Bear with Me on This One

Bear with me on this one. Proverbs 31:10-33Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies… I have never been real keen on nor sure of just where I stood on these verses. In my whiny voice , ” That sounds like work, work, work to me!” and it was. It still is to be truthful. I was a single mom raising my 3 kids completely by myself for most of my life. I was never without the weight of tiredness resting on my shoulders. Most of those days I could not see through that fog that surrounded me. Back then I called it survival and only allowed that one thing to be my guide, SURVIVE! We did. By the grace of God, we made it. I’ve got the last one almost ready to take flight, he will be flown and gone in a years time. My life long task will be done. Maybe…I certainly don’t think my kids have ever called me “Blessed” but that’s just a minor blip. The rest of it … I would be honored to claim if given the chance. If given a check list where we get to place a mark by all the things we have done, I might score ok on this one. I bet you ladies would also. Give yourself the credit you are due.We are strong because we needed to be. We are smart because life required that so much of the time. We have made ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually STRONG. We stay prepared, always ready for the next challenge. We bring nourishment to our loved ones. At my house, food equaled love, still does. If you were around for long there would be food, still applies. We sat with our children and taught them kindness ( don’t hit your sibling), (share the last cookie) we taught them wisdom (actions come with consequences) Those last verses “A woman who fears the Lord ( reverently worshipping, obeying, serving and trusting him with awe-filled respect) .She shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands. And let her own works praise her in the gates of the city.”These verses use to box me in, now they give me wings. They are huge, impressive skills we have been given. They weren’t jobs they were daily sustenance for the ones we loved. They were life. What we were charged with doing influences every single generation that comes after us. Yes, it is just that weighty. I might just be a bit prejudiced, but I think God loves us ladies best. I believe that he gives us so much to do because he KNOWS we are strong and resilient and wise and loving. The world has survived because God made us the second go round. Practice makes perfect.Open your bible and re read these words again and maybe again. Believe them. You are special in God’s eyes, and he knows that we were built for these responsibilities. Don’t fret. You my dear are a marvelous work of God’s own hands and you are doing the most important work on earth.High fives, sisters. High fives all around.Love, Pam