Rah, Rah, Rah

The other day I was listening to Klove and the deejay was telling a story about her husband.  The husband had been trying to lose weight the past couple of months.  He had lost over 50 pounds so far and was trying to stay on the healthy diet he had established.  The deejay was having a family get together and was in the kitchen make an appetizer with her husband.  She was making little smokies, wrapped in bacon (mmmm...bacon), covered in brown sugar.  Her husband was helping her.  She said while he was helping he said, "Maybe next time you could make something a little healthier I could eat."  It was not said in a malicious, rude, or mean way and the wife did not take it that way.  She felt convicted for not helping her husband in a way that she could with his diet.  She talked about encouraging him, being his cheerleader.  Not only verbally, but by doing things she knows would help him. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 

Of course, this made me start thinking.  Since I have started walking, the officer has not missed an opportunity to tell me that he is proud of me.  We've been married almost 14 years and he knows me.  He knows I am not a morning person.  He knows I like to sleep in.  He knows I do not like people (i.e. husband or children) chatting it up with me in the morning.  He knows me.  So when he see me getting up, often by 6:30 a.m. nowadays, he encourages me and tells me he's proud of me.  When he tells me he notices a difference in my attitude, he encourages me.  When he tells me, "You look pretty today." or "Those shorts look good on you.", he encourages me.  He had noticed small things and make them known to me. 

Proverbs 25:11
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. 

It makes me feel good to know my husband is proud of me.  It makes me feel good to know he is notices the hard work.  It makes me feel good to know he knows the struggles I have and wants to cheer me on. 

Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad. 

Then.... as I was listening to the deejay the other day, I started to feel convicted.  I know I do not do the same thing for him.  One of the officer's top five love languages are words of affirmation.  That's why is he so good at the encouraging.  Me?  Not so much.  I think words of affirmation may be like number 12 for me.  In fact often times, I "help" correct (i.e. criticize) than encourage. 

Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.

I realized how much the encouragement has meant to me these past couple of month and I know it would mean more than that to the officer. 

Hebrews 10:24
.. and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. 

Encouraging does not come easily for me.   I am often more critical or judgmental in my thoughts than encouraging.  So this week I have set my mind to pray for God to reveal to me some ways I can encourage the officer, not just verbally.  I set my mind to try to let words that are uplifting and edifying come out of my mouth (or nothing at all). 

Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.