Proverbs31 - Fruits of her hands

It’s been two months since I last wrote. That’s how busy I was! Even writing this took me awhile to really decide if I wanted to cause it’ll usually take me at least an hour to write. Gathering my thoughts into words isn’t an easy thing;) I do miss multiplying. I think I grew a lot from it. Heh.

Ok ok the thing that I’ll be sharing it’s on Proverbs 31=) The woman King Lemuel mum asked him to look out for. When God opens up a scripture to you, it becomes a part of you. Memorizing verses from that passage will be effortless. So will living out god’s word in your life be easy when it’s in you.

Usually He’ll give me a picture, with a feeling I know it’s from him and I’ll try my best to write it down in words. So here was what I got the other day :

“Women today tend to be caught up w pursuing task tt portray power/strength in what god has given the task to man and lose sight of their God given identity. You become most beautiful when u do live it out.”

And as I study the scriptures, I began asking myself,

What then specifically are the role of a woman and a man besides the simple the ones we know of a man leading and e wife his helper?

Is there a difference when both are working?

How do you know if a career woman is living the best that god wants for her?

How would you define a woman of strength? 

Right then I wasn’t able to clearly say I knew the answers till I kept reading Proverbs 31 over and over again. I love how the GNB version describes it=)

10  How hard it is to find a capable wife! She is worth far more than jewels!

11  Her husband puts his confidence in her, and he will never be poor.

12  As long as she lives, she does him good and never harm.

13  She keeps herself busy making wool and linen cloth.

14  She brings home food from out-of-the-way places, as merchant ships do.

15  She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and to tell her servant women what to do.

16  She looks at land and buys it, and with money she has earned she plants a vineyard.

17  She is a hard worker, strong and industrious.

18  She knows the value of everything she makes, and works late into the night.

19  She spins her own thread and weaves her own cloth.

20  She is generous to the poor and needy.

21  She doesn't worry when it snows, because her family has warm clothing.

22  She makes bedspreads and wears clothes of fine purple linen.

23  Her husband is well known, one of the leading citizens.

24  She makes clothes and belts, and sells them to merchants.

25  She is strong and respected and not afraid of the future.

26  She speaks with a gentle wisdom.

27  She is always busy and looks after her family's needs.

28  Her children show their appreciation, and her husband praises her.

29  He says, "Many women are good wives, but you are the best of them all."

30  Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears, but a woman who honors the LORD should be praised.

31  Give her credit for all she does. She deserves the respect of everyone.

Then He asked me to count the number of times where she uses her hands to work in the verses that attribute a virtuous wife (v.13-v.27).

It amazes me to hear that from him. Little did I realized so many times hands were used in the context. (wow just saw this now) In fact, ALL e attributes has got to do with her hands with only one on speaking in wisdom. She works, give, brings, buys, reach, opens for her/to make linen, food, merchant, wools, vineyard, household, husband, children. How many times have we as children/husband wants something else from our mum/wife. These are the attributes that guides you towards becoming a virtuous woman.

A woman who busies herself only in her career probably fulfill v.17 hard worker, strong and industrious. The one who stay home to nurture her children and care for the needs of her husband and household is only able to fulfill the rest.

I love these two verses I read:

v.16 with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.(ESV)

v.18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.

If I’m not wrong, I think this woman earn her income from home=) With the little she has, her profit, she does not use it but instead like a seed plant it! (just caught this tooJ)

One thing I know of this lady is, when her children call for her, they can just run to her because she’s always home. When her husband returns, he returns to a home with dinner all prepared (Only just now I smell e aroma of food coming from my neighbours house, love it). He comes home to a worry free home with everything taken care of. I do not know how is that possible if a mum would to spend the whole day working(I know of two woman in my life though who could, one of which was my mum and my ex-principal. Amazing. People whom I deeply respect)They better share the workload! Otherwise, she’ll be exhausted doing the house chores alone after having face e stress at work.

In all that she does, her husband is well know and respected (v.23) and will never be poor(v.11). What a good deal! All they need to do is find one. Haha.

The last verse sums it well and truly was a confirmation to me =) “Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.”

There is a power of provision within women that needs to be tapped into like an oil well. B.J.Yoder. 

Duration : 2hours =)

Let your speech be season with salt

"Ever heard of e proverbs that says a nagging wife is like e water going drip, drip, drip...a dripping air-con creates e same effect. No peace of mind. Figured out a way to solve e problem. Attached a string to e dripping point and let it flow down.. No more dripping sound but a gentle soothing sound of water flowing down:)"

 

I wrote this in my facebook this morning after I manage to finally get rid of the dripping sound.

 

Have you ever had an encounter of havng to do your work with the sound of dripping water? I never truly understood why the writer in the proverbs would equate a nagging wife to a dripping water until today=)

 

So this morning I was just telling god how disturbing it would have been to sleep and do my work on monday with this sound. And the air-con man is only coming on tues. I have a fan but air-con would be good. I didn't know where the idea of attaching a string came from, but it just flash at me. It must has been from God saving grace:)

 

Then it became a conversation I have with God. I kept looking at the string.. and he ask me. What is the opposite of nag. I kept hearing pleasant speech.

 

He ask me then to look at the difference between a drip and the change that has taken place...it was gentle sound of flowing water, you could hardly even hear it. A quiet peace and rest.

 

When your speech is pleasant, it becomes a source of rest to those who hears it. It'll be a flow. Easy. Not something you have to conjure up.

 

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6

 

If you're not sure what a pleasant speech is like, look at the antonyms of nag;)

 

Antonyms of nag : please, approve, commend, compliment, praise, acclaim, appease, gladden, make happy, molify, soften, gratify, aid, soothe

 

(the picture above was a 15mo old baby I met in the train while coming home. Couldn't resist playing with her. Coincidentally she is name after wisdom, Sophie. The core msg of Pastor's sermon today=))

Updates on work & sch

Decided to take a break tonight to just surf the net and relax...so multiplying can be a form of rest too heh.
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My parents teacher meeting was postpone to this Saturday when there's no GenRev and the Saturday before my prac test, GenRev is cancelled due to the Mid autumn giving me more time to prepare. Feels like everything is working for me=)
It's not too hard to receive his blessings and to be found in the right place. In fact, dun try. Cause it's never mend to be that way. Trust your father's heart to put all things together for you.