Bringing Good to your family {p31, week 3}

She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.

She finds wool and flaxand busily spins it.

She is like a merchant’s ship,

bringing her food from afar.

Proverbs 31:12-14

Ahh, more Proverbs 31.  Are you sick of hearing me talk about her yet? I hope not.  I don't know if she was a real person or not (the Bible doesn't say), but hope she was because I would love to thank her for being an amazing example of godly woman-hood.  Seriously.  

This week, we have been talking about how a wife brings good to her husband.  Good. A wife that honors and respects her husband.  A wife that goes out of her way to show love via his love language to her.  A wife that doesn't withhold anything (even though there is nothing left to give). Sometimes I fall short in this area.  I have a selfish tendency (don't we all?).  As a mom of two toddlers, I confess that I am unintentionally short with my poor husband.  I don't intend to be, but exhaustion from dealing with the craziness of toddler-hood to running a household and a ministry (MOPS) can be very tiring.  I am constantly looking for ways to bring good to my husband. . . he so deserves it!  Whether it is sending him off to play golf or making a zillion (obvious exaggeration) PBJ's for his weekly lunches or looking at his needs, his love languages, and finding a way to bless him daily.  

How do you show your husband good?

The next part of that passage is . . . well. . . a fun one.  I know that it is talking about busily working with her hands. . . as in she's not idle and lazy.  She works hard so her family will be warm.  But, the translation that really . . . well, just makes me smile is the message.  It says, "She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing."  Now, I know that we are all created with different passions and likes and dislikes.  But this just screams crafty.  I will confess. . . I don't knit. . . I don't combine yarn with needles. . . I am just not that coordinated.  But, I do love fabric. . . a lot.  My sewing and craftiness has saved  us a lot of gift buying. . . so in that, I think I have brought good to my family. . . I can only hope. . . I like fabric. . . it's my guilty pleasure.  

I will say that as much as I love being crafty and busy with my hands, I will say it is not my biggest priority.  If it starts coming between my time with God, then I need to tone it down.  God gave me this desire to do things. . . to create things. . . and if I put that ahead of my time with Him then, I am making fabric, or paper, or {fill in the blank} a god.  That is not what the Proverbs 31 woman does.  She stays busy in order to bring her family good.  She makes things that will keep them warm during the cold, winter months; she  bakes the food to eat (although she was a queen. . . so probably had someone do this. . . but she did plan the meals); she finds the best materials to make sure they last.  Her focus is on Christ and by honoring Him, she honors her family. 

How do you stay busy?

  I am sure that every woman wants to be called a merchant's ship right? Uhh. . . probably not on the list of my top compliments.  In fact, if someone told me I was a ship, I would run to the mirror and then go completely carb free (if you know me. . . that's hard to do. . . read my blog. . . carbs everywhere!).  Good thing, that's not what it means.  I know I am relieved.  I've read that this woman probably got up and met the ships early in the morning to get the best and food and deals for her family.  I know I've mentioned it before, but the food budget is my biggest struggle.  I snip coupons that I would likely use, however, I just don't find couponing all that healthy.  Really.  From my observations, most coupons are for highly processed foods and are rarely for fresh fruits and veggies. . . which are primarily on my grocery list each week.  I do however, go shopping at several stores to save money. In fact, today I dragged my kids to Food Max, Trader Joes, Target, Buy Buy Baby, and Costco.  Add in my Farmer's Market purchases and we are set. . . for a few weeks at least.  In fact, my best deal today was at Target. . a 4 pack of Chicken breasts with a 3 dollar off coupon making each package about 3 bucks!  Yep. . . I live for those moments!  So for me, honoring my family like the Proverbs 31 woman means buying products that are healthier and making a lot of things from scratch to illiminate the preservatives.  I want my family to live long and healthy lives so that they can grow up and honor Christ in whatever way God has planned for them to do.  

So, those are my thoughts and reflections for this week. . .  I am going to go and sew now.  My son wants some "pull-ups" for his sock monkey.  Yep. . .  you heard that right.  

by the way, have any of you read this book?  Any thoughts?