Example #1: This week I diligently folded an ENTIRE load of dirty laundry--a mistake made possible by the fact that my one laundry machine is both washer and dryer. The washer/dryer combo is notorious for producing hideously wrinkled clothes, so the condition of the load was not exactly shocking. After I hastily (but neatly) folded AND put away a load of clothes AND re-loaded the machine with a new load of dirty clothes, I opened the Soap Tray only to discover it was full of unused detergent.
I then went and smelled some of the clothes that I had just put away and realized what I had done. I regathered the load from around the house, praying I hadn't forgotten anything. I UNLOADED the clothes I had just loaded, UNFOLDED the clothes I had just folded, RELOADED the machine, and finally started the cycle, all the while wondering, "Who in the world would put a load of laundry in the washing machine, add the soap, and then hesitate or wait to start the washing process? Of course that very person might ask, "Who in the world would fold a load of laundry without first verifying that it is, indeed, clean?"
Example #2: David completed our taxes over a week ago, but he didn't file them. He went through and re-checked every single line and number on Tuesday, but he didn't submit them. Today I asked if our taxes were done and he said, "I just want to look over them once more before I actually send them."
Thorough, he is. Fast, he is not.
Sometimes his "aiming" drives me crazy. "For heaven's sake," I think, "Just get 'er done!" He does tend to over-think things. But how many times has his careful reflection saved my impulsive butt? More times than I can count!
Today I am feeling ever-so-thankful for my careful husband. God uses David to help me slow down, which seems to be a life-long lesson for me. I know he is the pilot, but in all honesty, I am the one who likes to go Mach 10 with my hair on fire! David reminds me to savor moments, to smell the roses, and to take pleasure in the process.
I have memorized a verse from the Bible that speaks to this weakness of mine. It is Proverbs 19:2 and it says:
It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.
Zeal? I got it!
Hasty? That's me.
Miss the way? Yeah. I do that, too. (See ex. 1)
I guess you could say that I'm working on my aim.
Love all your posts, Jenn, but this one truly speaks to me. David and Darwin are "cut from the same cloth" and your responses seem very familiar to me... Thank you, God, for our guys!!
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