Remember my sin issue of being easily irritated? I was thinking about one of those irritating habits my dear husband has - laundry. He doesn't always put his dirty clothes where I think he should. I haven't asked him to put his clothes somewhere special, just put them in the hamper. He's smart, he can see a hamper for dirty clothes. It isn't hidden away, he just can't always seem to ring it. He isn't sinning against me, sometimes, he just doesn't put his clothes where I want.

I can choose to let that make me mad. I can let that fester into a raging blister that gnaws at me - he doesn't care about me, I have so much work to do, he doesn't respect my job, he wants me to have more work to do, he doesn't love me, he wants to hurt me, etc. Do you see how easy it is for me to sin against him over something as ridiculous as dirty socks?

Even airing his dirty laundry here (pun intended) may give rise to my sinful heart. I have to turn from this train of thought and repent.

Don't we all have a way to do things? And isn't it the right way to do that thing? Whether it's laundry, dishes, filing, cutting the grass, cutting nails, reading a book, anything can be said that there is a certain way to do things.

Whose way is correct? It doesn't matter. What matters is our attitude. Look at what the Bible says about those we claim to love -

It does not insist on its on way: it is not irritable or resentful. I Corinthians 13:5

So when we are easily irritated by someone we love doing something we think should be done a different we we need to remember Scripture - 

...bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3 

Now I could roll out a list a mile long of things my husband does that is irritating. And my daughters... well let's just say the same goes double for them. But I love them, I love them more than I can explain. Because the Bible is where I get definitions of how I should live, I Corinthians 13 is key. 

I have read all of that chapter, especially verse four. Love is not arrogant either. In my arrogance, I could think that I'm not irritating or insist on my own way. We are all in need of the same love that we need to give. More on that later....

One thing I dearly love about my husband is how he loves the children. And he makes awesome pancakes!