Just a note before we begin. Last night as I was reading through our chapter again, God lead me to this verse for today’s devotional. So far I have been able to write in the mornings before the girls wake up. Today was different. They were up early and I couldn’t bear to sit and write about what a good wife, mother and homemaker looks like while my little ones needed my attention. So I apologize for the lateness of this blog, but I figured if I am going to practice what I have been learning, I’d better care for my family first.
“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.”
To me, there are two lessons that stood out in this passage. The first one is that she is willing to do what it takes to care for her family. She’s not afraid of getting up early serve them. Sometimes the only time we have to get things done is when the children are in bed. For our family, the time after the children go to bed at night, is time for my husband and I. So that leaves mornings before they are up or during naptime to get extra things done. Sometimes this is time for cleaning, sometimes for sewing and sometimes for reading. The point is that as mothers, we have to take what time we have, to do all the things on our to-do-list. We need to be willing to take the time when we have it, without taking it away from our family time.
The second lesson is that we can’t underestimate the importance of, is organization in the home. While I understand that some of us are naturally gifted with organizational skills, most of us have to work at being organized. I grew up in a very organized home. I am not organized and as you can imagine, I was sure that when I got married, we were not going to have schedules in my home! Now that I have two little ones and a third one on the way, I can honestly say, much to my mother’s delight, that there is no way I could make it through a day without a schedule of some kind. Now, to be scheduled does not mean that you have to wake up at 6, have breakfast at 8, clean at 9, etc…every day exactly the same. Some may find that kind of schedule possible but I don’t. I get frustrated when my schedule gets messed up and with babies, there is no way I will be able to follow that kind of a schedule all the time. So if you are like me, your schedule may look something like this: wake up, shower, start laundry for the day, feed the baby, change and dress both girls, make breakfast, etc… You will notice that there are no times listed on my daily schedule. That is because sometimes the girls wake up earlier and sometimes they don’t. I follow an order of events instead of timing myself. That way I know what I need to do for the day but I’m not stressed out if we are getting up at 9 and eating breakfast at 11. Find the method that works for you and your family and do your best to stick to it. You will be surprise at just how much help being organized brings to your day.
Another important thing to spend the time planning for are meals. This will help in so many ways; you will save money when grocery shopping if you know what you are making for the week or month and only buy what you need and you won’t have to stand in front of the fridge right before dinner, trying to figure out what you are going make because you have list of meals ready to chose from. I have tried both ways and I have found the great benefits to planning ahead. Now I’m working on planning ahead for breakfasts and lunches too but it is a process for me. So I’m taking it one step at a time. Do what you can with what you have and your abilities.
We will talk more about planning ahead tomorrow, when we cover verse 21, but for now, ask the Lord to help you find where your weak areas are and start working on a plan to bring more organization to your home. The goals in being organized are bring a calm and peace to your home and freeing you to better serve your family and others. Children especially need the assurance that they know what to expect in their days and not just when they are babies. If they know what to expect and what is expected from them, they will be much more calm and helpful without having to try to motivate them all day long. They will know when to expect meals, when school starts each day, when they are to take a nap. So with a little planning on our part, we can bless our children with a sense of security and stability in their lives.
Blessings!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
She Looks Well to the Ways of Her Household
"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."
This verse probably should have been included with yesterday’s devotional, but it was pretty long already so I split it up into to two parts. Remember we were talking about the Proverbs 31 woman taking care of her home so her husband is free to do something other than worry about what she is up to. Today we get to see a bit of the how she does this.
I love the practical. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you. It’s nice to hear all the great ideas and glowing dreams but if you are not taught how to apply it or if there isn’t a practical application, then it does no good and when you are looking for ways to grow closer to God truly, all the esoteric spouting in the world isn’t going to help you. It may sound pretty but then the sound fades and all you have is a faint impression you just missed something beautiful.
When we read that “she looks well” it means she’s paying attention very carefully to those around her. One way you could translate that phrase is “she observes accurately”. This is something that can’t happen when we are distracted by our own pursuits, by our own ambition, and it cannot happen in our own strength. Now, how accurately can we observe our homes if we are never in them? If we spend all our time out, whether that is out shopping, visiting, working, playing, whatever the case maybe, if we are not at home, we can’t see what is really going on. This is especially true with our children. If we only see our children for an hour or two a day and during that time we are in front of the TV or computer or they are working on homework, how much of what they are thinking, feeling or doing are you really able to see? I love how the verse doesn’t say anything about she talks to her children. Not that this is not important, but there is no way you will know what is really going on in your children’s lives if you don’t watch them. Kids lie, kids don’t know how to tell you what they are thinking sometimes. So if you can’t watch them to pick up on these things for yourself, you will be missing out on a huge part of parenting.
This watching goes for your husband too, in a different way. If you are again always busy outside your home with some form of activity, most likely you will be too tired yourself to observe your husband. I don’t think this will come as a shock to anyone but sometimes husbands have hard time communicating with us. So as wives we sometimes feel like we are left guessing what they are thinking. But I think if take the time to learn more about how our husbands think and feel through watching and sometimes asking a few questions, we will be able to anticipate what their needs are and how best to meet them. I’m sure most husbands come home tired from work, whether that is a mental or physical tiredness depends on their job, but they are tired and the last thing they want is more strain at home. I am not saying that husbands and wives don’t need to talk things over and verbally communicate. I am not suggesting that observation is a replacement for talking about the issues you are facing as a family or as a couple. What I am suggesting is, learning to tune in to when your husband needs a moment of silence to think or when he just wants you chose the curtain color because he doesn’t have an opinion about what color would look best with the walls and furniture. Try to involve him as much as he wants to be, but don’t add more stress to him by asking for more than that. Do what you can to make his home a place of refuge where he knows he will be listened to and cared for all the time. And where he doesn’t have to chose between soft gold and linen curtains.
The last part of the verse is just as important. First of all if you are consuming laziness (which is what eating the bread of idleness means), you aren’t paying attention to your home, plain and simple. There is a stereotype that all stay at home wives are bon-bon eating couch potatoes who watch soap operas and talk shows all day, or women whose life’s goal is to stick their nose into everyone else’s business. This is exactly the opposite of what we are learning here from the Proverbs 31 woman. She fills her day with work of all kinds and there is no time in her day for pettiness or waste. She is redeeming every moment.
What your days should be filled with depends on your individual family situation. But one of our biggest chores as women is maintaining a neat and clean home. Every husband has an idea of what they want their home to look like and it is our responsibility to try our best to keep it that way. Some like it spotless and some don’t care if there are three days’ worth of dirty dishes on the counter as long as dinner is on the table at 5. Now there are concerns about basic cleanliness which we are not here to discuss today but all that aside, you need to know what is most important for your family and make sure you do that faithfully every day. Where a lot of us get lost, is we do what we have to and then we head off for a play date or we go call a friend and sit around the rest of the day, or we find some way to spend our time having fun when really there are plenty of things we could be doing to better our homes and our family’s comfort. I know there are women out there who spend too much time on their homes and they need to relax some, but if we are being honest, most of us don’t fit into that category. For most of us, we want to do that we have to and then like we did when we were children, we want our play time. But what is our motivation for that? Do we really need a break? Or are we just being lazy and wanting to get out of more work?
I would encourage you to take sometime this weekend to read over again what we have talked about and as you pray about what God would have you change in your life, I hope that you take a moment to evaluate how you spend your time. Is there something more you can be doing to serve your husband or your family? Maybe for some that means giving up something that you have done for years. Maybe it’s just as simple as watching what is going on around you in your home. Whatever God shows you, apply it. Make it a practical part of your life. It will be a blessing you and your family and most of all, it will be a blessing to our Lord.
This verse probably should have been included with yesterday’s devotional, but it was pretty long already so I split it up into to two parts. Remember we were talking about the Proverbs 31 woman taking care of her home so her husband is free to do something other than worry about what she is up to. Today we get to see a bit of the how she does this.
I love the practical. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you. It’s nice to hear all the great ideas and glowing dreams but if you are not taught how to apply it or if there isn’t a practical application, then it does no good and when you are looking for ways to grow closer to God truly, all the esoteric spouting in the world isn’t going to help you. It may sound pretty but then the sound fades and all you have is a faint impression you just missed something beautiful.
When we read that “she looks well” it means she’s paying attention very carefully to those around her. One way you could translate that phrase is “she observes accurately”. This is something that can’t happen when we are distracted by our own pursuits, by our own ambition, and it cannot happen in our own strength. Now, how accurately can we observe our homes if we are never in them? If we spend all our time out, whether that is out shopping, visiting, working, playing, whatever the case maybe, if we are not at home, we can’t see what is really going on. This is especially true with our children. If we only see our children for an hour or two a day and during that time we are in front of the TV or computer or they are working on homework, how much of what they are thinking, feeling or doing are you really able to see? I love how the verse doesn’t say anything about she talks to her children. Not that this is not important, but there is no way you will know what is really going on in your children’s lives if you don’t watch them. Kids lie, kids don’t know how to tell you what they are thinking sometimes. So if you can’t watch them to pick up on these things for yourself, you will be missing out on a huge part of parenting.
This watching goes for your husband too, in a different way. If you are again always busy outside your home with some form of activity, most likely you will be too tired yourself to observe your husband. I don’t think this will come as a shock to anyone but sometimes husbands have hard time communicating with us. So as wives we sometimes feel like we are left guessing what they are thinking. But I think if take the time to learn more about how our husbands think and feel through watching and sometimes asking a few questions, we will be able to anticipate what their needs are and how best to meet them. I’m sure most husbands come home tired from work, whether that is a mental or physical tiredness depends on their job, but they are tired and the last thing they want is more strain at home. I am not saying that husbands and wives don’t need to talk things over and verbally communicate. I am not suggesting that observation is a replacement for talking about the issues you are facing as a family or as a couple. What I am suggesting is, learning to tune in to when your husband needs a moment of silence to think or when he just wants you chose the curtain color because he doesn’t have an opinion about what color would look best with the walls and furniture. Try to involve him as much as he wants to be, but don’t add more stress to him by asking for more than that. Do what you can to make his home a place of refuge where he knows he will be listened to and cared for all the time. And where he doesn’t have to chose between soft gold and linen curtains.
The last part of the verse is just as important. First of all if you are consuming laziness (which is what eating the bread of idleness means), you aren’t paying attention to your home, plain and simple. There is a stereotype that all stay at home wives are bon-bon eating couch potatoes who watch soap operas and talk shows all day, or women whose life’s goal is to stick their nose into everyone else’s business. This is exactly the opposite of what we are learning here from the Proverbs 31 woman. She fills her day with work of all kinds and there is no time in her day for pettiness or waste. She is redeeming every moment.
What your days should be filled with depends on your individual family situation. But one of our biggest chores as women is maintaining a neat and clean home. Every husband has an idea of what they want their home to look like and it is our responsibility to try our best to keep it that way. Some like it spotless and some don’t care if there are three days’ worth of dirty dishes on the counter as long as dinner is on the table at 5. Now there are concerns about basic cleanliness which we are not here to discuss today but all that aside, you need to know what is most important for your family and make sure you do that faithfully every day. Where a lot of us get lost, is we do what we have to and then we head off for a play date or we go call a friend and sit around the rest of the day, or we find some way to spend our time having fun when really there are plenty of things we could be doing to better our homes and our family’s comfort. I know there are women out there who spend too much time on their homes and they need to relax some, but if we are being honest, most of us don’t fit into that category. For most of us, we want to do that we have to and then like we did when we were children, we want our play time. But what is our motivation for that? Do we really need a break? Or are we just being lazy and wanting to get out of more work?
I would encourage you to take sometime this weekend to read over again what we have talked about and as you pray about what God would have you change in your life, I hope that you take a moment to evaluate how you spend your time. Is there something more you can be doing to serve your husband or your family? Maybe for some that means giving up something that you have done for years. Maybe it’s just as simple as watching what is going on around you in your home. Whatever God shows you, apply it. Make it a practical part of your life. It will be a blessing you and your family and most of all, it will be a blessing to our Lord.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Her Husband is Known in the Gates
"Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land."
Back in the time this chapter is talking about, the city gate was the place to conduct business and the place where trials were held and judgment was handed out. When it says that her husband sat with the elders, it doesn’t just mean that he sat there all day with a group of bored old men who were just trying to pass the time. These were the men who administered justice and her husband was one of them. From this we can learn that this was a man who had his house in order. Men in those days who were in positions of authority, had to have a reputation of keeping their own affairs under control. You didn’t see men in leadership whose wife or children were ill spoken of. His reputation was based on the conduct of his family as well as his own. His position of authority is at least partially dependant on his wife caring for his home. Because she keeps his house in order and manages it well, he is free to focus on judging the land and sitting with the elders, without fear of what is going on at home. He can trust her not to do things that would call either his or her integrity into question. This is another way his heart safely trusts her.
One last thing I want to note on this point. When we are talking about her husband sitting in the gates, no mention is made of her renown or that she was sitting next to him the whole time. The scripture does not say she is known in the gates. She doesn’t have a ministry of her own; she’s not a co-pastor or anything like that. It is her husband who is known. Her position is one of support, behind the scenes. She doesn’t need to be in front of the crowd to have her worth recognized and appreciated.
Besides, his children being well spoken of, there are more ways that the world can see just how well we take care of our husbands. When your husband left the house today, was he well dressed for his job? Did he have the clothing he needed clean and folded neatly? As women, we spend plenty of time thinking about what we are wearing and how to make our outfits neat and attractive. But how much time do we spend making sure our husbands shirts are ironed properly, are dry-cleaned when needed, or that his buttons are sewed on and his shoes are clean and polished? Our husbands are our public face in a way. It should be important to us how they look. I’m not suggesting that we all be vain about our husbands’ appearance and try to find ways to make him look like some kind of male model. I’m talking about making them presentable. Now I realize that some of you ladies have husbands who work in construction, or auto mechanics, or a delivery job, and they don’t have to meet the same dress standards as someone who works in a law office or a bank, but we can all make an effort to help our husbands be neatly dressed and look well-cared for.
Another way to help your husband look and be his best for his work day would be sending him off with a good breakfast. Now, again, I know there are some of you whose husbands work night shift, or graveyards, or that after being up all night with your newborn, you just don’t have the energy to make a big breakfast. As the saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way. If your husband works night shift, make sure he has a nice dinner that he can take with him or heat up at home before he goes to work. If you have a new baby, or sick children, make him extra of what you make the children for breakfast and set it aside for him to warm up the next morning. Find a way that works for you and your husband. If you don’t know what he would like, ask him for some suggestions. One of my husband’s favorite breakfasts is a peanut butter sandwich. I just make it up the night before and leave it on the stairs for him to grab on his way out the door. It doesn’t have to anything fancy. Just a little something to help him on his way. And as we all know, there is nothing that puts a smile on a man’s face quicker than a full stomach!
Prov. 12:4, “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness to his bones.” May we be a crown to our husbands each and every day!
Back in the time this chapter is talking about, the city gate was the place to conduct business and the place where trials were held and judgment was handed out. When it says that her husband sat with the elders, it doesn’t just mean that he sat there all day with a group of bored old men who were just trying to pass the time. These were the men who administered justice and her husband was one of them. From this we can learn that this was a man who had his house in order. Men in those days who were in positions of authority, had to have a reputation of keeping their own affairs under control. You didn’t see men in leadership whose wife or children were ill spoken of. His reputation was based on the conduct of his family as well as his own. His position of authority is at least partially dependant on his wife caring for his home. Because she keeps his house in order and manages it well, he is free to focus on judging the land and sitting with the elders, without fear of what is going on at home. He can trust her not to do things that would call either his or her integrity into question. This is another way his heart safely trusts her.
One last thing I want to note on this point. When we are talking about her husband sitting in the gates, no mention is made of her renown or that she was sitting next to him the whole time. The scripture does not say she is known in the gates. She doesn’t have a ministry of her own; she’s not a co-pastor or anything like that. It is her husband who is known. Her position is one of support, behind the scenes. She doesn’t need to be in front of the crowd to have her worth recognized and appreciated.
Besides, his children being well spoken of, there are more ways that the world can see just how well we take care of our husbands. When your husband left the house today, was he well dressed for his job? Did he have the clothing he needed clean and folded neatly? As women, we spend plenty of time thinking about what we are wearing and how to make our outfits neat and attractive. But how much time do we spend making sure our husbands shirts are ironed properly, are dry-cleaned when needed, or that his buttons are sewed on and his shoes are clean and polished? Our husbands are our public face in a way. It should be important to us how they look. I’m not suggesting that we all be vain about our husbands’ appearance and try to find ways to make him look like some kind of male model. I’m talking about making them presentable. Now I realize that some of you ladies have husbands who work in construction, or auto mechanics, or a delivery job, and they don’t have to meet the same dress standards as someone who works in a law office or a bank, but we can all make an effort to help our husbands be neatly dressed and look well-cared for.
Another way to help your husband look and be his best for his work day would be sending him off with a good breakfast. Now, again, I know there are some of you whose husbands work night shift, or graveyards, or that after being up all night with your newborn, you just don’t have the energy to make a big breakfast. As the saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way. If your husband works night shift, make sure he has a nice dinner that he can take with him or heat up at home before he goes to work. If you have a new baby, or sick children, make him extra of what you make the children for breakfast and set it aside for him to warm up the next morning. Find a way that works for you and your husband. If you don’t know what he would like, ask him for some suggestions. One of my husband’s favorite breakfasts is a peanut butter sandwich. I just make it up the night before and leave it on the stairs for him to grab on his way out the door. It doesn’t have to anything fancy. Just a little something to help him on his way. And as we all know, there is nothing that puts a smile on a man’s face quicker than a full stomach!
Prov. 12:4, “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness to his bones.” May we be a crown to our husbands each and every day!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
She Will Do Him Good
“She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."
Verse 12 continues by showing us how she continually seeks to find ways to benefit him and his vision, not just when it suits her or when it coincides with what she wants. This is not the kind of woman who spends all her time at the mall, or watching talk shows, or the kind who is constantly looking for “Me Time”. In fact, I challenge you to read the chapter and see just how many times we see her doing anything for herself. We see her serving her husband, her children, her household staff, her community. What we don’t see is her heading off to get a manicure or seeing a movie with her friends, or taking classes, or going to the gym, or any of the other things our culture tells us we need to be a good mom. Now before you start sending me emails about how you are free to do those things, etc… Let me say this. None of these things are a sin. What is a sin is when you let activities like these get in the way of your mission which is serving and caring for your family. Any activity can be a sin if you let it step between you and your calling; sewing, crocheting, reading, the list goes on and on. I just picked a few of my favorite things. Just because it is domestic, doesn’t mean you can do it whenever you feel like it. If I am crocheting when I should be making dinner for my family, it is sin. I am setting something up in a place of importance that should be taking a lower place at that moment. I am making a substitution of what can be a good thing for what is the best thing. The point is we all need to make sure we have our focus on God’s plan and God’s way of doing things. And we also need to remember that we are here to help and compliment our husbands in their life’s work. We can’t do that to the best of our ability if we are seeking our own goals, pleasure or comfort in what we do.
Another very important point is that she seeks his good not just when they are married but all the days of her life. And as our pastor loves to say, in Hebrew, all means all. That means before they are married, she is already seeking ways to bless him. Maybe this is just as simple as studying how to run a home, or how to train children in a Godly way. It may be learning to serve your father, and what better practice is there for your future! This is a very important part of training our daughters. They need to know how much value God places on faithfulness, not just in marriage but all our live and in all aspects. We must teach them to do what is right at all times, even when single. I personally spent quite a few years single. And even in all that time, I still find things that I wish I would have taken the time to learn. I wish I would have learned to quilt and knit and read up on how to train my children better. Teach your daughters to bless and serve their husbands now. It doesn’t get any easier as they get older. Show them by example what it looks like to be a faithful wife, whose husband safely trusts her and who seeks to do him good all her life.
Verse 12 continues by showing us how she continually seeks to find ways to benefit him and his vision, not just when it suits her or when it coincides with what she wants. This is not the kind of woman who spends all her time at the mall, or watching talk shows, or the kind who is constantly looking for “Me Time”. In fact, I challenge you to read the chapter and see just how many times we see her doing anything for herself. We see her serving her husband, her children, her household staff, her community. What we don’t see is her heading off to get a manicure or seeing a movie with her friends, or taking classes, or going to the gym, or any of the other things our culture tells us we need to be a good mom. Now before you start sending me emails about how you are free to do those things, etc… Let me say this. None of these things are a sin. What is a sin is when you let activities like these get in the way of your mission which is serving and caring for your family. Any activity can be a sin if you let it step between you and your calling; sewing, crocheting, reading, the list goes on and on. I just picked a few of my favorite things. Just because it is domestic, doesn’t mean you can do it whenever you feel like it. If I am crocheting when I should be making dinner for my family, it is sin. I am setting something up in a place of importance that should be taking a lower place at that moment. I am making a substitution of what can be a good thing for what is the best thing. The point is we all need to make sure we have our focus on God’s plan and God’s way of doing things. And we also need to remember that we are here to help and compliment our husbands in their life’s work. We can’t do that to the best of our ability if we are seeking our own goals, pleasure or comfort in what we do.
Another very important point is that she seeks his good not just when they are married but all the days of her life. And as our pastor loves to say, in Hebrew, all means all. That means before they are married, she is already seeking ways to bless him. Maybe this is just as simple as studying how to run a home, or how to train children in a Godly way. It may be learning to serve your father, and what better practice is there for your future! This is a very important part of training our daughters. They need to know how much value God places on faithfulness, not just in marriage but all our live and in all aspects. We must teach them to do what is right at all times, even when single. I personally spent quite a few years single. And even in all that time, I still find things that I wish I would have taken the time to learn. I wish I would have learned to quilt and knit and read up on how to train my children better. Teach your daughters to bless and serve their husbands now. It doesn’t get any easier as they get older. Show them by example what it looks like to be a faithful wife, whose husband safely trusts her and who seeks to do him good all her life.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Her Husband Safely Trusts Her
By way of clarification, I will be taking a topical approach for our study. It seems to make more sense so that we aren't covering the same things more than once. That is another reason that I am encouraging all of you to read the chapter for yourselves. That way you have an idea of the flow of the chapter, since we are changing the order a bit. This first week, we will be talking about how the Proverbs 31 serves her husband.
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil."
In verse 11, we read that her husband can trust her and has no need for any other to fill his heart or home. The word "spoil" literally means prey or plunder. He doesn't need to go find wealth somewhere else, he knows his wife is frugal and will live within the income he provides. This is something we all need to strive to achieve. I'm not talking about being miserly or hoarding things; we will discuss generosity and caring for the poor later, but we are talking about using what you have wisely and not looking for more or nagging your husband because you don't have enough for what you want or think you need. Simply put, it is contentment. Your husband will not find you a refuge from the cares of his world if all he hears from you are complaints about how he doesn't make a good enough wage or what things your friend/sister/mother/etc... have that you don't. One suggestion is that instead of calling on him to solve some household concerns, we could try by economy to save the necessary funds to take care of the need without asking our husbands for more money.
It is important to note that the word for trust used in verse 11 means to hasten, or to speed to for refuge, to be confident or sure. Similarly, safely means a place of refuge. So we see that she is meant to be a place of security and refuge for him. After a day of being bombarded by work and the world, every man needs somewhere he can go where he knows he will be able to rest and relax.
So in conclusion, let us support our husbands by being the place they can come home to, where they can find a sympathetic ear and a warm heart. Someone they can trust, without reservation and without fear.
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil."
In verse 11, we read that her husband can trust her and has no need for any other to fill his heart or home. The word "spoil" literally means prey or plunder. He doesn't need to go find wealth somewhere else, he knows his wife is frugal and will live within the income he provides. This is something we all need to strive to achieve. I'm not talking about being miserly or hoarding things; we will discuss generosity and caring for the poor later, but we are talking about using what you have wisely and not looking for more or nagging your husband because you don't have enough for what you want or think you need. Simply put, it is contentment. Your husband will not find you a refuge from the cares of his world if all he hears from you are complaints about how he doesn't make a good enough wage or what things your friend/sister/mother/etc... have that you don't. One suggestion is that instead of calling on him to solve some household concerns, we could try by economy to save the necessary funds to take care of the need without asking our husbands for more money.
It is important to note that the word for trust used in verse 11 means to hasten, or to speed to for refuge, to be confident or sure. Similarly, safely means a place of refuge. So we see that she is meant to be a place of security and refuge for him. After a day of being bombarded by work and the world, every man needs somewhere he can go where he knows he will be able to rest and relax.
So in conclusion, let us support our husbands by being the place they can come home to, where they can find a sympathetic ear and a warm heart. Someone they can trust, without reservation and without fear.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Welcome to Our Month with the Proverbs 31 Woman!
So today is the day! It's finally March and time to dig into the Word and learn what God has to say about being a Godly woman. I thought it might help to give you a basic schedule of what I plan to do, Lord willing!
I will post a devotional each day of the week, some longer, some shorter. Then on the weekends, when there won't be a new devotional, feel free to read the chapter again for yourself or take the time maybe you didn't have during the week, to catch up on what you may have missed. As wives and mothers, there are days when we don't have time to read more than one verse and meditate on that. Do what you can. There is no requirement in scripture to read a book a day, or even a chapter a day. If you can do those things, do it. If all you truly have time for is a verse, be faithful to read and study that verse. I'm not here to pressure anyone to take time away from their families. If you have time when the little ones are asleep or while your husband is at work, please come and read and be encouraged. If you can't, don't feel burdened or guilty; just do what God gives you for that day.
To start things off, I want to encourage you all to read Proverbs 31:10-31 for yourselves. See what God will show you just from reading it. Write down questions you have and pray for the answers as you go about your chores. If there is one verse that sticks out to you, commit it to memory, so you can dwell on it all day. Sing it to your children, share with your daughters what you are learning so they can become Godly women themselves and teach it to your sons so they will know what they are looking for in a future wife. Think of ways to apply what you have learned from those few verses in practical ways. The Bible is meant to be our textbook for life, and its advice is always practical. We should use it practically. If you have any questions as we are studying together, please feel free to leave a comment or email me at: hisbelovedblog@gmail.com. I will do my best to answer promptly.
As part of this month of learning what it means to be a woman of God and a woman of the home, I'd like to recommend a book that I have found to encourage Godly womanhood in our daughters. It's out of print but you can find it on Amazon, When I'm a Mommy. It's a paraphrase of Proverbs 31 for little girls. My mom bought it for me when I was very young and now I read it to my daughters. If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to let me know about those too!
God bless you all as we begin this journey. May He reveal Himself to us all each and everyday and may we begin to live what we learn!
I will post a devotional each day of the week, some longer, some shorter. Then on the weekends, when there won't be a new devotional, feel free to read the chapter again for yourself or take the time maybe you didn't have during the week, to catch up on what you may have missed. As wives and mothers, there are days when we don't have time to read more than one verse and meditate on that. Do what you can. There is no requirement in scripture to read a book a day, or even a chapter a day. If you can do those things, do it. If all you truly have time for is a verse, be faithful to read and study that verse. I'm not here to pressure anyone to take time away from their families. If you have time when the little ones are asleep or while your husband is at work, please come and read and be encouraged. If you can't, don't feel burdened or guilty; just do what God gives you for that day.
To start things off, I want to encourage you all to read Proverbs 31:10-31 for yourselves. See what God will show you just from reading it. Write down questions you have and pray for the answers as you go about your chores. If there is one verse that sticks out to you, commit it to memory, so you can dwell on it all day. Sing it to your children, share with your daughters what you are learning so they can become Godly women themselves and teach it to your sons so they will know what they are looking for in a future wife. Think of ways to apply what you have learned from those few verses in practical ways. The Bible is meant to be our textbook for life, and its advice is always practical. We should use it practically. If you have any questions as we are studying together, please feel free to leave a comment or email me at: hisbelovedblog@gmail.com. I will do my best to answer promptly.
As part of this month of learning what it means to be a woman of God and a woman of the home, I'd like to recommend a book that I have found to encourage Godly womanhood in our daughters. It's out of print but you can find it on Amazon, When I'm a Mommy. It's a paraphrase of Proverbs 31 for little girls. My mom bought it for me when I was very young and now I read it to my daughters. If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to let me know about those too!
God bless you all as we begin this journey. May He reveal Himself to us all each and everyday and may we begin to live what we learn!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Coming Soon to His Beloved!
I am pleased to announce that starting March 1st, I will be hosting "31 Days with the Proverbs 31 Woman"!
We will be exploring what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman, how to train your daughters to be a Proverbs 31 woman and how to teach your sons to search for a Proverbs 31 woman, among other things. I have at least two guest blogs lined up from older women (my mom and my mother-in-law) who are willing to share their wisdom with us.
If you would like to help me spread the word about this opportunity to learn more about God's will for womanhood, you can pick up my button on the right. I would appreciate it!
Hope to see you then!!!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Twilight Buzz
There has been quite a bit of buzz about the newest movie installment of Stephanie Meyer's vampire series. Although I have not read them, and don't intend to, I thought these two reviews might be helpful, if you are looking for a Godly response to the Twilight mania.
How Twilight is Re-Vamping Romance by the Botkin sisters and Abstaining from Madness by Jasmine.
They might even change your perspective on some other books you are reading or have read.
Blessings to you as you seek to serve the Lord!
How Twilight is Re-Vamping Romance by the Botkin sisters and Abstaining from Madness by Jasmine.
They might even change your perspective on some other books you are reading or have read.
Blessings to you as you seek to serve the Lord!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Frugal Tip of the Day
If you plan of doing any online shopping this year for Christmas, you might pop on over to Frugal, Freebies and Deals' ShopatHome extra cash back post. Here are just some of the extra cash back amounts:
·Target.com – 6% cash back
·Walmart.com – 4% cash back
·Kohls.com – 4% cash back
·Snapfish.com – 20% cash back
·Gap.com – 12% cash back
·OldNavy.com – 10% cash back
·Macys.com – 8% cash back
·Barnes & Noble – 14% cash back
·Best Buy – 4% cash back
You can find all the details here.
You can also enter to win a $100 Walmart.com card from Frugal, Freebies and Deals while you are there.
·Target.com – 6% cash back
·Walmart.com – 4% cash back
·Kohls.com – 4% cash back
·Snapfish.com – 20% cash back
·Gap.com – 12% cash back
·OldNavy.com – 10% cash back
·Macys.com – 8% cash back
·Barnes & Noble – 14% cash back
·Best Buy – 4% cash back
You can find all the details here.
You can also enter to win a $100 Walmart.com card from Frugal, Freebies and Deals while you are there.
Friday, November 6, 2009
One Full Friday
I've been quite busy today in my kitchen and I thought I would share pictures with you all! Do you mind?
First we had homemade yogurt (it's not finished culturing so I'll have to post pictures of the yogurt later).
Then we started a pan of pinto beans for dinner tonight and a birthday party tomorrow afternoon.
They are still simmering and softening up for our dinner in a little while.
The beans were followed by cutting up a bag a pepper I got on sale the last time I was at the grocery store. I just cut them in rounds and froze them so they will be ready when I want to make stir fry.
Then we cooked and blended carrots for Wee Beloved, who will be starting on solids soon. I freeze them in ice cube trays so they are in meal size portions when I need them. Each cude is around 1 tbsp. I also picked these up on a good sale so now we will have baby food all ready when she is!
I think that was a good morning's work. What did your Friday hold for you?
First we had homemade yogurt (it's not finished culturing so I'll have to post pictures of the yogurt later).
Then we started a pan of pinto beans for dinner tonight and a birthday party tomorrow afternoon.
They are still simmering and softening up for our dinner in a little while.
The beans were followed by cutting up a bag a pepper I got on sale the last time I was at the grocery store. I just cut them in rounds and froze them so they will be ready when I want to make stir fry.
Then we cooked and blended carrots for Wee Beloved, who will be starting on solids soon. I freeze them in ice cube trays so they are in meal size portions when I need them. Each cude is around 1 tbsp. I also picked these up on a good sale so now we will have baby food all ready when she is!
I think that was a good morning's work. What did your Friday hold for you?
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