The more a wife submits, which is really letting go, the freer and happier she becomes, and the same it is with her husband. It feels so good to let something unnatural – God didn’t create us to lead and be the heads of our families – go and “go natural”. In doing so, we are free to be who God created us to be; without this freedom, without living in-line with His natural law, we can never fully develop into who we are, and this is a great loss to ourselves, our husbands, our families, and the world.
FW~A (Near) Daily Encouragement: Looking Back Together
May 14, 2012 Leave a Comment
To be married means that a husband and wife are building a life together. The more the couple builds, the more of a masterwork it becomes. No matter how long a couple has been married, it’s important (and fun!) for a husband and wife to take the time once in a while to speak about how far they have journeyed together, how much they’ve built. This is a totally positive time of reflection, one in which any negative experiences or words are left out. It is a special time to appreciate each other and the marriage that the two are building. Why not initiate this conversation tonight?
FW~A (Near) Daily Encouragement: A Note about Acquiring Femininity
May 11, 2012 Leave a Comment
“It is very unlikely that a wife who is unfeminine is going to become totally feminine overnight; in all likelihood it will take time, diligent effort, and work to become totally feminine, but it is more than 100% worth every bit of work and effort to achieve. Even after achieving it, refining it is an art and skill that will require effort for the rest of our lives as we change and age.” ~ Mrs. Wayne Hunter from the Fascinating Womanhood ~ Alaska online Fascinating Womanhood Course
Not feeling very feminine? Don’t give up. Femininity often takes time (including time to lose weight to look one’s most feminine). It often takes money (for new clothes and accessories, etc. that have to be saved for), too. Do what you can as you can, and remember, working on your feminine manner doesn’t cost a dime and can be done immediately.
FW~A (Near) Daily Encouragement: End Contention in Marriage and Bring Him Home
May 10, 2012 3 Comments
To contend means to be in competition. For example, boxing match opponents are called “contenders” or sports teams that play against each other, each team with the hopes of winning, of being number one, are called contenders. Contention is ruinous to happiness and open communication in marriage and has been an age-old problem between husbands and wives. Contention is very unfeminine and has a very negative affect on oneself, one’s husband, and their marriage.
A contentious wife is always trying to show, usually through her words and often in her actions (think of the “Oh just give me that!” woman who grabs a broom from her husband while angrily pursing her lips, rolling her eyes, and shaking her head in disgust as he tries to help sweep the floor), that she is of superior knowledge, ability, or skill. There are also a lot of wives who are very contentious as far as self-righteousness; they are quick to point-out their husband’s unrighteousness and perceived sins and behave as though they are guiltless, that they are of more supreme spirituality. Such an attitude itself is unrighteous and unholy.
The Proverbs speak of the contentious women in the following two verses (among others):
“It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with an angry and contentious woman.” Proverbs 21:19
“A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.” Proverbs 25:15
Many husbands would rather be anywhere: work, bars, hanging-out with friends, etc. than to be in a house with a woman who is contentious, with a wife who feels that everything her husband says and does is a call to a contest or battle of wit, skill, or righteousness to see just who in the house is better, who’s number one, who’s of supreme worth. The majority of men really aren’t like that with women, especially their wives; they’d much rather spend time speaking respectfully, enjoying themselves, or even being romantic with their wives. Wives would like these things, too. It’s a mystery as to why we, as wives, so easily adapt the contentious lifestyle, but mystery or not, it’s ruinous and to be avoided for the happiness and peace of the marriage and entire family. Contention in marriage is destructive, mutual respect and working to be our best in each of our God-created roles is constructive – the two thriving halves making a complex, multi-faceted, deeply beautiful and rich whole.
One of the best things a wife can do to encourage the blossoming of love and to provide a home life that her husband yearns to be a part of is to end contention. Fascinating Womanhood will teach her how!
Remember: We are not in a one-against-one contest with our husbands, we are in marriages.
FW~A (Near) Daily Encouragement: A Femininity Self-Analysis (Near Weekly Assignment Included)
May 9, 2012 Leave a Comment
The following femininity self-analysis is shared here, with permission, from page ninety-four of the official Fascinating Womanhood Workbook for Students:
“The Feminine Appearance”
“An Analysis of Your Femininity:”
“Hair: ___ I wear my hair in a feminine style. ___ I shampoo once a week or more.
___ My hair looks healthy. It has shine. ___ My hair style is becoming to my face.
___ I look in the mirror several times a day, to see if my hair needs fixing.
~ ~ ~
“Makeup: ___ I don’t need to wear makeup. I look good without it.
___ I wear enough makeup to look my very best.
___ I have learned to apply makeup with skill. ___ I apply makeup each morning.
___ I look in the mirror before my husband returns, to see if my makeup needs fixing.
~ ~ ~
“Clothes: ___ I don’t wear masculine type clothes. ___ I wear feminine dresses at home.
___ I wear pants only for sports, cleaning, and outings. ___ My pants are all feminine.
___ My shirts are all feminine. ___ My suits are feminine. ___ I want to look feminine.
___ I don’t have many feminine clothes, but plan to buy or make them.
~ ~ ~
“Shoes and Accessories: ___ My shoes look feminine. ___ My purses look feminine.”
FW~A (Near) Weekly Assignment:
Use the self-analysis above to help you find three things you can improve upon this week to gain a more feminine appearance.
FW~A (Near) Daily Encouragement: Rising Above Human Frailties
May 7, 2012 Leave a Comment
“By human frailties, we mean weaknesses to which we are all prone – even the faithful, the righteous. Beware of these human faults. They can lead to failures in life – failures in marriage, in homemaking, in rearing children, in all areas of living. The Ideal Woman must rise above these weaknesses:
1. Laziness
2. Selfishness
3. Lack of self-discipline
4. Criticalness
5. Lack of dependability
6. Greed
7. Arrogance”
~ Quoted, with permission, from Mrs. Helen Andelin’s Fascinating Womanhood Teachers Lesson Guide.
FW~A (Near) Daily Encouragement: Escaping Out the Bathroom Window to Find Religious Freedom
May 6, 2012 Leave a Comment
The following story can be found on pages forty-six and forty-seven of the 2007 edition of Fascinating Womanhood by Mrs. Helen Andelin. It is quoted, at length below, with permission:
“Escape Out the Bathroom Window”
“A woman who was devoted to her religion tried to persuade her husband to investigate her church. He resisted. She kept after him night and day, but each effort failed. One evening she secretly arranged for the missionaries of her church to drop by at dinnertime, thinking her husband would feel obligated to invite them to dinner and be friendly. She also arranged for them to bring books, tapes, a film, and other materials from which they could preach to him after the meal.
“Everything went as planned. Just as the family was sitting down to the table, the missionaries rang the doorbell. After an enjoyable meal, the wife said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if these two gentlemen explained a little about the church.” Due to moral pressure and courtesy, the man agreed. As the missionaries were assembling their materials, flannel board, books, and pictures, the husband felt trapped. He excused himself to go to the bathroom, climbed out the bathroom window, and disappeared.
“The desperate wife turned to her church for help. Several men came to her rescue and began looking for her husband. After three days of extensive search, he was found. He had no intention of returning home, but due to kindly persuasion and his wife’s promise that she would never mention religion again, he returned home. The wife kept her promise, and the man began to relax in peace. The impressive part of the story is the following:
“The husband became acquainted with the man who found him and confessed, “I have wanted to know more about your church, but not from my wife.” Secretly he learned about his wife’s religion, converted, and became a member. One Sunday morning the minister announced the new member of his congregation and asked him to come to the rostrum. When her husband arose, the wife was so surprised and overjoyed she burst into tears.”
Mrs. Andelin also wrote on pages forty-nine and fifty of the aforementioned book, quoted here, again with permission:
“A man is particularly in need of religious freedom, as all mankind has always been. Wars have been fought over it; men have fought valiantly and died for it; the Pilgrims left Europe because of it; America was founded on this principle. It is still as important to each of us today; it is our God-given right. A man has a right to his personal feelings about religion. When his wife extends this freedom to him, rewards follow.”
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