This is my 100th post on Proverbs 31 Living. Blogging here on Blogspot has been a very fun experience. I have enjoyed keeping in contact with family and friends and I have also very much enjoyed meeting new "friends" over the Internet. The reason that I started blogging is because I absolutely love being a homemaker and striving to be a Proverbs 31 woman and I wanted to share that journey with others. I also wanted to improve my writing skills and share with you things that I am learning from God's word. I haven't done all of that as much as I would like but hopefully I will improve.
In honor of my 100th post I decided to change the look or my blog. Keren helped me to work on it. I think I need to do a little more work but am not quite sure what to do. Who knows, I might go back to what I had before. What do you think?
After choosing the title Proverbs 31 Living for my blog I became concerned that others might find that egotistical or something like that, I am not saying by that title that I am the perfect Proverbs 31 woman because I most definitely am not, but at the same time I don't think we need to feel overwhelmed when we read about this woman. I believe that this chapter in the Bible is here to encourage us not to discourage us. To many women tend to look at this woman and feel overwhelmed and give up, I think we need to look and see where we are doing well and then look at the areas that we need to improve on and work on them.
For this post I decided to show Proverbs 31:10-31 and then put in links to former posts of mine as well as posts of others that I think go with that part of the chapter. I hope you enjoy and I hope this encourages you in your walk to be a Proverbs 31 woman.
"An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. She does him good not evil all the days of her life."
Jess at Making Home has a wonderful post on being one with your husband. I also invite you to read my post on Making our homes a haven.
"She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight."
This is so fun- definitely my kind of verse. Check out Fabric dyeing or making an Origami quilt.
"She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar."
One of my favorite places to go for shopping tips is Money Saving Mom. I thought I did well with shopping before but I have learned a lot. I have also been enjoying a book "Shop, Save and Share" by Ellie Kay which has taught me quite a bit. She also has a blog; Half Price Living that I would recommend. Here are some of my posts on this topic as well: "A great local food day" and "Some tips for grocery shopping".
"She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens."
Here is a link to a salsa recipe from my friend Betsy. It looks delicious! I have a lot of recipes all over my blog, here are a few links on cooking: "Cutting down on cooking time", " Breakfasts at our house", and "Super simple homemade yogurt".
"She considers a field and buys it and from her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. "
Here is a post at Laugh lines (the title taken from Prov. 31's "smiles at the future") about gardening. Here are some of mine about gardening and gathering too.
"She sense that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night."
She used her money well.
"She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet." She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple."
A fun place to see sewing ideas is at Pearls by Janel. You can check out a post of mine on remaking clothes here.
"Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them , and supplies belts to the tradesmen."
She made money by working from her home. I know of many other women in this day in age that are doing the same thing. Here are some interesting posts about that: Gigi's blog and Kid's kitchen. You can also visit my home business website: Abbi's Bridal Design.
"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future."
If you want to smile, I encourage you to read my sister Keren's post on "How to be merry".
"She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."
If think if we want to be able to have wisdom and kindness coming out of our mouth our best method for doing that is by bible study and prayer. I encourage you to check out Emily's posts on prayer and memorizing. I also have a post on Living in the Word.
"She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness."
She was organized and a hard worker. Check out this other post of Emily's. At this post you can see my tips for living productively.
After we have worked hard at all of these things than hopefully this will be what is said of us someday:
"Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
"Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all."
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates."
I hope you too are inspired (not discouraged) by the woman in Proverbs 31!