Hot? Cold? Depends

Record setting heat and drought has brought out the "freak-of-nature" in me.  Here's my problem:  I cannot sleep with air conditioner or fan-blown air on me.  As a result, I sleep best with warm, calm air.

Problem is, I like it too warm and calm.  This past July had 26 days of 90 degree weather or warmer!  We've tried air conditioners, fans, open windows, and combinations thereof  help make it bearable for Darling Bride, the rest of the family, and me at the same time.  I'm asleep, everybody is too hot.  Everybody's asleep, I'm too cold.  Some nights I've put on my winter hat and long sleeve shirt - and we're trying to get the house below 80!

Who's right?  Who's wrong?  Who knows?  We don't even like the air conditioner on!  So it is not as if we are in a custody battle over the on/off switch, even though when we are trying to sleep and we are not at our best, it feels like a battle.  We both want the same things - a good night's sleep for both of us.

"Philippians 2:3-7 - Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."

Speaking of which, recently I found myself in a conversation about adjustments married couples must make when they combine two lives and households into one.  With two different people, there's bound to be a mismatch here and there - thermostats, sports, furniture, animal companions...  It does not matter if you are newlyweds or marriage veterans like us.  It may be tempting to forget what attracted the two of you in the first place.

When The Apostle Paul wrote the Philippians passage quoted above, he was thinking about certain people who set themselves up as his rivals.  They wanted their own ways and agendas.  As a result, God the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write "...count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interests of others..."

At home, just like at church, we would do well to remember that the example of Christ Jesus is where we should look, rather than looking only at what we want.   Conquering the weather together instead of each other is the better way to go.  Yes, in families there is give and take.  A suggestion - try to be the one doing more giving.

Do you have a common cause you can rally against instead of each other?  Tell us about it!