25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.



I actually like this verse. Love it, actually.

So many times we are so concerned with our clothes and how we look that we forget to wear virtue as well. It's not that being concerned with clothes is so bad, but if it's all we are concerned about...we are not fully dressed. Try to stay with me through all the cheesy metaphors.

I also like that the two words are strength and dignity. Strength is not necessarily a word that is usually reserved for women. Sure, we may not have as much upper body strength...and we might not have as much muscle mass (this is right, isn't it?), but we can endure a lot. Physical strength goes beyond being able to lift and move heavy objects. Not that bearing children is all that women do, but it is a great example of physical endurance -- both carrying the child for 9 months, and delivering it as well. And strength is not limited to physical strength. A person can be emotionally strong, spiritually strong, and mentally strong as well.

And dignity. So many women have lost their dignity so many times, that they don't have it at all anymore. How sad. How important it is to have your dignity. And to know that you are the one who usually has control over it. In case you need reminding: dignity is the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed. It is also a human right.

"She laughs without fear of the future." She laughs. She is joyful. She is fun to be around. She is able to laugh because she is not afraid of what will happen in the future. She is not stupid or ignorant. She has a realistic idea of what's possible, but she also knows Who is in control. She is able to laugh because she knows that God is taking care of her, and she has nothing to worry about.

24 She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.

24 She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.

23 Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders.

23 Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders.




This is a stretch, but Steve is a resident director, and he is well known around the dorm (city gates), where he often talks with his resident assistants (other civic leaders).

Please go down a couple of posts and read the confession about me finishing off these Proverbs 31 posts.

22 She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

22 She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

1. Someday, when I'm living in the United States...preferably in the Midwest, but that's beside the point, I will attending a quilting retreat at Camp and learn how to make a quilt. I would really like to do this.

2. I don't mind wearing linen....in the summer. I don't own any purple gowns that I know of. I don't think that this part of the verse is to be taken that literally. I think it is referring to dressing nicely in general, and presenting yourself well.

1,5. I stumbled upon a website that talked about "Quilt Camp at Sea." Apparently you can get on a cruise ship and travel somewhere, and all the way along the journey, you are at a quilt retreat. I think Camp could pull this off, but instead of "at sea" it would be Cedar Lake, and instead of a cruise ship, it would be a pontoon. This would make room for more quilters for sure. Especially if those who quilted on the pontoon also slept on the pontoon.

21 She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes.

21 She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes.

Well, first of all, I'm not afraid of winter. But then I again, I have the luxury of living in a heated building, and I own warm clothing.

I wonder if the Proverbs 31 woman made all of the warm clothes for her household? Because that I could not do. But it would be a great skill to have.




Confession:
As much as I like to always have a topic to post about, and as much as I like Proverbs 31...I will be relieved when I'm done posting about it. It feels like the obligatory christmas gift that you get for someone. You don't know what to get, but you feel so inclined to get a gift so you get the first thing you find, and you don't even think about it. I don't like to give thoughtless gifts (although I've done it)...and I don't like to feel like I'm writing thoughtless posts. Sometimes I don't have a lot to say about the verse, but I feel obliged to finish what I've started, so I say the first thing that comes to my mind, just to move things along and to get to the last verse. Sorry.

I see now why Baking Soda is also a cleaning product

Alternate Title: It will be awhile before I eat tomato soup.

We make a lot of things from scratch here. It's a fun learning process, but sometimes the lessons come difficultly. Yesterday evening, we decided that we wanted grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Easy, right? Typical ingredients: one can tomato soup, milk, bread, butter, cheese.

Not when you don't have cans of tomato soup just lying around the grocery store. So as usual when this type of thing occurs, I looked up the recipe to make homemade tomato soup from scratch. I found a recipe that looked fairly possible, and figured out that we had most of the ingredients at home already; just needed a few more from the store. While Steve was at the store getting the needed ingredients, I double-checked the recipe and read a lot of the comments of people who had tried the recipe (a lot of times this will be the indicator of if you should make the recipe, and if you should change anything in the recipe. A lot of people suggested using more tomatoes than the recipe called for, for example, so I took their advice).

One weird (I thought) thing that the recipe called for was baking soda. The person writing the recipe said it would prevent the milk from curdling, and that you can't taste it -- promise! No one said anything about it either way in the comments that I read, so I figured it must be ok. The only really confusing thing is that in the list of ingredients, it said "a pinch" of baking soda, and in the list of directions, it said, "spoon in the baking soda." So I'm thinking, somewhere between a pinch and a spoonful. I'm also thinking, I don't want the milk to curdle, but how much is too much? Couldn't the recipe writer just write 1/8 teaspoon, or something like that?

Long story short, I put too much in. The soup was uneatable. To me it smelled just like I could clean the countertop with it (but it looked exactly like tomato soup, so I didn't). We ended up just making and eating grilled cheese sandwiches. I was really disappointed because:
a) I love tomato soup with my grilled cheese sandwich
b) It's been months since I've eaten tomato soup
c) The recipe said it was a good way to contribute to your 5 servings a day of fruits/vegetables, something I am in dire need of.
d) I hate when I spend a lot of time, money, and resources, only to dump them down the drain (literally). I sincerely believe that the drain is cleaner because of it (one of the many uses of baking soda).

20 She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.

20 She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.


I think this includes but is not limited to:
the monetarily poor
the physically needy
the spiritually poor
the emotionally needy

I think it is also about taking care of those in your own home, in your neighborhood, in your church, in your community, in your nation, in your world, etc. Working from closest to farthest, but not limited to a single one.

I also like the words "helping hand" and "opens her arms." For me it indicates action, and giving of yourself...monetarily, physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc.

It's a great challenge, but imagine how the world could be if we were up to it.

Commercial Break

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I could listen to The Shins all day long. And I typically do.

19 Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.

19 Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.

Reminds me of my mom, with yarn. She makes beautiful blankets and afghans using only some knitting/crocheting needles and yarn.

18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.

18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.


Again with the business savvy. I like.

It sounds like the Proverbs 31 woman never sleeps. She stays up late and wakes up early. Unless night starts at 4pm (when it is dark, and therefore necessitating a lamp). Then she could go to bed at 9pm, and her lamp will have still burned for 5 hours, while she makes sure her dealings are profitable.

To Do

1. Stay Warm
2. Write all the emails I need to write...from home
3. Eat soup
4. Make food for later
5. Get November's to do list done. AH!

Side by side

Watching....

...as day turns into night.

17 She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.

17 She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.

Something I'd like one of my references to be able to say when I'm looking to get the job.

I'll have to work on the energetic and strong part in order to make it true.

On business and church.

I could've sworn that I've posted about this before. If I have, I gave it a very sneaky title that I don't recognize...or I gave it this exact title and just missed it while I was looking. I wanted to post some thoughts about it, but I wanted to use myself as a reference to see if I've changed in my thinking, or to see if I had some really good insights before that I could use now to supplement my thoughts. But alas, I'll have to only rely on the thoughts in my head (and so will you).



Seriously. I'm experiencing deja vu. I know I've posted this before.



Anyway.



I would rather attend a small church than attend a big one. Both have their pros and cons, but when it comes down to it: I like the pros of a small church better than I like the cons of a big church. Or rather, the pros of the big church don't win over the cons of a small church.



Seriously. I think it was called "On coffeeshops and megachurches." Or something like that.



Oh well. I'll search again after I hit "publish post."



Pros of a big church:

--always something to be involved in to help you to grow spiritually

--always several other people your age (no matter what your age)

--you can come and go unnoticed -- blend in with the crowd

--if you want to work at a big church, they can probably pay you.

(I took a break from this for a few days. It is now December 14th. I wonder what day it will say I posted it?)

Cons of a big church:
--unless you work there, or unless you started attending the church when it was small, the pastor probably doesn't know who you are

--no one recognizes that you're new...and on the same token, no one recognizes if you've been attending for a year

--less personal

Pros of a small church:
--People recognize you if you're new

--If you miss a Sunday, people wonder how you are, or how your vacation went

--It's possible to know everyone in the congregation

--The pastor not only knows who you are, but you've probably been invited over for dinner


Cons of a small church:
--If you want to work there, they won't pay you. Not only that, but they need you to work every chance you have.

--If you skip a week, everyone knows about it.

--Either there is not a lot of diversity in age, or there is so much that there are few people that are the same age as you (no matter what your age)


These are just some of the pros and cons that I could think of off the top of my head. I'm sure you can think of some more.

I feel a similarity when it comes to businesses -- both being a customer at the business and working at it.

I've worked for both big and small businesses. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of working for a big business:

--lots of perks in addition to a paycheck: health care, free and discounted items, etc

--Lots of employees means there is always someone to work

--lots of customers

--the business could be located in several different places...and you get a discount at all of them

--people have heard of your business

Disadvantages:

--you probably don't know everyone else who works there

--you're easily replaced

--you probably have to work on most major holidays

--you have to decorate in the same way all of the other locations decorate

Advantages of working for a small business:

--you not only know all of your co-workers, you also know all the customers as well

--a lot of room for growth that comes with more responsibility

--you know the owner of the business

--more likely to be closed on holidays

Disadvantages:

--few perks outside of your paycheck

--there aren't as many people to do every job, so you most likely have responsibilities that weren't in the job description

--smaller customer base













Now, I could go through and compare big churches with big businesses...and small churches with small businesses...but I think you could do that on your own.

Oh Laura, for shame. A shallow confession.

Whenever I am shocked* to find out that someone has, well how do I put it...fat legs**...I think two things before I come to my senses and think the final thought.

1. I wonder if that person used to be fat.

2. If not, then, I wonder if they have weight gain in their future.

Then my heart kicks in and says to my brain:

3. Or maybe they just have fat legs and neither 1 or 2 is true. Or matters.














*Shocked meaning it was not evident to me before that they would even have fat legs. The rest of their body is relatively small and they've been wearing long pants a lot. I'm never shocked to find out that a person who has to be wheeled out and weighed at a truck stop has fat legs.

**Fat legs. I'm mostly referring to legs that are disproportionally large compared to the rest of the person (and not necessarily full of fat). It could be the result of big bones or muscles. Or cankles. Please refer to the title of this post and forgive me.

16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.



Entrepreneurial Skills and Business Savvy.

I like. I wish.

I think I've always had this desire to figure out what my "product" is and start a business with it. I don't think it is fields or vineyards. I don't know what it is. And I've never taken business classes. But in order to satisfy this desire, and to become a Proverbs 31 woman, I will keep trying to figure it out.

15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls.

15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls.

First things first:

-Gets up before dawn: The best example of this is my mom. My mom doesn't even need an alarm to get up before the dawn. Before the dawn is the quietest time of the day and it's when she reads her Bible, gets some dishes done, and gets ready for work.
Here in Lithuania it is both easy and difficult to get up before the dawn. Easy because the dawn is not that early, and difficult because mornings have never been my favorite time of the day. I wish they were, though. I have always been a night person, but have always admired morning people. They seem to get so much accomplished by noon.
One thing I will never be is a mid-afternoon person.

To prepare breakfast for her household: If I were a morning person, I could get into this. Of course as of right now, the household consists of me and Steve, so I should be able to pull it off. My excuse right now is that I am too busy. But as we all know, if we wait for perfect conditions, nothing ever gets done (Ecclesiastes 11:4, I think).

Plan the day's work for her servant girls: I don't envision myself ever having servant girls (my motto, if you can afford a nanny, you can afford to stay home to take care of your children and your house). Does this mean that I can't be a Proverbs 31 woman? I don't know. I hope not. Perhaps it could be also planning out your own day, as well as those who work under you?

I think a Proverbs 31 woman needs to have good managerial skills. For sure.

One thing that goes against my intuition is to plan the day's work that day. I like to plan in advance. Maybe for some things I should not?

Language

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to invent a language that was the same as english in it's written form, but each letter was pronounced differently. So two people, one speaking english, and the other speaking the new language, could read the same book but not understand each other when speaking. I'm not talking about american english and british english. I'm suggesting that things would be pronounced vastly different.
Even simply,
if A was pronounced like B
and B like C
and so on,
My name would still look like Laura,
but it would be pronouced: Mbvsb
This blog would be pronounced: Uxp Uijsuz Ojof Uijoht.

J offe b wbdbujpo. Cbemz.

14 She is like a merchant's ship, bringing her food from afar.

14 She is like a merchant's ship, bringing her food from afar.

My favorite foods/ingredients from afar:
-brown sugar
-peanut butter
-baking powder

Is this verse about feeding those who are far away (like sponsering a starving child)?
Or, could it be about sharing of what you have, even if you are far away from home?
Or is it about leaving your home to bring someone else a meal?
Or something else?

13 She finds wool and flax and busily spins it.

13 She finds wool and flax and busily spins it.

The Lithuanian word for the 10th month (October) is Spalis. It means white dust from flax. It is named this because it's the time of the year that linen clothing was made, and the flax would make a white dust.

So clearly, the Lithuanian women of old were Proverbs 31 women.

How does this verse look for me, someone who doesn't find wool and flax and busily spin it? Should I start?

I don't know if I would go that far, but I would like to learn to work with different cloths and fabrics. I don't think I will get a sewing machine while in Lithuania. I'll have to wait awhile for that. But maybe this summer I'll have my mom reteach me how to crochet and knit. When I was little I wanted to learn, but all my knots were always so tight that my hands would cramp up, whatever I was making would be all twisted up, and pretty soon the loops were wrapped so tightly around the needles that I would decide to take a break. When I would come back, I would completely have forgotten how to do it and give up.

That, or I'll just hold out for a sewing machine. If I get addicted to that in the same way I'm addicted to blogging, just think of how productive I could be!

12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.


A good thing to ask myself from time to time, "Will this bring Steve good or harm?"

11 Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.

11 Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.




Her husband can trust her because she is virtuous, and she will greatly enrich his life with her capability. (if you read verse 10 with verse 11, this is what could be implied)

Good advice for everyone, I think. For men: seek a virtuous and capable woman, and she will enrich your life (also, be the type of man that a virtuous and capable woman is interested in). For women: be virtuous and capable, you will enrich your husband's life.

10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.

10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.

Finally, the part I've been waiting for.

Let's get some definitions straight.

Virtuous: adjective 1. conforming to moral and ethical principles; morally excellent; upright: Lead a virtuous life.
2. chaste: a virtuous young person.

Chaste: adjective 1. refraining from sexual intercourse that is regarded as contrary to morality or religion; virtuous.
2. virgin.
3. not engaging in sexual relations; celibate.
4. free from obscenity; decent: chaste conversation.
5. undefiled or stainless: chaste, white snow.
6. pure in style; not excessively ornamented; simple.
7. Obsolete. unmarried.

Capable: adjective 1. having power and ability; efficient; competent: a capable instructor.

Wife: noun 1. a woman joined in marriage to a man; a woman considered in relation to her husband; spouse.

Woman: –noun 1. the female human being (distinguished from man).
2. an adult female person.
3. a female attendant to a lady of rank.
4. a wife.
5. the nature, characteristics, or feelings often attributed to women; womanliness.
6. a sweetheart or paramour; mistress.
7. a female employee or representative: A woman from the real estate agency called.
8. a female person who cleans house, cooks, etc.; housekeeper: The woman will be in to clean today.
9. women collectively: Woman is no longer subordinate to man.

Marriage:–noun 1. the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.

Man (I only took the first 17 definitions on this one): noun 1. an adult male person, as distinguished from a boy or a woman.
2. a member of the species Homo sapiens or all the members of this species collectively, without regard to sex: prehistoric man.
3. the human individual as representing the species, without reference to sex; the human race; humankind: Man hopes for peace, but prepares for war.
4. a human being; person: to give a man a chance; When the audience smelled the smoke, it was every man for himself.
5. a husband.
6. a male lover or sweetheart.
7. a male follower or subordinate: the king's men. He's the boss's number one man.
8. a male employee or representative, esp. of a company or agency: a Secret Service man; a man from the phone company.
9. a male having qualities considered typical of men or appropriately masculine: Be a man. The army will make a man of you.
10. a male servant.
11. a valet.
12. enlisted man.
13. an enthusiast or devotee: I like jazz, but I'm essentially a classics man.
14. Slang. male friend; ally: You're my main man.
15. a term of familiar address to a man; fellow: Now, now, my good man, please calm down.
16. Slang. a term of familiar address to a man or a woman: Hey, man, take it easy.
17. one of the pieces used in playing certain games, as chess or checkers.

Agenda: –noun, formally a plural of. agendum, but usually used as a singular with plural. -das or -da.
a list, plan, outline, or the like, of things to be done, matters to be acted or voted upon, etc.: The chairman says we have a lengthy agenda this afternoon.

Precious: –adjective 1. of high price or great value; very valuable or costly: precious metals.
2. highly esteemed for some spiritual, nonmaterial, or moral quality: precious memories.
3. dear; beloved: a precious child.
4. affectedly or excessively delicate, refined, or nice: precious manners.

Ruby: –noun 1. a red variety of corundum, used as a gem.

Corundum: –noun
a common mineral, aluminum oxide, Al2O3, notable for its hardness: transparent varieties, as sapphire and ruby, are used as gems, other varieties as abrasives: often made synthetically.

I looked it up, and rubies are valuable. Moreso than diamonds. Holy smokes. Of course, it must be noted that genuine rubies are far more valuable than synthetic rubies.

Indeed, I think it can be concluded that a virtuous and capable wife is more precious than rubies. But then again, I wasn't setting out to prove the truth of the verse. I was setting out to know what it means.

Repeat the sounding joy

I can't get the lyric out of my head: "Repeat the sounding joy."

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Words: Isaac Watts, 1719
Music: Lowell Mason, 1848
Originally named "Antioch," Mason's original score said "from George Frederick Handel."The tune is named after the city of Antioch, Syria, where believers were first called "Christians";(Acts 11:26).

9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Again, as with the last verse, ask yourself who is poor and helpless. How can you see that they get justice?