Look at that word "seeks" in the fist sentence. She seeks wool and flax, which means it's probably not easy to come by. She may have to make/ grow it, or find it from someone who has. What do you do with wool? You spin it into yarn and knit or sew with it. And we'll learn later in this passage that she clothes her family in fine garments of scarlet, and makes bed coverings for her family, and supplies the merchants with scarves to sell. She does all of this from scratch. I can't imagine not being able to go to the fabric store to buy the amount of whatever I want. These days have made it pretty easy for us wives to select wool. But imagine having to do it all from the very beginning.
Last night I made a clothe diaper. It wasn't just any cloth diaper, it was a Pampers cloth prototype. I am quite pleased with it. I was inspired because I love disposable diapers. They are fast, easy and they keep moisture in for a looonnnngggg time. You won't even know your baby is wet for the fist good long while (is this good? I don't think so. Pampers has made life of a mom and dad easy by being super absorbent) So, we got some free cloth diapers that we've been using for the last few days and they are big, messy, time consuming, uncomfortable, and the list goes on and on. Dan and I agreed that if we went to cloth diapers that it would be solely my department as he wants nothing to do with them haha. But then I look at this passage and realize, hey, this is me finding the good wool. I feel like I'm not giving in to the "easy" way (which I have been doing for the last 7 years) and really trying to figure out how this thing works. It takes about 1hr to make 1 diaper. That's a really long time, but it is so satisfying. I think about how long it would have taken Mrs Proverbs 31 to make garments and scarves and bed coverings (as examples) if she had to go out, find the wool, spin it, sew with it, and then finally it is done. It's a crazy long process.
As for the flax, it's the same story. I think this passage is saying she makes good homemade food :) I love to cook. I love cooking from scratch and the day I have to put something out of a package and warm up in the oven I feel so unsatisfied and a little guilty. This doesn't happen often as the kitchen is where I love to be. The girls do school in the kitchen so I can cook all day so the likeliness of me pulling something out of a box is slim. But to go even further, she grounds up her own flax; flour too I'm sure. I know someone who does this is it is so gratifying to go from start to finish all with your own hands and maybe that's the trick here. Maybe homemade food takes a long time, sometimes all day :) but it is so much nicer to know what you have accomplished.
"She is like the ships of the merchants, and brings her food from afar". I'm not going to get into the logistics of what that could possibly mean; does she go to the ocean coast waiting for fresh new food? does she travel to the farmers all around town? I think it means that she takes time and care into what food she is going to set before her family. They are so precious to her and she wants the best for them. She could very well go to the local discount bin and pick up almost rotten tomatoes and use them right away so they don't go bad (I am guilty of this) or she could take time, selecting the right fruits and veggies. She doesn't want just any old tomato, she wants the ones that would be perfect for the dish she is cooking. The fact that she takes the time to GO and find the foods she needs is pretty cool. Now we have stores on every corner everywhere, again it makes it hard for us to go directly to the merchant ships but maybe think about planting a garden in the next spring. I have big plans, not to have to buy any produce using the gardens I am going to plant. I am so excited about this. Just another thing to accomplish from start to finish.
I know not everyone has the time to be in the kitchen all day, but it is a really satisfying thing to fall in love with cooking and making delicious meals. If you are an M&M's type person, (don't get me wrong, their food is wonderful) but try home cooking. If your kids are picky, start with something you know they will like. The feeling is the opposite when you put so much time into a meal just to have someone say "yuk". My kids are great, even if I can tell dinner was a bomb and I know it doesn't taste good, they'll tell me it's great and eat it all up but I know not all kids have learned that trick haha so start with something they will like and boost your confidence in home cooking.
I know what you mean about the cloth diapers - messy, smelly, uncomfortable and inefficient. I had to stop using them because my poor baby's bottom couldn't handle any amount of moisture for any amount of time - so my decision to go disposable wasn't just for convenience (but it was a pleasant "side effect"). When relating this whole issue to Proverbs 31 I see it as seeking the best for my family with the gifts, talents and resources God has given me. For me (relating to diapers specifically) that meant searching for the most affordable disposables and seeking to heal the underlying reason for my baby's skin problems, and asking God to lead me in my searching. And that translates to all other areas of my life as well. Yay!
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, flax(stems)are used to make linen and it is a VERY labour intensive endeavour, even more so to create very fine linen, but willing hands would yield a very fine product indeed. I know when I'm spinning (wool) with and attitude of drudgery the yarn doesn't come out as nice. When that happens, and I catch myself (or God notifies me) I try to start praying love into the twists for whomever the yarn is for. It's like what DD#1 said about the food at Cherith compared to the food at another camp she went to; She can taste the love in the food at Cherith but the food at the other camp tasted dead or dull. Love and willing hands make the softest fabric for our lives and the best seasoning for our lives as well, I think.
Wendy
Introducing "Superwoman" from Hannah's Cupboard
ReplyDeleteA Proverbs 31 Hero for Today
There is so much activity packed into these twenty two verses, no wonder the first verse wonders: "An excellent wife, who can find?" Is this for real? Is this what is expected of a godly woman? Was there a man back in those Old Testament days who could boast of actually having a Proverbs 31 wife or was the writer indulging in wishful thinking.
Does Proverbs 31 have anything of value to say to women of the second millennium? YES. These verses can actually provide encouragement rather than self flagellation. Starting with this: our Old Testament sister was quite modern herself.
I've often heard women try to emulate this "superhero" by taking up hand work such as embroidery ("she works with her hands in delight") and sew their own clothes ("And her hands grasp the spindle") and grow their own food ("she plants a vineyard") and squeeze it all in around a full time job and raising children.
But what about this: she made and invested her own money ("She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.") She was an entrepreneur ("And supplies belts to the tradesmen.") She was independent and self confident ("She senses that her gain is good.") How is that so different from thousands of career women living all over the world right now?
Truthfully, in order to produce needed hope and encouragement, we need to catch the spirit of the Proverbs 31 woman instead of her workload. Trying to replicate all that she did will only produce an impossible treadmill and too many are already on one. So what is the heart of this excellent woman?
The Heart of the Matter
The Proverbs 31 woman appears not to be burdened with the guilt which many superwomen today can't seem to escape. Is that because she was on top of everything; being so perfect and all? I think instead it is because she had a sense of her purpose and truly enjoyed fulfilling it. That's why she could "smile at the future." (Verse 25) People who do what they love or what they feel called to do, usually feel more exhilarated than tired at the end of a long day.
Yes, but what about women who aren't doing what they love? Fine if you have an exciting career but what if you are doing what you HAVE to do in order to survive? There is a deeper career for each of us - no exceptions, than any life circumstance we may have. It is the call and purpose of God. Find it no matter what you do daily and you find a key to the spirit of Proverbs 31.
Here's another insight into the success of this godly woman which all can follow without overload: she was trustworthy. That worked to her advantage, producing favor in all her relationships which in turn increased her satisfaction with life. Who doesn't want to hear: "Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her." (Verse 28) That sure goes a long way in relieving the burden of the maxim "but woman's work is never done."
Also, as mentioned before, our sister had confidence because she was competent. Her high self esteem was rooted in excellence. You don't have to do it all but in whatever you do, let it be with a desire for excellence. Confidence goes a long way in contributing to a fruitful satisfying life in which "her works praise her in the gates". (Verse 31)
There are many Proverbs 31 women living the good life today and it is not because they are slaves to their husbands and children. Nor is it because they desperately struggle being the superwomen our culture seems to expect.
This worthy woman from the book of Proverbs was not, in fact, an old fashioned chauvinistic anachronism. Rather, if we get to the heart of the matter, she might be considered a forerunner for our time.
Barbara,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for reading my blog. I have no idea how you came across it as only a handful of people read each time I post. I don't know if you have read any of my other posts but if you haven't, I started with the first or second post saying, this blog is entirely intended for my personal study and if others happen to stumble upon it, that's awesome but it is not in any way intended to preach, lecture, or say my opinion is the only way. It literally is a place for me to study and write. I would like to give you a but of a background on many of the readers (that I know about :) Many of them are home school mom's who stay at home and may or may not have a business on the side. I can not speak to the working women of society of today because I am not one of them but what I can do is encourage the circle of people I know by writing about how God has worked in our lives.
I am going to continue this comment as it was too long for me to post but if you would like to read my response, I encourage you to. It will follow in the blog format rather than the comment. Thanks :)