying! That is what we are like when we are constantly complaining and nagging to our husbands, kids, families, friends, and strangers!
I want a peaceful home, where my husband can relax, my friends and family can come over to relax and visit peacefully. I really want the house to be more peaceful for me, most importantly! I know that I have the power to set the mood for the house. You know the saying, “Ain’t nobody happy, if Mama ain’t happy!” Try doing things that will make the rest of your day go a little bit easier. For example, I think my days would go a lot better, if I got up just a little bit earlier. Our goal this month is to pick one baby step, that we can work on the entire month, a step that will help us not to be an old nagging bag. Do that baby step, but also watch the words that come out of your mouth. But don’t let last months lesson fall to the way side. Keep reading your Bible daily, so that our lights can shine while we are making ourselves peaceful! Now you can use your bags to pack your Sunday things in, so you can get out the door a little bit faster for church! But every time you use that bag remember what you could be...An Old Nagging bag!!!!
“It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman!” Proverbs 21:19
What is your Baby Step? __________________________________________________________________
Ask someone to keep in touch with you to make sure you are doing this step!
Who did you ask? ________________________________
Who will you be helping this month? _____________________________
