Pet Peeve! Negative "About the Spouse Talk"..........

                     One of my biggest pet peeves has to do with casual negative "about the spouse" conversation. I have the most wonderful spouse. He cooks, cleans, works at his job, and helps me with my ministry. No he is not Superman, he doesn't fly, he doesn't leap tall buildings, but he can fix just about anything. Many people have a spouse like that. The only problem is no one knows it. The reason lies in the way we have become a society of casual put downers. For many the spouse may have left panty hose in the shower, pop cans on the counter or the garage door may have been left gaping open. The focus at lunch, or the water cooler, is about the little things that don't really matter. My Grandma Jean used to tell people "Don't sweat the small fries".. I have used that advice in my marriage. I could choose to fly off about my husband's lack of discernment where the laundry pail is, or the fact that he doesn't do pots and pans beyond a venison cooking emergency. Instead I want to tell my friends that he works really hard, and really late. Sometimes he is so tired, he can only peal his clothing off at the foot of the bed and sleep.

                          Michigan has had abit of a lousy winter for snow, but we had cold days. My kids and I split, stacked, and chopped enough fire wood for a small country. I couldn't bear the thoughts of my husband coming home to a job like fire wood, after a long day at work. He goes to homes for each job as a paid television installer. Some of his clients are nuts, others leave huge messes in their homes that make his job awful.To me the laundry on the floor is a sign of his hard work, and not a lack of caring. I want people to consider the eyes they use to look on their spouses with. I always tell gossiping ladies that they are the best or worst mirror of their spouse. If they spew garbadge about him all day long, her friends will think he is garbadge too. I tell husbands who are nasty about wives that because of their words, others think she is nasty too, and by the way why did he choose a "nasty woman" as the mother of his children? I just want people to come to care about they way they speak about their spouse, and remember that marriage is a life long covenant. I know that we all have fights, and things that we disagree with our spouse over. I am not suggesting being sickenly sweet about things either. I am suggesting though, when we have something to say about the one we love, we say it to those who know them best. I always tell my sisters what is happening if I need to vent. The reason why is they love my husband like a brother. They think he can move mountains, and he puts up with me............