Proverbs 31:15
"She rises also while it is yet night,
and giveth meat to her household,
and a portion to her maids."
Today, I cleaned the kitchen, I finished the laundry, I cleaned out our guest room, I cleaned the study (finally!), I cleaned our bedroom and bathroom, I dusted, I swept, I mopped, and I vacuumed! Nathan was through with his bottle and his breakfast by 8 a.m. I have beans boiling on the stove and jello in the fridge. My emails are caught up and I have everything ready for dinner tonight - all before noon! Can we say, productive?! I feel like grabbing pom-poms and cheering, "Two-four-six-eight! Who do we appreciate? THIS GIRL! THIS WIFE! THIS MOM!"
----thank you for letting me pat myself on the back today----
Though I enjoy getting up early and accomplishing a lot, I have to make one thing crystal clear: I am not, nor have I ever been, a morning person. Or, let me rephrase... I am not a HAPPY morning person. Don't get me wrong, I'm no grouch, but I'm also not one to pop up at daybreak, throw back the curtains, and sing "GOOD MORNING, world!!" with a big smile on my face.
It's just not me...
If I have to get up early, I prefer to get up and get ready for the day quietly. I don't usually want to talk. I don't want to hear loud banging or what-not. Each morning, I think to myself, "Ugh...I'd rather not have to get up at ALL....ever." But I have been convicted in this area of my life, and here's why:
"She rises also while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household...."
In the last posts, we learned that Miss 31 works willingly with her hands and goes to great lengths to prepare healthy meals to feed her family. In this verse, we see that Miss 31 wakes before the first streaks of sunshine light the sky. She doesn't get out of bed at daybreak, she gets out of bed BEFORE daybreak.
Oh no...
For me, this is a big task. It takes a lot for me to wake up at 6:30 a.m. Somedays, it's all I can do to climb out of bed at 7:30! But Miss 31 has a job to do. She has a goal in mind. She has a To-Do list and she wants it done! One thing I have learned in getting up earlier and earlier is that I usually have more free time in the afternoon. The household chores are complete and I can settle on the couch and read a book, or play with Nathan, or tell him a story, or watch a movie, or write letters....or blog. :) I love that. But the thought of getting up before daybreak is still difficult for me to swallow....and I know why that is. Galatians 5:17 tells us that our flesh is at war with our spirit. They are against one another and that makes it hard to do the things that we should....like getting up early, for example. But I should not succumb to laziness. I should make it my priority and my privilege to willingly and joyfully greet the morning, and eagerly rise early - long before my family - and prepare for the day.
Now, one portion of this verse had me puzzled:
"...and a portion to her maids."
So, Miss 31 gets up early before daybreak. Got it. But what's this about her maids? I don't have a maid! Boy, wouldn't that be nice... I brought this verse to my husband and, after presenting my case that I need a maid in order to be like Miss 31 (fail), he gave me a new take on this phrase. He said, "I think this part tells us that she cares for everyone, not just her own family. She treats her help as family."
Mmmm.... so she's kind to her help. She's giving and servant-hearted to her guests. Wow.
As my little boy grows, I need to have a couple of hours under my belt before he wakes. I need to have breakfast prepared for my family and my child(ren). I need to have our home presentable. I need to utilize the hours God has given to us in the day to accomplish as much as I can because, let's face it, a woman's work is never done! We have our house to clean and maintain; we have laundry that must be washed, dried, ironed/folded; we have children to care for, disciple and teach; we have a family to nurture and feed; and we have our own personal goals and needs as well (such as studying and exercising). WE NEED every precious hour we can get!
As our quest for Proverbs 31-ability continues, keep ME in your prayers, for this is an area I want to cultivate in my life. I want to rise early and be a productive "Miss 31" myself. :)
Proverbs 31:15
"She rises also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maids."
----thank you for letting me pat myself on the back today----
Though I enjoy getting up early and accomplishing a lot, I have to make one thing crystal clear: I am not, nor have I ever been, a morning person. Or, let me rephrase... I am not a HAPPY morning person. Don't get me wrong, I'm no grouch, but I'm also not one to pop up at daybreak, throw back the curtains, and sing "GOOD MORNING, world!!" with a big smile on my face.
It's just not me...
If I have to get up early, I prefer to get up and get ready for the day quietly. I don't usually want to talk. I don't want to hear loud banging or what-not. Each morning, I think to myself, "Ugh...I'd rather not have to get up at ALL....ever." But I have been convicted in this area of my life, and here's why:
"She rises also while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household...."
In the last posts, we learned that Miss 31 works willingly with her hands and goes to great lengths to prepare healthy meals to feed her family. In this verse, we see that Miss 31 wakes before the first streaks of sunshine light the sky. She doesn't get out of bed at daybreak, she gets out of bed BEFORE daybreak.
Oh no...
For me, this is a big task. It takes a lot for me to wake up at 6:30 a.m. Somedays, it's all I can do to climb out of bed at 7:30! But Miss 31 has a job to do. She has a goal in mind. She has a To-Do list and she wants it done! One thing I have learned in getting up earlier and earlier is that I usually have more free time in the afternoon. The household chores are complete and I can settle on the couch and read a book, or play with Nathan, or tell him a story, or watch a movie, or write letters....or blog. :) I love that. But the thought of getting up before daybreak is still difficult for me to swallow....and I know why that is. Galatians 5:17 tells us that our flesh is at war with our spirit. They are against one another and that makes it hard to do the things that we should....like getting up early, for example. But I should not succumb to laziness. I should make it my priority and my privilege to willingly and joyfully greet the morning, and eagerly rise early - long before my family - and prepare for the day.
Now, one portion of this verse had me puzzled:
"...and a portion to her maids."
So, Miss 31 gets up early before daybreak. Got it. But what's this about her maids? I don't have a maid! Boy, wouldn't that be nice... I brought this verse to my husband and, after presenting my case that I need a maid in order to be like Miss 31 (fail), he gave me a new take on this phrase. He said, "I think this part tells us that she cares for everyone, not just her own family. She treats her help as family."
Mmmm.... so she's kind to her help. She's giving and servant-hearted to her guests. Wow.
As my little boy grows, I need to have a couple of hours under my belt before he wakes. I need to have breakfast prepared for my family and my child(ren). I need to have our home presentable. I need to utilize the hours God has given to us in the day to accomplish as much as I can because, let's face it, a woman's work is never done! We have our house to clean and maintain; we have laundry that must be washed, dried, ironed/folded; we have children to care for, disciple and teach; we have a family to nurture and feed; and we have our own personal goals and needs as well (such as studying and exercising). WE NEED every precious hour we can get!
As our quest for Proverbs 31-ability continues, keep ME in your prayers, for this is an area I want to cultivate in my life. I want to rise early and be a productive "Miss 31" myself. :)
Proverbs 31:15
"She rises also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maids."
Awesome thoughts, Kristen. Thank you for sharing! <3
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