“What’s that smell?” We looked under the seats, between the seats, in the “glove box” and the trunk. Nothing! Driving the car off a cliff to get rid of the nasty smell just wasn’t an option.

Tried cleaning out the inside and really scrubbing and waxing the outside to no avail!

We used FEBREZE, and one of those pine scented cardboard trees hanging from the mirror.

The smell still made us all gag when we got in our son’s truck.

As a last ditch effort before resorting to gas masks, we decided to have him go through his schedule and think of who and WHAT had been in his truck lately.

One day at a time,
Paul went through everything he had done over the last 2 weeks.
Chipotle for lunch…10 days ago!
Our son and some of his teammates had gone to lunch and raced back to school to get to practice on time…one of his friends left a half eaten burrito, neatly wadded up in the foil, in the door pocket of the passenger side of our son’s truck, to return and eat after practice.
We all forget things sometimes…but the lingering affect of our forgetfulness can sometimes stink!

Humility is not thinking less of yourself…It’s thinking of yourself, less. -C.S. Lewis

Last week during our marriage group called ReEngage, in LESSON 3, our action item was to look for the opportunity to extend grace to our spouses. It didn’t tell us to point out how grace-filled we are, just to show our spouses grace. How’d you all do?

This week we were to ask our spouse ways we could show them HUMILITY and serve them!

I know what I want and when I want it…
But do I know what my spouse desires?

Am I listening, and really paying attention to things that would let him know I’m interested and care?

THIS is where “being forgetful” might come in handy. Don’t stack up all of the times your spouse has NOT done this…or all of the times you have not felt heard! Do NOT wait until they go…

Go first! Be the initiator. In Chemistry the initiator starts a chain reaction. It can be explosive and used as a “detonator” to start a bigger explosion.

Try putting them first and have a little “self-forgetfulness”.
This is quite possibly the most valuable word in marriage. At the same time, it is definitely one of the hardest to implement.

When a marriage consists of a husband and wife whose ultimate goal is to please their spouse, IN SPITE of what they themselves desire…God shows up. Because ultimately the only way we can do this is when we desire to please God, and ask for His help!
THIS sets off that “explosive” chain reaction to growing stronger marriages and families.

Self-forgetfulness!

Christ was the only one who had every right to be arrogant and prideful.
BUT He chose to humble Himself.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! (Phil. 2:5-8, NIV)

Don’t let this verse just pass through your eyes and not let it affect your heart!
Jesus Christ set the perfect example for us to follow – in life and in marriage.
Becoming more like Christ in your marriage will not happen over night. It will not happen on your own either! It will take persistence, prayer and perseverance. It will take a huge serving of flexibility. Following this example and showing love like this to our spouses will reveal to them a glimpse of Jesus and conveys that we are more concerned with their needs & desires than we are our own. Serve them lovingly without any expectations or attitude and be generous with humble forgiveness.

Go first…be self-forgetful, and let them see Jesus in you!