Excellent... with a few lapses

Sometimes, when I am looking at my ideals, whether it is for my goals for myself or the day, or in my husband, I see a few "lapses."   These "lapses" are little blips off the beaten path.  They're bound to come, as sure as bumps in the road or turbulence in the air, in the journey of life.

We need to give space for lapses, or blips in responses from our spouses (and others!).  People have hard days, sometimes even difficult seasons, when they act outside the norm.  They may become preoccupied, disinterested, disengaged, or distracted.  (Notice the prefix "dis" in many of these symptoms, which means a negative, a reversal, an absence of something!)

We need to be loyal friends during those times.  We need to pray for when to say something and when it is wise not to say something.  We need to be sure we don't pull back and isolate ourself from our spouse, rather we need wisdom on how to best communicate...

We don't want to be just waiting for one wrong word or action from our spouse to cut them apart...  We of all people should know and honor when our spouse needs a little space or time before they communicate, or when they need some "down time."  

Isaiah 29.20-21:  ...all those who watch for iniquity [as an occasion for accusation] shall be cut off—Those who make a man an offender and bring condemnation upon him with a word,...

Challenge:  Know that your spouse may be totally wonderful with a few lapses, and try to learn how to get through the lapses effectively!