Pink....or....Blue?

I don't know if I've posted this before or not, but it's too good to keep to myself if I haven't and it's too good to not repost if I have.

How was that for a doozy of a run-on sentence? You'd never guess that English was my favorite subject all through school.

Have you ever heard of Emerson and Sarah Eggerichs? The "Love and Respect" couple? If not, I'd strongly suggest that you get acquainted with their work. Strongly suggest it. Really strongly.

You know how some days you just struggle to relate with your husband? Or perhaps your wife, though I can't imagine that would ever happen. :)

Maybe it's just here, at our house, that we have that problem at times. Maybe. But I seriously doubt that.

There are times when I wonder why in the world he can't see that there are dishes to do, clothes to fold, children to shower, toys to pick up. Why? I get a little grumpy when he asks me if there is anything he can do. I tend to think, "If you can look around at the disarray of this house and still ask me that question, I'm not going to waste my breath telling you what to do." Mmmm-hmmm. Sounds respectful, don't ya think? I struggle pointing things out that I could use a little help with as it seems that it's so obvious.

But I forget about 'pink and blue'. I forget that God made us so completely different. I forget that the house is not his domain and therefore he really and truly does not know what needs to be done. I forget that he's not wrong, just different.

And different is okay. Cause if you really think about it, he likely gets just as annoyed at me. But I never know it as he stays all cool, calm, and collected.

The Eggerichs have written a book called "Love and Respect". It's a super read. I need to read it again. And again. And again. They so well describe the differences between men and women. It's so down to earth. It's so real.

Last winter we had the privelege of watching the "Love and Respect" DVD's with our church. If you have the opportunity, clear your schedule so you can watch them. Sit down as a couple. Pick up tid-bits or even chunks that will help you better understand your spouse.

Last summer I babysat for my niece and nephew. Krista is just eight months older than Addie and Brandon is eight months older than Will. They're pretty good friends.

Anyway, I was babysitting. Addie and Krista were being true girls...squealing, dressing up, having a tea party, giggling and whispering to each other....

....while in the backyard, Brandon and Will were sitting on little red chairs, back to back, not saying a word. Fishing.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Pink and blue.

Played out in it's fullest by two little five year old girls and two little four year old boys. Nobody sat them down and said, "Okay. Girls, you listen and you listen well. You are going to have a tea party as that is what girls do. And boys. You are heading to the backyard to sit quietly. Not one word will be spoken as boys don't really need to talk to feel the comaraderie."

Nope. We didn't do that. God made them that way, just as He made each of us that way.

Anyone who cares to argue that men and women aren't really that much different, I beg you to take a gander at those pictures again. Those little girls and those little boys will likely grow up to be husbands and wives someday. Oh my word. Did I really just type that? I can hardly imagine.

But they likely will. Do you think that when they marry they will suddenly change and the girls will prefer to fish back to back with their friends while the boys will prefer to sit with shoulders touching?

I'd be really surprised.

Praise God for our differences!! As hard as it can be to relate sometimes, the blessings are abundant when you can see that he/she really isn't doing that/acting that way on purpose. It's simply the way God made him/her.

It's not wrong. It's just different.