The Woman of Proverbs 31

I enjoy reading about the woman of Proverbs 31 and pray to grow in emulating her fear of the Lord, diligence in her home, and wisdom in her affairs. It's easy to look at this portrait of a virtuous woman and decide we'll someday endeavor to mirror her as married women (this is especially easy since most of us aren't married and don't know firsthand the challenges of marriage!), but right now while we are unmarried, are we striving to mirror this woman to the best of our ability in our homes as single girls? Recently, I have been studying the following commentaries with great interest. What an amazing woman the Lord saw fit to set as our paradigm of biblical womanhood! I love the excitement and challenge of such a lofty model to aim to follow.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Proverbs 31:10-31:

This is the description of a virtuous woman of those days, but the general outlines equally suit every age and nation. She is very careful to recommend herself to her husband's esteem and affection, to know his mind, and is willing that he rule over her. 1. She can be trusted, and he will leave such a wife to manage for him. He is happy in her. And she makes it her constant business to do him good. 2. She is one that takes pains in her duties, and takes pleasure in them. She is careful to fill up time, that none be lost. She rises early. She applies herself to the business proper for her, to women's business. She does what she does, with all her power, and trifles not. 3. She makes what she does turn to good account by prudent management. Many undo themselves by buying, without considering whether they can afford it. She provides well for her house. She lays up for hereafter. 4. She looks well to the ways of her household, that she may oblige all to do their duty to God and one another, as well as to her. 5. She is intent upon giving as upon getting, and does it freely and cheerfully. 6. She is discreet and obliging; every word she says, shows she governs herself by the rules of wisdom. She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others. The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, and shows itself in the tongue. Her heart is full of another world, even when her hands are most busy about this world. 7. Above all, she fears the Lord. Beauty recommends none to God, nor is it any proof of wisdom and goodness, but it has deceived many a man who made his choice of a wife by it. But the fear of God reigning in the heart, is the beauty of the soul; it lasts for ever. 8. She has firmness to bear up under crosses and disappointments. She shall reflect with comfort when she comes to be old, that she was not idle or useless when young. She shall rejoice in a world to come. She is a great blessing to her relations. If the fruit be good, the tree must have our good word. But she leaves it to her own works to praise her. Every one ought to desire this honour that cometh from God; and according to this standard we all ought to regulate our judgments. This description let all women daily study, who desire to be truly beloved and respected, useful and honourable. This passage is to be applied to individuals, but may it not also be applied to the church of God, which is described as a virtuous spouse? God by his grace has formed from among sinful men a church of true believers, to possess all the excellences here described.



The Proverbs 31 Woman by Kimberly Lorenzini (a condensed commentary comprising of several noted commentaries; footnotes and further details can be found here)

CONTENTS

Introduction
Proverbs 31: The Model Woman
I. Her value
II. Her husband
III. Her occupation
IV. Her character
V. Her household
VI. Herself
Conclusion
Bibliography

All Scripture taken from the New King James Version.

INTRODUCTION

Scripture describes the creation of a woman with the word “made.” God planned and supervised this “building” of the woman with the intent that she would be a “helper comparable to the man.” The word “helper” is also used to describe God (Ps. 33:20). It is a term of function rather than worth. A woman does not lose value as a person by humbly assuming the role as a helper. The wife then has the assignment of being her husband’s helper; (1) as a spiritual helper, (2) as a partner in continuing the generations, (3) as a confidant to offer comfort and fellowship, and (4) as a companion to provide encouragement and inspiration. In Proverbs 31: 10-31, we read a passage that is an acrostic poem that describes what kind of wife a woman should be and what kind of woman a man should choose to marry. I will be following the acrostic as it appears in The Companion Bible.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary states, “This description of the virtuous woman consists of twenty-two verses, each beginning with the letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order, which makes some think it was a poem by itself, written by some other hand, (other than Lemuel) and perhaps commonly repeated for the ease of which it was made alphabetical.”Adam Clarke states that “in this poem we have the character of a woman of genuine worth laid down: first, in general, vv. 10-12; secondly, in its particular or component parts, vv. 13-29; and, thirdly, the summing up of character, vv. 30-31.”

EXEGETICAL SECTION

I. Her value

10 Who can find a virtuous Wife? For her worth is far above rubies.

We can see here her general character in the description of virtuous. Matthew Henry’s definition of a virtuous woman is noteworthy: “a woman of virtue is a woman of spirit, who has the command of her own spirit and knows how to manage other people.” This brings to mind a woman who can control her emotions and bring up delicate situations when appropriate, as well as having good people skills with the ability to get the best out of each individual. Secondly, Matthew Henry notes a virtuous woman as being a woman of resolution, who having espoused good principles, is firm and steady to them. Here we see a woman who is diligent, capable, worthy, and good. The Companion Bible notes that this word limits it to one kind of excellence, but the Hebrew is wider: meaning strong in all moral qualities. The question in this proverb implies that a virtuous wife is hard to find. He who desires to marry should think twice that he is not biased by beauty, wealth or prestige, for this does not equal a woman of virtue. The Companion Bible notes the great lesson Solomon was to learn when he did not heed the warnings against foreign women. The second general characteristic is that she is invaluable. Her worth cannot be measured in terms of costly gold. The more rare good wives are, the more valued they are. Ruth is the only one noted in the O. T. as virtuous.

II. Her husband

11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

The third general characteristic of this woman is that she is an unspotted wife. Her husband trusts her. Henry discusses three issues that her husband finds confidence in her: He trusts in her chastity; He trusts her conduct, that she will act in all affairs with prudence and discretion; and he trusts in her fidelity to his interest. He knows that she will take care of the proper provisions of the household. Because of this, states Clarke, “he has no need for spoil-- he is not obligated to go out on predatory excursions, to provide for his family, at the expense of his neighboring tribes.” Here the word spoil means gain. This brings to my mind a man who has to sacrifice his responsibilities at work to compensate for the wastefulness of his wife. The husband in the Proverb is able to become a success because he can devote adequate time to his career with the efforts she puts forth to help him. This also can mean, as Henry states, that “he does not envy those who have most of the wealth of this world; he does not need it, he has enough, having such a wife.”

The fourth general characteristic is that she has her husband’s happiness in view constantly. The Believer’s Bible Commentary states that this means she never fails to cooperate. Henry states that she shows him love, not in foolish fondness, but by prudent endearments, giving him good words not bad ones. We can see that she does this, not only during the honeymoon stage or when she is in good humor, but constantly. As mentioned before, her husband is known in the gates. Henry states that “he is known for having a virtuous wife. By his cheerful countenance and pleasant humor it appears that he has an agreeable wife at home.” One may also know he has a good wife at home that takes care of his clothes.

III. Her occupation

13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.

Starting in verse thirteen we have particular characteristics of this woman. One, she is willing to work. Here we see a woman who seeks out good things for her family. She looks for the cheapest and best deal. She doesn’t do it with complaints or malice. Henry notes, “she perceives that she can make things herself better and cheaper than she can buy them.” The Companion Bible notes that willingly with her hands, equals with her hands’ good will. The second particular characteristic is that she acts like merchants. Clarke explains this saying, “if she buys anything for her household, she sells sufficient of her own manufactures to pay for it.” She brings in provisions of all things necessary and convenient for her family. Whether she puts her hands to the task, or supervised others while they work, she is an efficient and organized homemaker, always watching over her home.

15 She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.

The third particular characteristic is that she is an economist of time. She is not one who stays up until morning and sleeps in all day. She rises up to tend to the needs of her family, not to do things for herself. Henry states that “she rises up to give her servants their breakfast, that they may be ready to go cheerfully about their work.” The Believer’s Bible Commentary states that her maidservants portion is not only breakfast, but also work assignments for the day. This shows again that she is diligent to run the needs of the household. The fourth particular characteristic of this woman is that she provides for the growing wants of her household. She considers what an advantage the field will be to her family. She is not a woman that buys out of impulse or emotion, but takes the time to think about purchases. Henry again has some good insight into this: “Though she have ever so much mind to it she will not buy it till she first considers whether it be worth her money, whether the ground will answer the character given of it, and whether she has money at command to pay for it.” I can’t help to think that this woman did not use credit cards but only bought what she could afford at the time. Many women feel that it is their duty to fix up the house and this gives them the right to go out and put their investments on the credit card. This scripture notes that she is such a good manager that her household does not need to be restricted to the bare necessities of life, but can enjoy some comforts. By turning her land into a vineyard shows that she has the ability to turn her investments into profits.

18 She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.

The fifth particular characteristic is that she takes care to manufacture the best articles of the kind, and to lay on reasonable price that she may secure a ready sale (v. 18).

The Believer’s Bible Commentary states the she takes a quiet, humble satisfaction in the results of her labor. This brings to mind the women who are perfectionists and are never satisfied with the work they have done. I do not think God wants us to be so particular in our work that we can’t find satisfaction. Here we see a woman who has the task well balanced. She works hard and long, but understands that there is a point where she can have satisfaction in her work. The sixth particular characteristic is that she is watchful and careful (v. 18). Clarke gives us the description that this woman keeps her lamp on all night to keep watch of sudden alarms.

The Wycliffe Bible Commentary states that the meaning of verse eighteen is that she has seen to it that she has plenty of oil to burn the lamp all night. This meaning can be contrasted with the story in Matthew 25:8. It is best to say that this is an example that she is careful to take care of all the business of the day, even if it means that she has to work into the night. The seventh particular characteristic is that she gives an example of skill and industry to her household (v. 19). In this verse we see that she will occasionally do work that requires all the strength she has. Clarke gives us a vivid picture of this process of making thread: “She takes the distaff, that on which the wool or flax was rolled; and the spindle, that by twisting of which she twisted the thread with the right hand, while she held the distaff in the guard of the left arm, and drew down the thread with the fingers of the left hand.”

24. She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25. Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.

The eighth particular characteristic is that she is known for her industriousness (v. 24). She makes linen garments and sells them in the market. Henry states that she would have to carry them to Tyre, the market of the nations, or some other trading city. Verse twenty-five can be looked at in a couple of ways. One is the manufacturing of the clothing she sells. Because she manufactures the garments herself, they would have double protection: They would be strong, and they would be elegant. In contrast, Henry identifies this verse to mean that she deals with the merchants at the market with honor and moral character. Either way she can rejoice in the future because she knows that she has not spent her time in idleness and will have the income from her work soon.


IV. Her character

20. She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
26. She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.

The ninth particular characteristic is that she is truly charitable. Henry brings up the contrasts with her occupation as he states, she is as intent upon giving as she is upon getting. The Believer’s Bible Commentary states that in addition to all that she does with her occupation, she still has time to seek out the needy and help them. It is easy in this world to be so concentrated on making money and giving to our own family that we loose sight of God’s desire for us to share what He has given to us with those that are in need, in order to share His love. She makes more than her household needs in order to share with the needy. The tenth particular characteristic is that she gives moral management to her family. This woman is not one too talkative, nor peevish. But when she does talk it is full of wisdom and kindness. Clarke states that this is the most distinguishing excellence of this woman. There are few women who are called managing women who are not tyrants over their servants or lords over their husbands. Here we see this woman having great balance between leadership and sevanthood. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary points out that her virtues are not mere industry. Wisdom and kindness and nobility are hers-- not the characteristics of a sluggard. The Book of Proverbs, is full of the fact that a person with these characteristics “fears the Lord.”

V. Her Household

21. She is not afraid of snow for her household, For her household is clothed with scarlet. 27. She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28. Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her.

The eleventh particular characteristic is that she is not anxious relative to health and comfort of her family in the winter season, having provided clothes for each in the cold months. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary states that the LXX uses the word double instead of scarlet. Clarke further explains it to be sahanim or shanah, “to double,” signifies not only scarlet, so called from being twice or doubly dyed, but also “double garments.” The eleventh particular characteristic is that she is a moral manager; she takes care that all shall behave themselves well, that none shall keep company or develop bad habits. Here we see her keeping in touch of her household affairs in order that they are all doing what is good in God’s eyes. She may have to discipline the children in order to discourage bad habits. Many women today lack the accountability of their children. They send them off to daycare and never inquire what their activities are throughout the day. This verse brings to mind that, as parents, we are accountable for the actions of our children in God’s eyes. The twelfth particular characteristic is that she knows that idleness leads to wickedness. She makes sure that her household keeps up with their fair share of the work; also she makes sure that her children are involved some kind of godly activities. She gives a good example to her household by not getting involved in shallow or unproductive activities. Similarly, she is energetic and always occupied. Verse twenty indicates that she knows if she trains up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it.

VI. Herself

17 She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.
22. She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

The thirteenth particular characteristic is that she takes care of her own health and strength, not only by means of useful labor, but by healthy exercise. If women leave any of the characteristics of this virtuous woman out, this would be the one. It is hard to balance the work as a mother, wife, professional, believer, and adequate exercise. Exercise however, can help with relieving the stress that comes with the day to day activities, and can help women deal with the ups and downs of relationships, not to mention the prolonged life. The Believer’s Bible Commentary states that according to this verse she is preparing herself for tasks with great vigor and enthusiasm. The fourteenth particular characteristic is that she makes herself coverings of tapestry (v. 22). Clarke points out that this tapestry is for carpeting or quilted work for her beds; and her clothing is made out of fine flax and purple. This is probably for a cloak of mantle.

29. “Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all”
30. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31. Give her the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Verse twenty-nine, is a statement by her husband to the excellence of his wife. It is important that husbands praise their wives, it is a great bonus when they praise them in public. This last section gives us the summation of her character. First, she is not deceitful in her beauty. Many women have the appearance of beauty, but this woman has true beauty that comes from God. Henry states, “the fear of the Lord reigning in the heart is the beauty of the soul; it recommends those that have it to the favor of God, and is, in his sight, of great price; it will last forever, and bid defiance to death itself, which consumes the beauty of the body, but consummates the beauty of the soul.” The second summation of character is that she possesses the true religion. This is in fact the most important characteristic of them all. For if you have all the others you are still incomplete, the only thing that matters is if you are righteous in God’s eyes. Here the Book of Proverbs ends as it began, stressing the importance of reverence to the LORD. In verse thirty-one we see that the result of her labor is her best compliment.

CONCLUSION

This rare woman was a model of virtue: trustworthy, industrious, organized, and loving. Her husband totally trusted her, her grown children praised her, and her home was a model of efficiency. Still she found time to reach out to the poor and needy, and even increase her wealth with wise investments. We also see that she was as outwardly beautiful as she was inwardly. These positive qualities can be contrasted with the “contentious” wife (Prov. 19:13; 21:9, 19) and “immoral” woman (Prov. 5:3-14, 20; 6:24-32; 7:6-27).

The main truth that we can find from this passage is the theme that we see throughout the book: Wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Because this woman feared the Lord, her relationships and responsibilities were wisely balanced. She exemplifies the truth spoken by Jesus Christ, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to” (Matt. 6:33). A close look at this woman can help every woman set her priorities in managing the time, resources, and giftedness God has given.

A Killer In The Corn

Elliott, Oliver, Sullivan, and Harrison created this short western movie last week. I think they did a great job and it turned out to be very cute.

Our first family video was a tour of our previous farm last March. We'd love to make more videos in the future, but are really lacking creativity! If anyone has an idea to share, please leave a comment and we will happily consider your recommendation. :)

Thrift Store Deals

Yesterday's steady rain forced us to reschedule our September farm tour and participate in only one farmers market in the morning. Waking up to a totally clear schedule after expecting it to be a busy, hectic day was so nice.

Mama needed some groceries so I decided to run her errands and fit in several of my own while I was in town. It quickly turned into a shopping day! As the weather is becoming slightly chilly and it has been necessary to begin wearing jeans instead of shorts and capris, I have realized that almost all of my old jeans are in pretty bad shape, primarily with bleach stains from when I wash the milk jars. I went to my favorite thrift stores in search of some new jeans to pair with tops I already own for a fresh, fall look: left to right~ Calvin Klein jeans $4.98, J. Crew jeans $1.98, Ralph Lauren jeans $1.99, Gap jeans $1.99, Express jeans $4.98, and another pair of Ralph Lauren jeans $1.98

The Lord always blesses me so much at thrift stores! All six pair of jeans are in practically new condition and I spent less than $20 on all of them combined, which is way less than just one pair would have cost had I purchased them new. If I were forced to buy all of my clothes from the mall, I could not afford to be impressed with the different name brands. Furthermore, I certainly don't want to become materialistic by obsessing over whether or not all of my polo shirts have the little Ralph Lauren pony in the corner, but I do absolutely love the challenge of studying the expensive clothes in the mall, online, and in catalogs and then hitting the thrift stores so I can pair together preppy, classy outfits for a tiny fraction of the cost! I look forward to one day having the opportunity to dress an entire family in expensive-looking clothes as inexpensively as possible. The woman of Proverbs 31 "dressed in fine linen and purple" (Prov. 31:22), which made her appear to be a 'woman of status' in her culture, so I excitedly strive to emulate her example.

I also found some childrens' Lands' End ski bibs for only $3.99. I hope to sell them on eBay for a decent profit (the identical ones are online for $69.50).

My old running shoes are in such bad shape that they actually have several holes in them. I found these Adidas shoes to replace them for $10. I debated over whether or not to buy them because $10 for a pair of shoes in a thrift store is a little bit ridiculous, but I really need a replacement pair and my previous shoes lasted over a year (and they originally only cost 99 cents!), so I found a way to justify my "outrageous" purchase. :)

Books I'm Reading

I love seeing what books others are reading, so I decided that I would also post a list of the books I am reading or hope to read in the near future. I always think that buying books is a wise investment because they provide so much wisdom and insight (but that may just be how I justify my purchases since I spend more money on books than anything else!).

The books I've read so far in 2009 are on the sidebar (scroll down).

Books I'm Currently Reading:

Jesus the One and Only by Beth Moore I am using this book with my devotions in the mornings and enjoying the indepth study of Christ's life on earth.

Holy Cows and Hog Heaven: The Food Buyer's Guide to Farm Friendly Food by Joel Salatin I began reading this book so I would be better prepared to answer customers' questions at farmers markets. Mr. Salatin's witty humor makes the book very easy to read.

The New Agritourism: Hosting Community and Tourists on Your Farm by Barbara Berst Adams Agritourism is a largely untapped industry with incredible potential. I'm reading this book in hopes of finding agritourism avenues that our farm could pursue for additional income.

Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer This book interests me because I have seen so many teenagers/young adults walk away from Christ and the church. The authors present overwhelming statistics and their opinion regarding battling this raging epidemic that is sweeping the churches of the western world.

A Full Quiver: Family Planning and The Lordship of Christ by Rick and Jan Hess I am reading this book to establish a firm conviction with a biblical foundation in regard to my beliefs on the blessing of children (Psalm 127:3-5) and allowing God to be in control of family size.

Upcoming Books:

Knowing God by J.I. Packer

Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney: 1739-1762 by Eliza Lucas Pinckney

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

The First 90 Days of Marriage: Building the Foundation of a Lifetime by Eric and Leslie Ludy

When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper

Susanna Wesley: Servant of God by Sandy Dengler

Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney

Marriage to a Difficult Man: The Uncommon Union of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards by Elisabeth D. Dodds

Aunt Jane's Hero: Portrait of a Christ-Centered Home by Elizabeth Prentiss

All I Have Is Christ

I had this song playing over and over again during my drive to and from the Charlottesville milk delivery today, so it is very much stuck in my head even now. I love the lyrics and find encouragement in reminiscing about Christ's gift of salvation in my own life. He has been faithful in huge things, so I am reminded that I should never lose confidence as I trust Him with the details all around me:

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You

Guest Post on Seeking God's Will & College

My sweet friend, Abigail, just began her senior year of high school, so college has been on her mind a lot lately. We have discussed the subject quite often throughout the summer and it has been exciting to watch Abigail seek God's will for her life in this area and see how He is leading her. Abigail recently posted the following thought-provoking entry on her decision regarding college and seeking God's will in general, at her own blog and I thought it would be of interest to the readers of my blog as well:


I want so much more than man's approval, so much more than success by his estimation.

I believe that man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. In scripture, we are not required to acquire education to do this. Rather "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Micah 6:8 (emphasis mine.) Throughout scripture we see that God used the uneducated (like David) equally as mighty as the educated (like Samuel). Our level of education is not a barrier to God. He can use us if we have a Ph. D., and He can use us if we never graduated high school. And the greatest commandment of God has nothing to do with education. "Jesus answered him, 'The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment." Mark 12:29-30. I say this to reduce college to it's proper proportion: a place to learn a skill. Not a "must" for a good life as we are sadly often told and pressured to believe!

I find it sad that so many do go either because of cultural expectations or simply because it's the cool thing to do, and not with a sound specific purpose. This not only wastes money, but wastes time which God has told us to redeem (Ephesians 5:15-16, Colossians 4:5). Without goals and focus, we are also more susceptible to wordly influences.

Up until recently, it was my perspective that God tells us to obey Him and follow His will, and then helps us try to figure out what it is. I was waiting on Him to make it evident to me whether or not it was His will for me to go to college. I was finding it puzzling and a little frightening, because He wasn't making my college decision as clear as He recently made my job decision :). However, my perspective has changed. I believe that God has clearly defined His will for my life, and for every one of His followers. Listen. "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light." Colossians 1:9-12. Therein lies His will! And as long as we are living in this way, we are living in God's will. Whether we are in college or serving at home! I do not believe that we ever risk stepping out of God's will when we make a decision if that decision is made with the sincere object of honoring God and furthering His kingdom. I believe that our decision to either attend college or pass it up should be based on where we can best honor God and worship him with our lives, ("For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:20). I HIGHLY encourage you to listen to this sermon by Kevin DeYoung; he explains everything so much better than I can!

*Note* I also highly recommend this sermon! I've listened to it several times and found it to be extremely relevant.

For my sister, college was the way to go. She had/has a passion for music, and took piano lessons from a professor at Meredith College during her last few years in high school, (after having taken from local ladies since she was the age of about 9, I believe). He told her about Meredith's music department, and she had a strong desire and excitement to go there and study music at a new level! God blessed her with huge scholarships, and she was a light for Him there during her four years at Meredith College. She made a godly impact on many friends. And now, she is teaching private piano lessons, teaching at several music stores, homeschooling a family down the road, living a life that college helped prepare her for; and striving to love the Lord with her whole heart and grow ever closer to Him.

I am not and really never have been much like my sister. :P Where she thrives on schedules and busy-ness, I thrive on "peace, and good tilled earth!" (I should have been a hobbit! ;) Where she is full willing to spend hours indoors to practice and study, I soon feel cooped and long to go out to the animals. Where she wanted to go to NYC, I wanted to go to Montana. :D Our likeness is that I, too, love music. I've taken piano since I was 6, and voice since I was 15. I am much better at piano than singing, but enjoy singing more. So, naturally the majority of folks I share this love of singing with assume that I'll go to Meredith with an emphasis on vocal studies. But I want so much more than they've got planned. I want to continue being an anchor here at home, keeping a rein on things as a help to my mama. I want to be here to support Sam as he heads forth in his life, cherishing the special bond that we have. I want to be here for BJ, so that he won't have to finish growing up without me around; so that I won't miss out on the wonderful character he is developing; so that I can help him and encourage him to develop it. I value relationships more than education. I want to "look out not only for my own interests, but also for the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4) I believe that at this time in my life, God will be most honored by my presence in this house. To most people this looks like an idiotic choice, I know. Meredith College has already offered me a small scholarship, and I haven't even applied! Isn't it stupid to pass up this golden opportunity? It would appear that I have a distinct lack of ambition! But the root of my decision is that I desire to worship Christ with my life by working for his glory where I see the most need. Is not aiming for Christ's pleasure the highest ambition of all?

First Day of Fall

Today has been a wonderful first day of fall, and I would like to think that it has been an indication of a slower season ahead! We set record time as we processed and packaged over 100 chickens by 1 PM, and then I spent part of the cloudy afternoon cuddled up in a chair in the living room, drinking hot tea, and reading. I never do that, especially on a weekday, but something about the cooler, gloomy weather warranted such spontaneous relaxation.

As one who definitely loves the hot summer more than any other season, I tend to dread the first signs of fall. I don't eagerly await watching the leaves slowly turn their many vibrant colors, but this year I am actually excited about the new season. Running in the crisp, cool mornings is so invigorating. Also, something about fall gives me a desire to bake pies. Pecan pies, pumpkin pies, apple pies, chocolate meringue pies, banana cream pies... They all just sound so appropriate for the cooler weather.

We've been promoting our freshly ground whole wheat bread to our farm customers and it's been very successful. So successful, in fact, that I have a dozen loaves to bake tomorrow! I will probably soon be regretting my "spontaneous afternoon of relaxation". ;)

Weekends at Our House

I've written a lot about weekdays in my "a day in my life" entries, but I rarely write about the weekends.

On Friday afternoons, I deliver milk in Charlottesville. During the one hour delivery time slot, about 40 shareholders meet at a parking lot to pick up their week's milk. This milk delivery is my favorite because I enjoy the drive and the people at this drop site are especially friendly. It is a very diverse crowd-- everyone from the 'hippie type', to preppy UVA students, to soccer moms, as well as a lot of other great folks. They are always such a pleasure to work with. I suppose it may have to do with the fact that most are on their way home from work on a Friday night and everyone is looking forward to the weekend. :)

This past Friday, Mama offered to do the Charlottesville milk delivery since I had just returned from my week in NC and had so much catching up to do at home. I unpacked, caught up on some business-related emails, updated my blog, and made a homemade banana pudding for Daddy. In the evening, the boys and I stayed up late watching "Father of the Bride".

Of course I regretted staying up so late when I had to wake up way before the crack of dawn for farmers markets on Saturday morning! In the spring, I begin the farmers market season with great enthusiasm and so many ambitious ideas of what I'd like to prepare to sell at the markets (in addition to the farm's pork and poultry). In the past, I have sold jams, relishes, homemade pies, cookies, granola, and my coastal note cards. Unfortunately, by September, the crowds have died down substantially, sales have dropped drastically, and the excitement has worn off, so after helping set up the markets and working for about a hour, Elliott took over and I left to go shopping!

After we return home from farmers markets, Saturday afternoons are sometimes spent on a huge project, such as last week, when Mama and I finished scraping and reglazing the windows (an incredibly tedious job), and sometimes they are spent relaxing, like yesterday, when we were extremely unproductive and sat around reading magazines and watching college football and Andy Griffith reruns.

Mama on the roof reglazing a window:A couple Saturday afternoons ago, I took my 'students' on a field trip to a farm day in the next county. We mostly went to get ideas for our upcoming annual farm day in November, but they enjoyed the corn maze and seeing the animals.

Sheridan, Harrison, and Sullivan:Learning about bee hives:Attempting to find their way through the corn maze:My tired crew on the hay ride back to our vehicle:
Our Sunday mornings also begin very early since we go to church two hours away! We deliver milk at a drop site in Raleigh, NC on Sundays, so it works well to attend church in the area also. The two hour drive isn't as bad as it sounds because we usually sleep, read, or watch DVDs during the trip to and from church each week. When we had to change our Raleigh milk delivery to Sundays about a year ago, we decided we would visit some family-integrated churches in the area. Coincidentally, a sweet girl named Annabeth had stumbled onto my blog the previous spring and occasionally left comments. Since I knew she was from the Raleigh area, I asked about her church, and we went from "blogging friends" to "real friends" as our family began attending her church. Our church meets in an event center on a 'show and tell farm' (their cash crop is agritourism) and we all bring food to share for a potluck meal afterwards. Eating lunch together provides an excellent opportunity to build relationships within the church family.
The event center:
We usually get home from church around 3:30-4 pm. Some people take naps while others watch TV or play computer games. I like to bake desserts on Sunday afternoons. Today, Sheridan and I baked double chocolate cookies. Also, today I got the exciting news from my good friend, Chelsea, that her boyfriend drove up from FL on her birthday (Friday) and proposed! We've both talked about our weddings for years so I'm very happy for her as she begins her planning.

After the boys come in from the evening milking, we always have a supper of loaded down nachos with cheese, lettuce, garden-fresh peppers, and tomatoes.

The weekend refreshes us for the upcoming busy week!

Head Coverings, King Solomon, Beauty, & Biblical Womanhood

This month's tractor work is complete and I am happy to be home! I listened to quite a few challenging sermons during my many hours spent in the tractor cab. The following points stood out to me the most:

~Head Coverings~ I thought this message would be especially interesting because it seems to be a fairly controversial topic in some conservative churches. It's a relatively new concept to me, as I had never observed or even heard of the practice of women wearing head coverings (except the Amish and Mennonites) until a few years ago. If you are equally unfamiliar with the subject, in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul admonished the women of the Corinthian church to wear head coverings (or 'veils' in some translations) to signify that they were in submission to their husbands. At first glance, it would seem like the command would still be relevant today and something we should be obeying. However, this sermon reinforced my belief, from previous study, that this was strictly a cultural issue. The pastor drew the parallel of a married woman in that time not wearing a head covering being similar to a married woman today arriving at church dressed extremely immodestly and making a point not to wear her wedding ring, so she looked 'available', and would therefore be dishonoring her husband.

~The Story of Solomon~ This message was about Solomon's life and how he began his time as the king with so much wisdom and a heart for God (1 Kings 3), yet toward the end of his life, he sadly followed other gods due to the influence of his many foreign wives (1 Kings 11). The pastor spoke about the importance of seeking wisdom above anything else, as Solomon did early in his life, as well as the danger of allowing compromise or pride in our lives, which will inevitably lead to destruction.

~Beauty~ Taken from 1 Peter 3, this message was about beauty in God's eyes: "the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight". I was especially challenged in this message by the speaker's emphasis on eating and exercising for the glory of God instead of for our glory. I was convicted because all too often, what I eat or don't eat, as well as how often I run/exercise, is for the sole reason of caring about how I want to look, how I want others to think of me, etc., which is vanity and has nothing to do with bringing glory to God.

~Biblical Womanhood~ This message was about our role as women in each different stage of our lives. According to Genesis 2:20-24, we were created to be help-meets to our husbands when married, and helpers primarily within our families and church families when unmarried. The speaker gave the example of the woman of Proverbs 31:10-31, as well as several scriptures taken from Titus 2. I especially enjoyed hearing the examples of historical women and how their willingness to diligently serve their husbands enabled their husbands to be great leaders of the church and country. One example was Eliza Lucas Pinckney, an accomplished and entrepreneurial woman from the 18th century. She was very well educated compared to the women of her time period, but concluded that the home was her primary domain, as is evidenced in the pledge she made shortly after her marriage: “...to make a good wife to my dear Husband in all its several branches; to make all my actions Correspond with that sincere love and Duty I bear him… I am resolved to be a good mother to my children, to pray for them, to set them good examples, to give them good advice, to be careful both of their souls and bodies, to watch over their tender minds.” Eliza Lucas Pinckney's husband and sons were influential leaders in our nation's early history. This sermon renewed my interest in studying other women of the past, such as Sarah Edwards, Katie Luther, and Susanna Wesley, and their remarkable influence as godly wives and mothers.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend ahead!

Tractor Cab Thoughts

I spent all of yesterday and today bushhogging for our tractor service down in NC. As always, I enjoy the uninterrupted time to simply think. I've certainly had plenty of great things to think about recently, but even so, spending 10-11 hours each day doing nothing but driving a tractor can become extremely monotonous. The songs I loved hearing on the radio just 48 hours ago have become so annoying and repetitive and I've decided that Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity should consider consolidating their radio talk shows to just one hour each. :)

Since I've been striving to be more intentional with my many hours spent in the tractor cab by using this time for spiritual renewal, I brought along several sermons on CDs. I've heard really challenging sermons and I want to write my thoughts here before I forget them, but unfortunately, I am typing from the parking lot of a local hotel (I have their password to log on to their network), and my laptop is about to die, so my notes will have to wait!

I hope to be done with my work tomorrow night or Thursday morning. I look forward to getting back to VA and resuming my blogging more frequently.


"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken." Psalm 62:5-6

In Remembrance

"Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in Psalm 23:

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for You are with me."

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.

None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

~George W. Bush, Evening of September 11, 2001

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school for Sullivan and Harrison. This is the 3rd year I have been teaching them. Sullivan is entering the 5th grade and he is so brilliant. As his teacher, I wish I could take a shred of credit for his intelligence, but all credit is due to his love of reading. He can almost always be found with a book nearby (usually really deep history books or maps)! Sullivan is already beginning 9th-12th grade grammar and 7th-9th grade vocabulary. I think this is going to be the first year where I will need to keep the teacher's guide very nearby. ;) Harrison is beginning the 3rd grade. He has different strengths and is also a smart boy. He doesn't enjoy reading like Sullivan, but he is very quick to grasp new math concepts.

I have recently been convicted about how I tend to pursue productivity over people. I often prefer to hurry and cross one more thing off my "to-do-list" rather than listen to Harrison explain all of the details of his latest creation or project. As I am, yet again, reminded of the importance of cultivating our relationships and my influence in their lives, I am striving to make the best use of our schooling time and devoting myself to their education with much greater interest than in the past. Although Sheridan is only 2.5, she thinks she wants to be included in school this year too! For her "school", we are beginning to memorize Luke 2. I'd love for her to have a decent amount of the passage memorized by Christmas, but after our first practice today, I don't know that we'll be making too much progress! Her attention span is still very, very short, but at least she'll learn how we like to memorize scripture and it should come easier for her next year.

Family Happenings

Last night, we went to Chick Fil A for their Labor Day Giveaway. We all enjoyed free chicken sandwiches for wearing sports team-related apparel. The guy working behind the counter commented that we must have a lot of fighting within our family due to the many college teams we appeared to cheer for. Between our shirts and hats, we were representing the Duke Blue Devils, UNC Tar Heels, UVA Cavaliers, and VA Tech Hokies: We hoped to hit at least one more Chick Fil A during the evening, but got caught up in Elliott's truck shopping until very late. Elliott's been searching for a good deal on a truck for quite a while and finally bought one this morning! It was a great deal and Elliott is very happy with it.
In other family news, the three school-age boys went to a free homeschoolers' eye screening last week and learned that Sullivan needed glasses. He is so handsome with his new glasses. He loves to read, so glasses look so appropriate for such a bright little boy.

Layered Mocha Cheesecake

I found the recipe for this delectable Layered Mocha Cheesecake in my Taste of Home cookbook and was looking forward to trying it. I made it this weekend and my family loved it. Mama even said that it was the best cheesecake I've ever made, so I thought I would share the recipe (which can be found here). Although it looks slightly daunting, it wasn't all that difficult.

I hope everyone has a nice Labor Day tomorrow! We are making the most of our "labor" day and processing a record 130 chickens. :)

Back to School

I posted this entry about a year ago, but thought it was appropriate to re-post it this year as it is relevant to going back to school and the slightly different "curriculum" Mama implemented for my junior and senior years of high school:

With the beginning of September comes the "back to school" days! This is the third September that I've not been among the "students" in our family. I am so thankful that I was homeschooled and I absolutely hope to homeschool my children one day.

For my main "curriculum" during my junior and senior years of high school, my mom decided to change the focus of my education from growing in knowledge and turn it toward growing in wisdom. The way this was accomplished was by Mama and I picking out books dealing with nearly every subject imaginable- marriage, courtship, biblical womanhood, parenting, finances, politics, missions, etc. and I would read these books, along with my Bible, for two hours every day. Mama bought me a notebook especially for writing a book report for each book I read. It was a very valuable experience and I highly recommend it for anyone that is still in school or able to spend uninterrupted time reading! I wish I could have done it for more than two years.

Following is a partial list of the books I read during those two years:

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, Marriage Under Fire by Dr. James Dobson, Marriage to a Difficult Man: The Uncommon Union of Jonathan & Sarah Edwards by Elisabeth Dodds, Celebrating the Sabbath by Bruce Ray, To Train Up A Child by Michael & Debi Pearl, I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris, Feeding Your Appetites by Steven Arterburn, Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris, Passion & Purity by Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be A Woman by Elisabeth Elliot, When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric & Leslie Ludy, Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald, The Liberty of Obedience by Elisabeth Elliot, Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy, When Dreams Come True by Eric & Leslie Ludy, A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Elliot, Discipline: The Glad Surrender by Elisabeth Elliot, The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, The Great Physicians RX for Health & Wellness by Jordan Rubin, The Extraordinary Life by Charles Stanley, Susanna Wesley: Servant of God by Sandy Dengler, Joni by Joni Eareckson Tada, So Much More by Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin, Her Hand In Marriage: Biblical Courtship in the Modern World by Douglas Wilson, Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot, Fighting for Dear Life: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo by David Gibbs, A Man of Faith: The Spiritual Journey of George W. Bush by David Aikman, and Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan.

Reading Laura by Antonia Felix (about former First Lady Laura Bush) in September 2005 in Vero Beach, Florida~
For those of you still completing your formal education; you have my best wishes for diligence and success in the new school year!

Adoption

My interest in adoption first began as we attended Steven Curtis Chapman's concerts and followed the Chapman family's journey to adopt their first baby girl from China, and then their adoption of two more little girls during the next several years. Within the last couple of years, my interest has developed into a desire and prayer that God may one day open a door for my future husband and I to pursue adoption, or to at least financially support other families as they adopt.

The 'blogosphere' appears to be a haven of support as well as a place of connection for families who have adopted or are in the process of adopting. The following three blogs are my favorites written by families who have filled their homes with blessings by pursuing domestic and/or international adoption:

Job's Daughters

Steppin' Heavenward

Keepers at Home

I encourage you to check them out! Each family shares such amazing, God-scripted adoption stories. These families are introducing orphans to the love of a family and, even more importantly, introducing these children to the love of God and raising them in a family where they will learn more about Him. I am convinced that if you want to see God work in huge and miraculous ways, you need to get involved with the ministry of adoption! The Lord is the "father to the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5, Deuteronomy 10:18) and shows Himself strong on the behalf of His children, as evidenced in these families' wonderful testimonies.

I know that God doesn't call every couple to pursue adoption, but I do think that every Christian family should at least be open to the idea of adoption, should the Lord lead them in that direction. As Christians, we have been adopted into God's family as His children. By giving the gift of adoption here on earth, we have the opportunity to participate in and more fully experience what God has already orchestrated on our behalf. We are held accountable for our response to "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40) and Scripture defines "pure and undefiled religion" as taking care of widows and orphans (James 1:27).


"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27

"The satanic powers have warred against infants and children from Pharoah to Moloch to Herod, and, now, through the horrors of a divorce culture, an abortion industry, and the global plagues of disease, starvation, and warfare." -The Southern Baptist Convention's Resolution "On Adoption and Orphan Care"