Child of God. Wife. Mom. Seamstress. Those are my four top jobs in life. I'd like to think I'm pretty good at them, but the reality is that I could really use some improvement! No, no...this isn't a pity party or a beat-me-up session. I'm being honest. I think if we ever get to a point where we believe we have "arrived" in life and are the best we will ever be- then it's time to worry! Proverbs 30:10 through the end of the chapter talks about a "wife of noble character". She's a pretty great lady but sometimes (when I'm feeling extra selfish) I wish she never existed, because she makes me feel rotten! But seriously, I admire the woman that God was bragging about and I like to use her as my rubric for living! The passage talks about how her husband has confidence in her, how she brings him good and not evil (aka trash talking him on the phone to her best friend). It talks about her hard work ethic and how she serves the poor. She's a strong woman, able to laugh, and knows that true value comes from fearing the Lord!
So, why put in the extra effort? Why not just say whatever comes to my mind, avoid contact with the person who could use a little help, or sit on the couch with my bucket of ice-cream, a spoon, and the remote? It's hard work being like her! Why do it? Please find Exhibit A:
He's my man. He brings home the bacon. He is the best father to my babies I ever could have asked for! He's the sexiest thing I've ever laid eyes on (sorry, I got carried away). He makes me want to be a better wife and be more like Christ!Exhibit B:
He's my monster baby (well, he's not much of a baby anymore). He says the funniest things. I have loved him from the very moment his existence was realized through two purple lines on a wet stick. On the snowy Monday he was born, my chest physically hurt as I experienced love like never before. He makes me want to be more like Christ so that he will learn to be like Christ!
Look at her, my sweet baby girl. Have you ever seen eyes so beautiful or a face so kissably sweet? She's giggly, curious, and oh-so-tender. Someday she'll be my best girlfriend. We will have shopping days just the two of us where we'll buy way too many shoes and eat entirely too much Italian food. She makes me want to love Jesus more so that she will love Jesus more.
He's my monster baby (well, he's not much of a baby anymore). He says the funniest things. I have loved him from the very moment his existence was realized through two purple lines on a wet stick. On the snowy Monday he was born, my chest physically hurt as I experienced love like never before. He makes me want to be more like Christ so that he will learn to be like Christ!And finally, Exhibit C:
Look at her, my sweet baby girl. Have you ever seen eyes so beautiful or a face so kissably sweet? She's giggly, curious, and oh-so-tender. Someday she'll be my best girlfriend. We will have shopping days just the two of us where we'll buy way too many shoes and eat entirely too much Italian food. She makes me want to love Jesus more so that she will love Jesus more. Ladies, I know it's hard to keep going sometimes. Last night I wanted to sell my husband on Ebay (or really just give him to anyone who would take him). Today I yelled at Eli in the Wal-Mart parking lot for locking me out of the van in the hurricane force winds and the sleet shooting me in the face. I was horrible and ugly. That's not the woman God wants me to be. So, I'll wake up tomorrow and try again. I'll learn from yesterday and work on doing better tomorrow. I'm so blessed to have women all around me who are a modern day version of the Proverbs 31 woman. Would you join me in becoming more like her?
Love,
Gwenny
Oh Gwenny, you captured my own struggle! Thank you for this genuine post about the big shoes we try to fill and the battle to do it well each day. I've had so many days like the one you mentioned and it is so encouraging to know that someone I really admire as a wife and mom has days like that too. I sometimes wonder how the Proverbs 31 woman from that day would survive in our day. She would get quite a shock, I think. So, maybe we're doing better than we think...with room for improvement, of course. love you!
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