A Mess After Midnight

There was a messy accident at our house at 1:00 am. (We have two dogs, two children, and two parents. I'm not going into details, but I'm sure you can use your imagination!) DH is not the most pleasant person when woken up in the middle of the night; his temper is short and his people skills are flat. (Though, in all fairness, I don't know anyone who is an angel at 2:00 am!) As he cleaned, I handed him things I thought he would need and things for which he asked. Towels, wrench, tea tree oil, flashlight, vinegar, dust buster, broom, trash can... the list goes on. I spoke hardly a word, since I couldn't think of anything nice to say. But my internal monologue was going strong.

• "Why didn't he...?"
• "Why should I...?"
• "If he would just..."
• "Who was responsible for...?"
• "At least one of us is staying calm and quiet!"
  
• "I just cleaned this yesterday, and now it's even worse than it was."
• "Doesn't he realize...?"
  
• "Forget it!"

Having worked for an entire hour, we looked around at three more messes that had been made in the process of cleaning up the first (shattered glass on the floor, potted plants upturned, and a pile of broken toys.) We decide to call it a night, but neither of us could sleep. DH went out for a drive, and I sat down with a book, Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes. As I read, I was convicted about my attitude. Yes, I was acting with humility and servitude, and an outwardly respectful helpmate. But internally I was not respectful. I was not humble. I was not patient.

Upon returning from his drive, DH thanked me for being so strong when he was so frustrated at the situation. "Strong!" I had helped because I was quiet. And I was reminded why the Bible tells us to be respectful, humble, submissive, and quiet. If I had spoken a single thought of mine, it would have only made the situation worse. Now, I whole-heartedly pray that my mind and heart would be changed so that my internal monologue is that of a humble servant.