Episode #62 - A Worthy Woman & Mr. Mom

My wife is off on a girls trip only, so I am hope playing Mr. Mom to my two wonderful children through next Monday. My wife is the sweetest - she was worried about going and leaving me with the kids all by myself, but mostly she felt like she didn't deserve this trip and this break. But nothing could be further from the truth. She works so hard, and I need to show her my gratitude. Well...the Bible teaches that a worthy woman is just that, worthy. Our wives are worthy of our praise, our support, our help, our love. They do more than we ever could, and we need to ensure that we show them our gratitude and their great value. 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

Welcome back to all of our listeners! I’m BJ Sipe, and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above podcast – where everyday ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths. I’m so glad that you’ve tuned in today, I am excited to share my life and my faith with you, and I sure hope that you’ll do the same with me along the way. 

Maybe by saying this you will have either the song or the movie stuck in your head, but starting from early this morning clear through next Monday night, I am very excited to get to play the part of Mr. Mom! A few months ago, my wife planned a trip with our dear friend Emily Jackson, who is better known around here as Aunt Emy, to go Charleston, South Carolina. It’s a girls trip only, which means no babies, no husbands, and no responsibilities. Kylie has been second guessing going on this trip for a few reasons leading up to today. First, she was worried about leaving the kids for that long. She has never been away from Dane for longer than one night, so this will be a new experience for her. I think secretly she was also worried about leaving the kids with me for that long too – not because I can’t do it, but because she knows my busy work schedule and didn’t want the kids to wear me out. Quite the contrary, I have been so looking forward to this! I do work a lot, and I get almost a whole week with just me and the kids. They were perfect this morning – we woke up, did French toast for breakfast, played music, had a dance party, and then watched our favorite shows before lunch and naptime. I am absolutely going to love being Mr. Mom, but that doesn’t make it easy at all. That leads me to Kylie’s second reason she was second guessing this trip – she’s spent the past week telling me that she doesn’t deserve a trip like this or to get this extended break away for herself. But let me tell you, nothing can be further from the truth. Taking care of the kids on my own I know is going to have me exhausted come the weekend, but that’s exactly what my wife does day in and day out for our family. She cooks, she cleans, she does laundry, she takes kids to the bathroom, she changes diapers, she takes them to appointments, makes phone calls, teaches, disciplines, all of it. While of course I do my best to help her with all of these things, it is no secret that our family is so dependent upon her and how tirelessly she works for us. There is no other woman that I know that is more deserving of a trip like this than my selfless and loving wife. I hope that she has the most wonderful time and gets all caught up on her rest and returns feeling energized and refreshed. In the meantime, I’ve got some noses to wipe and tushies to wipe, so I hope you won’t mind that our podcast schedule might be slightly off this week. I will be doing my best to write these the night before and record them during the kids’ naptime, but if one ends up needing to be recorded after they go to bed just look for it around 9 pm if it doesn’t come out between 2-5 pm. 

I want to read from Proverbs 31 today, a well known passage that highlights a worthy woman. After we read this, I want to speak to both husbands and wives for a brief moment before we conclude our podcast. Let’s begin in Proverbs 31:10-31, “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.” While we don’t have time to break down everything in this text, I want to speak to husbands first, and I want you to notice the selflessness with which this woman is described. She thinks ahead on how to care for her family. When someone needs to be tended to in the night, she’s the one to do it. She’s up early, even though she’s tired, to start loving and caring for her family. She uses wisdom, courage, and kindness to accomplish all that she does. She is an example for her husband, and for her children. I’m guessing that these descriptions are also a pretty good description of your wife and all the things that she does, just like they are of my own wife. Now let me ask you this question: do we value our wives like we really should? No matter how hard we try to be Mr. Mom, God has designed men and women very differently. We simply cannot do the things that our wives do, and they are absolutely and entirely beyond comparison in their worth. If you’ve found a good woman, you’d better treat her accordingly and show her your gratitude and love. Now, to you wives, those of you listening in right now – don’t you ever forget how important you are. Our creator says that you are worthy of praise. You do more than we could ever possibly express with our words, but we will certainly do our best to try and demonstrate that gratitude. You deserve the breaks. You deserve the help. You deserve the praise. You deserve our love. You are irreplaceable – and don’t ever forget it. This one especially goes out to my wife who is somewhere in South Carolina as we speak. I love you sweetheart – thank you for making me and our children better and more like Jesus every single day by your example and love. 

Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Fridays, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and video sessions. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.