What a Woman #Seven

The end of the series is nigh...in fact, here's my final thoughts.

The woman of excellence in Proverbs 31.......What a Woman! She's a little like a mythical creature....can she really be real? She's a little too challenging at times....can anyone really be that perfect? She's clever and capable, practical and thoughtful, generous and energetic, wise and well dressed......so many things I am not. And yet, I don't resent her for that. I am just asking God to help me be more of those things, not so my head gets any bigger....just so I can be the blessing He wants me to be to others.

So I'll finish with a quick flick through the original list I wrote when I first looked through Proverbs 31 at the end of last year. These are things that stood out to me and challenged me most about how I was living...or not living as the case may be.

She.....(and therefore I need to....)

• laughs at the days to come....I can smile at the unknown future because I have blessed assurance - Jesus is mine and He walks with me through all things
• speaks with wisdom....Lord may my words be few and when I do utter them, may they be so very wise
• is not idle.....I'm looking for balance here - to not just be busy for busy's sake, but to know when and how to rest as well
• brings her husband good.....through prayer and then very practical means
• starts the day early....thanks baby boy - you make that so much easier:)
• helps the poor and needy......ahhhh! my never-ending challenge
• has value....thanks God that WHO I am and what I do matters
• is enthusiastic.....yay for life!
• is ready...no matter the season of life. As I said last post, if times are good....prepare now. And if times are tough....hold on my friend.
• dresses well......clothing herself in strength and dignity
• will be rewarded...bring it on!
• is praised, not because she is and does all these amazing things, but simply because she fears the LORD. May that be you and I too.....that we are women who consider the good He has done and the awesomeness He is and we revere, worship and honour Him.

Ahh yes....a woman of excellence...who can find?

I can....she is reading this line right now!

On My Mind This Week....

Do you ever feel like you have days...maybe weeks....where your head is so full and jumbled that it gives you a headache?


I woke up with a dull thudding in my brain this morning and rather than blaming getting up to baby during the night, I thought I'd take the time to think about all that's been in my head this week.


Here's a sample.....

• planning lessons....for next week during and after a 3AM feed and wishing I could just shut off the brain so I could sleep
• feeling really hot
• do people think that me being a Christian is all about what I DON'T do?
• why is j so whingey? why is he waking through the night so often? why do I have not a clue as to the answer to those questions?
• how do I politely refuse an offer of more work?
• should I even be working at all?
• why am I so selfish? judgemental? impatient? lazy?
• trying to fit another thing into a day that is already full
• wondering what to cook for mum's group or dinner...only to find half the ingredients for what I wanted to make are no longer in the pantry
• working out the best times to make phone calls...a) for when I'll actually be able to talk to the person on the other end of the phone b) for when it fits into the eating, sleeping, playing schedule that's running this end and c) for when I feel like I am alert and awake enough to make it a worthwhile conversation
• considering ebay purchases
• planning a holiday
• the grocery shopping dilemma
• AND so it goes.......

I guess as a woman....a wife....a mother.....that list of things our mind dwells on is always 
l-o-n-g....VERY long. And yes....it can certainly seem overwhelming at times.


But I have also been reminded of God's promise to me....Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.


Now the question is.....will I allow room in that full and swirling mind for my focus to be on trusting Him?

What a Woman #Five

I like descriptive words. Adjectives and adverbs. They add colour and detail. They help me 'see' what has been written or is being described. They tell me the 'how', not just the what.


So 'how' is the woman of excellence in Proverbs 31 described? What can we learn about her from the adjectives in verse 17?


She sets about her work vigorously;
   her arms are strong for her tasks. (NIV)


First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
   rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. (The Message)


She dresses herself with strength
   and makes her arms strong. (ESV)


She is energetic and strong,
      a hard worker. (NLT)


She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm. (Amplified)


Hmmmmm....maybe I'm not a fan of describing words any more. Doesn't this all sound a little too much...for a Monday morning...and to one with arms that wobble?


Perhaps on our own it is a little too much, but with the help of the One who IS all these things and more and promises to GIVE us all these things and more, we can be the enthusiastic, energetic, extraordinary women that God has called us to be. 


And it doesn't matter what our day looks like. Whether we have in fact dressed in work clothes and headed out the door to teach or cut hair or fix teeth or counsel or type or drive a truck or heal or...... OR whether we are still in our pyjamas at 10am looking after little ones at home. Like I wrote in previous post Eye Witness, God SEES it all. And He's the One who said He would be with us always and be our helper.

I am convinced, that every little task we do today would be better if we did it keeping in mind that God is with us....He has given us this task to do....He has promised to empower us to do it and do it well. We just need to remember He's there and ask for His help.


So as you start today...or head into the afternoon....or finish the day, would you join me in this prayer?


'God we are privileged to be Yours. To know that we matter to the One who made all things, including us, and set in motion plans and purposes for our lives fill us with awe and wonder. May we see beyond the routine and the mundane and the work and challenges of life and catch a glimpse of amazing You. And Lord, would You fill us with the energy and enthusiasm and strength and joy that we need to do all of life well?'


WOW! We can speak to Almighty God...He hears and listens...then He acts powerfully and swiftly. Now that's something to get truly, deeply, wonderfully, crazily excited about!

What a Woman #Four

It's Valentine's Day....which may or may not bring a smile to your face. And a gift to your hands.

For J and I, V Day is a little bit special, simply because of what we did on our first V Day together. We had only been going out for about a month and so everything was still new, fun, exciting, romantic. Anyway, I arrived in town unexpectedly and surprised him with a gourmet picnic which we ate on a hillside overlooking a beautifully lit harbour and marina. A special memory...priceless actually. Oh yeah...that's right....V Day was also 'first kiss' day:)


Since then, we have had many other priceless moments....precious memories made to be remembered for many years to come.


But as I read Proverbs 31 I am reminded of something else that is priceless....me. 


So many times I struggle with self-confidence and worth. I question myself...beat myself up...think very little of myself....and I'm not sure why. Just yesterday J was telling little j that "Mum is so good looking" and I was almost in tears because I certainly don't think I come close to that description.


But in reading Proverbs 31:10 - An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.... I am once again reminded that I have value.....immense value.


As God's daughter I do. And as a wife striving to bring her husband good I do. I am precious....priceless. Maybe today, I can just enjoy the gift of that thought.


And whether you're married, engaged, dating or single, how about you do too?

What a Woman #One

Mask worn to protect the identity of the innocent:)

I am a woman....hope that statement doesn't come as a shock to anyone.
I am a woman desiring to live life the way God wants me to live it. A worthy life goal if I may say so myself.
I am a woman who fails frequently in achieving said goal. Hmmmmm...obviously I am a work in progress, so in 2011....let's keep the building project moving.
I especially feel like I fall short when I read about the 'woman of excellence' in Proverbs 31. 'What a woman' that one is.

So in the hope of inspiring myself on in this goal of living a God-pleasing life, I thought I'd tackle blogging a series of posts on some of the different facets of this woman in Proverbs 31. Perhaps I will see areas where I need to lift my game....perhaps there will be some where I am succeeeding....perhaps.... Won't you join me?

A theme I have mentioned of late in other posts, is the role of a wife. Created by God to be a helper (one who 'complements') for Adam, Eve had a special God-given role.

So do I. I am to 'bring my husband good.' (Proverbs 31:12) I do that by....speaking highly of him to others.....showing him respect in my words, tone, actions....allowing him to lead.....encouraging him......being a willing lover.....doing the washing, cooking, cleaning, ironing, etc (with a smile:)).....giving him a head rub or back massage.....being his TA when he is replacing termite eaten skirting boards ......watching an action movie with him (even though I prefer comedies)......going willingly into his arms when he asks for a hug, even though I was in the middle of something.....making his lunch.....finding the icepack out for the green ant bite.....booking the holiday accommodation....staying within the budget he's organised when I go shopping........preparing a cold drink for him after he's mowed the lawn......praying for him every day.....thanking him for all he does to protect, provide and love our family.....

The other kind of wife is the one mentioned elsewhere in Proverbs. She is the one who makes life difficult and painful. Proverbs 12:4 - ....a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. Proverbs 19:13 - a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping. Proverbs 21:19 - Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife. Hmmmm....NOT the kind of wife I want to be. Nor the kind of wife my husband deserves.

For our wedding, we wrote our own vows and J said in his that I was his crown. At first I didn't really know what that meant. But as I read Proverbs 12:4 - An excellent wife is the crown of her husband..... and thought about it, I realized the immense value and the incredible importance I have as my husband's wife. When I do him good, I am like a crown. I am a treasure. I make him feel important....like royalty. I help him to live well and bring him honour and pride.

But when I am selfish and look only to meet my own needs, I am more like a ball and chain. Hmmm.... wonder which one I'd prefer to wear?

A no-brainer question there. So that should make the decisions I make every day regarding my attitudes, words and actions towards my husband that much clearer and easier.

Simply put....Today (and every day), I need to do him good.