An Excellent Wife?

Lately I've been doing a personal study on the Proverbs 31 woman. The excellent wife. It has been quite enlightening to me, honestly. You read over everything this woman does and it seems impossible. It is daunting the thought of trying to live up to the high standard she upholds as a wife and even as a mother. However, the thing I'm learning most about her? Not that she's unattainable to mimic, but that she is using the gifts she has to serve the Lord. That's what is most beautiful about her!

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I love that she helps her family out financially. Some of us are called to work outside of the home full-time or part-time. Some of us are called to work inside the home. It seems that this woman runs a business out of her home by doing sewing and selling her goods. She is quite talented at it too, because she saves enough money to even buy a vineyard with her earnings. We don't know what she does with her vineyard, but it definitely piques my interest. Does she decide to do farming and sell those good to the merchants too? Maybe she's deciding to grow an orchard? Possibly, she has purchased this property in order to have the space to plant more food for her family to eat! She is a woman who is determined to help her family in whatever way she can.. that we know!

She is also a planner. She is organized and takes the time to think ahead for her family and anticipate needs they may have. She is a woman who feeds her soul and nourishes herself spiritually. She helps her husband and encourages him. She works alongside the servants of her household and doesn't just order them around for the sake of being able to. She treats others with kindness and helps the needy whenever she can. Once again, we see that she is using her gifts to bless her family and others!

The thing that convicted me most about the study I've done of her (which is not completed) is that she does all these things with a cheerful heart. I love my family. I love serving them, cooking for them, and helping them. I love homeschooling our children. I even like folding their laundry (just not always putting it away, ha!). You may ask how in the world I can like these things? The reason is because I get to do it. I am thankful to have a family with many children. I am grateful they have clothes to wear. Those piled up dishes are because we had food to eat and I get to wash them in a home that has heat & air with clean, running water. I am privileged to stay at home and teach them throughout the day, watch them understand a new concept, and rejoice when they get "it"! These are blessings to me! However, I had really fallen into a pattern of grumbling.

Now, I wasn't grumbling out loud, mind you. I was grumbling under my breath. Annoyed in my head and becoming bitter in my heart. As I began this study then the Lord really convicted me. That's not what He wants for me. That is sin... plain & simple and I had to go to the cross and repent. Sister, we all have choices to make. Regardless of where you are in life, are you grumbling over the blessings God has given you?

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Some women work full-time and keep up a home and take care of the children too. Some women are stay at home moms working within the household and serving the children without many breaks. The question I ask you is... are you delighting in the Lord? Are you planning well for the needs of your family? Lastly, are you using your talents to please the Father?

When I finish my study of Proverbs 31, then I will be sure to post it! For now though, I just want to leave you with the notion... we can add to the blessing of our family and we can take away from the blessing of our family. Which sort of woman are you?