Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Chapter 12 ~ A Little Night Work ~ Her Diligence

Proverbs 31:19 "She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff."

Well, sisters, we're halfway through this study! I hope you've been challenged, encouraged, and motivated by God's example of a beautiful woman. I know I have! As a friend once commented about her study of Godly womanhood, "Half the time I'm crying, and the other half, I want to throw the book across the room!" I so agree with my friend's analysis! My desire is strong, yet the task seems impossible. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." But I believe it boils down to this: Taking off the old, putting on the new ~ Exchanging worldly ideals for heavenly ones.

Now, about this chapter ~ a little night work. I don't know about you, but I'm always glad when it's time to go to bed! My day is almost done ~ the supper dishes are in the dishwasher and the kitchen's clean, we've had our family devotions and the kiddos are tucked in for the night ~ In short, everything's squared away! I have some quiet time to watch my fave news program or catch up on some reading ~ then I can get into that cozy, warm bed and drift off for the evening. Ah, bliss!

What about our Proverbs 31 lady? She's certainly been going strong all day! Surely she's about to drop! How does she end her day? According to verse 19, she works with a spindle and distaff. These ancient objects were used to process wool and flax into yarn and thread. Remember, she's spent some of her day bringing in, cleaning and untangling these fibers. Now, when her body's ready to slow down, she sits and spins. In a way, it would've been relaxing ~ the constant rhythm of motion, her practiced hands guiding the yarn/thread effortlessly ~ she could wind down before bed.
Even this seemingly mundane work is profitable ~ I'm starting to realize that everything this woman does is beneficial ~ this yarn/thread will be used to make beautiful cloth to bless her family and her home.

So how can I make my evenings profitable? Here's Mrs. George's How-To's of Beauty:
1. Evaluate your evenings. How do I spend my time?
2. Plan your evenings. Create a "PM File" of activities for a little night work ~ clip coupons, plan menus, make a grocery list, knit, crochet, cross-stitch, scrapbook ~ you get the idea. Even if you want to watch TV, try to find something for your hands to do.
3. Prepare your evenings. Once you set up your PM File, you'll have several options to turn to for a little night work. For example, if you're planning menus, get out your cookbook or recipe box. Write down that yummy idea from your magazine. Write out your grocery list as you go along.
4. Use your evenings. Our Proverbs 31 Lady "stretched out her hands to the spindle". What do your hands stretch out towards? The remote? A snack? "This chapter is about diligence; it's an invitation to you to make your evenings productive."
5. Use your mind in the evenings. Remember our Lady's dull, mundane task of spinning? Her mind must have been actively planning what she was going to make with her materials. "Whatever your no-brainer task is, assign your brain a creative task ~ dream!"

I'll close this post with a quote from Mrs. George:
"This beautiful woman has so many dreams and so much to do that she simply doesn't have time for talking endlessly on the phone, sprawling out to watch TV, or kicking back after a hard day. No, she knows that her home is to be the site of her best work and her true fulfillment.... Whisper a prayer to God, the Creator of all things beautiful, and ask Him to guide your heart ~ and hands ~ toward a little diligent night work that will help you realize your dreams."

No comments:

Post a Comment