Just An Ordinary Proverbs 31 Gal...

I have a confession to make. I used to hate reading or hearing about Proverbs 31...you know the one...beginning in around verse 10 where reality seemingly ceases to exist. I sat quietly (not an easy task, mind you) as countless lessons were told about how we should all strive to be this woman; craftsperson, merchant, trader, administrator, business owner, philanthropist, salesperson, chef, and seamstress. She also manages to possess the traits of dignity, a sense of humor and wisdom while maintaining a happy home where her husband and children praise her. Did I mention she does all this with no apparent time for sleep? Can you feel me on the bitterness??

I have since come to a better understanding of these verses and I won't ask whether you agree or disagree because - quite frankly - it's my blog...but I think God intends for us to see ourselves not in the whole of this extraordinary woman, but in the parts of her that fit us. I came to this conclusion after reading many times and spending time in prayer trying to fathom how I could be more like this woman - who has been long-revered over the ages (wow! when was the last time you got to put that phrase into a sentence?) I came to the conclusion that the Proverbs 31 woman is not a distinct person we should strive to be, but one that we should all seek to find within ourselves. Whether you are outside working in the world as a craftsperson, a merchant, a trader, an administator, a salesperson, a business owner, or if you stay home as a chef, seamstress, laundress, teacher etc., if you do it for the Lord's glory - you are the Proverbs 31 woman!

Take time to listen to the still small voice that resides within all of us who call Him Lord. In all the things you do, glorify Him. Follow David's lead - even with all his faults - and seek to be a woman after God's own heart!

Welcome Fall

Every time a new season come upon us, I think to myself "this is my favorite season of all..." until of course, the next ones comes. I always think of Fall as a time for new beginnings. I know most people think of Spring that way since everything once dead begins to come to life again and I get that - but since, as a Mom, my life revolves more around the school calendar - Fall is the time for me to get back to business.

As I get back to my fall/school schedule of quiet time, I find I have been thinking a lot about the concept of self-care and how it affects every aspect of our very being. We all know people who are self-absorbed, and think of themselves before anyone else. They can't pass a mirror without fluffing their hair or checking their make-up, they're always late because they think they are more important than your schedule, and it's always "their turn." I'm not really talking about that kind of self-care...but the kind that is not at all selfish.

The kind of self-care that knows when to say "no, I can't add that to my schedule right now" not because they don't want to do it, but because they know that other things/people/priorities in their lives would suffer if they added even one more thing to an already full plate.

The kind of self-care that says I need to carve out quiet time with the Lord and in His word even if it means less sleep, or no make-up after my shower or one less errand gets run that morning.

I have been working on this concept because like many people I know...I tend to be think of myself as undeserving of the things that make me feel good; pedicures for no special reason, a cut and color at an expensive salon, a rich dessert even when the calories are too high for my own good. I also struggle with letting people do things for me...I always wind up feeling guilty. Why is that? I am the first one to tell my girls "you are a princess to the King of Kings" yet I forget that I, too, am the apple of God's eye.

We need to remember that God knit us together in the womb, that we are wonderfully made, that our bodies are a temple for the Holy Spirit to reside in and begin to practice the discipline of self-care. It's wonderful that God loves us even when we don't love ourselves...but I think He would be even happier if we took the time to learn to love ourselves like He does.

Strongholds

I have heard the word stronghold described in many ways; a thing or action that you put above the more important things or actions in your life, something that keeps you in bondage or as a slave to itself and, most recently, as something you put up as a wall between you and God.

I don't know about you but I can handle that first definition fairly easily. I mean, we all prioritize our lives in some fashion every moment of the day - constantly (and most of the time subconsciously) organizing and reorganizing our lives and the things in it. What time will we get up? What to do first, do we rush home after work to see our kids or linger over that last pile of paperwork, should I call that friend I've been meaning to get together with...? Our behaviors are the very things that define what we feel are the most important things in our lives.

The second one I have a harder time with. A slave? Bondage? I'm no one's slave!! And bondage - no thank you, I'm not into that either. However, if I truly begin to examine what my priorities look like, I begin to notice there are certain things and behaviors that I would never forget to do, or put off until later or put off altogether...could these be strongholds? Could I be in bondage to them?

Then comes the big one; the whole wall between me and God one. As much as I don't like this definition, it too is true. It's a wall the devil and I have built together and if I'm being honest, I like the wall...sometimes. I like to pretend I can hide behind the wall, that God can't see me behind the wall and I can do what I want. Clearly, I know that's a lie I've been fed by the guy who built the wall with me, but I must not really know it or I would begin to tear it down instead of choosing paint colors and window treatments - which is what I've been doing lately with my stronghold wall. I'm beginning to see that my wall isn't still there to only hide me from God, but from the world as well.

Sure, there are some people I let in if they knock loudly and often enough and there are others who even have a key, or can come over unannounced...but not many. I wonder if we all do this? Probably. What if I am shutting out the very people who could help me tear down the wall -and handing Satan a key? What if we all are?

A Work in Progress

We are all a work in progress. We've heard this phrase and hopefully, we recognize that in each of us this is true. In the book of Philippians, Paul compares our lives as Christ-followers to that of a long-distance runner (or cyclist ;) who keeps pressing onward towards the prize at the end. With the Olympics just ending, I began to think of this analogy a lot - and I realized that I do not treat this race as I should.

If you're like me at all, you don't stop for water breaks nearly enough. Jesus said if we drink from the water He gives us, we will never thirst again (John 4:13). We need to use God's word regularly for hydration. We need to check in with our Team Captain often to make sure our pace is on track and work to stay connected to the other runners on our team.

Another thing we fail to do is recognize our accomplishments. God Himself set this as an example for us in Genesis that I believe we have all overlooked. At the end of each day the Bible says God saw that it was good. He saw that it was good. As we run this race, we need to be sure we can look back at the end of the day and see that it was good.

Hey there,
If you are reading this then first let me thank you! Not sure how this thing is gonna go but I have felt compelled for awhile now to get back to writing. I spent years working as a writer for various newspapers...doing everything from city government news to features articles so I am anxious to see what comes out of my fingertips as they type.
So...welcome...come on in and check it out. More to come later...