Womanly Submission

"She is beautiful and therefore to be woo'd.
She is woman, therefore to be won."
-Shakespeare, King Henry the Sixth

Anthony and i have been ready this book called "Doing Things Right in the Matters of the Heart," by John Ensor. I ironically bought this book almost exactly 2 years to the day. Recently I moved out on my own an took out all of my books from storage and from a bookshelf my grandmother had in her office room, so I have been able to see all of the books I own once again. So the other day when I was looking to read a book for the summer reading program at work I came across this book. Anthony remembered that I originally purchased this book for us to read together, but in the end we decided to go through a few other ones and forgot all about this one. So we started reading this book together. And I must say that this has been an amazing book for us to read together, in fact I do wish that we had read this book when started courting. One of the key concepts that the author speaks about is "womanly submission and manly sacrifice" and wow what a concept!

Today as women we are taught to take charge, be the leader if there is no leader in our life. We are told to see ourselves as equals to men, that there is really no lines between the genders (except for the obvious biological ones). Yet, in the Christian realm it is not that much different. Women, struggle to find their place even in the church and when given the opportunity may at times lead with emotion rather than with wisdom. However, I am learning as a 29year old woman that my God-given place in this world is in my home. I have been blessed with the ability to run my home in an orderly and godly fashion. Now, don't get me wrong, I think it is amazing all of the triumphs women have accomplished yet, we have taken off running the world and have forgotten our homes, husbands and children. As a engaged woman, I see that I have the innate desires to take care of those I love and to take care of my home. When I lived with my mom and grandparents, I hated and I mean HATED cleaning!!! That was always the last thing on my list. Yet, living on my own I have found that all of the lessons my mom may have either intentionally or unintentionally taught me on keeping a home have stuck! In the same way that those skills that have been set in us before our lives as women even began so has our place in the world of relationships.

The quote I mentioned at the beginning says it all. Women are meant to be woo'd we are meant to be won. I love it when I watch romantic movies and the guy chases after the woman and in the end they are together. If that was not the picture of how relationships work, why is that the blue print for every romantic movie we watch, every book on romance we read and every song we melt over? I am learning the hard way that I must in a sense submit to the woo'ing of my fiance, to submit to his leadership in our relationship. Not only in scripture are we commanded to submit to husbands specifically but we are also commanded to submit to one another. In love we must continually put others before ourselves, we must love without condition, we must sacrifice our own for the good of others. And this is not easy, I am learning that I am a selfish woman by nature and day by day I have to die to my flesh and surrender to the only one who can help me to love others fully and completely without conditions. JESUS CHRIST.

So, basically I just wanted to share what I am learning right now. And I pray that this blesses you as it does me.

Many Blessings,

Angelia