What kind of a family do you have?  We have been learning about family life... and the way God intended it to be. 

I remember at the beginning... dating my husband.  We agreed that we would do all things equal... everything was going to be a shared commitment.  Of course, we weren't living a Christian life then either.  I had come from a single parent home (most of growing up) so I lived under a matriarchal family... and my dh came from a rather large family... he was the baby of 12 kids.  I would probably say that his family was a Patriarchal family.  I don't think that the Equalitarian family worked for us...(how can you compare what is equal anyways??? who compares?) it seems as though I took on the leadership role and therefore we became a Matriarchal family. It wasn't a decided thing... it just happened. 

When I devoted myself back to the Christian living and rededicated my life to Jesus, I have seen that God is calling me to follow my husband, not lead him.  I have found this to be difficult, because my personality wants to take it all over and run with it!  Of course that is what I'm used to doing.  The part I don't like is having to make all the decisions... I would like for him to do the deciding.  So, I'd say we are a Matriarchal family striving to be a Patriarchal family.  It's coming... slowly, but surely. 

I'm so excited when I see dh taking on some of the roles that he's never done before.  My old nature sometimes wants to kick in... and I have to remind myself that God has called me to follow my husband.  I have to learn to trust that he will make the right decisions... and even if he doesn't that's okay.  We live in a society that Patriarchal families are becoming extinct.  We need to fight for families to be what God has called them to be.