Routines and The
Proverb's 31 Woman
sandy willoughby
The fruit of the Proverbs 31 Woman's
hands is a beautiful work of art to read about, isn't
it?
This example for biblical woman, wife, and motherhood is
something we've tried to attain or maybe grasp since the
original writing was first read.
The woman of Proverbs 31 in verses 10-31 is wise in all
her ways.
This woman excels in all areas and in all she does. May
we notice "excels"
so that we might recognize that it doesn't mean she
"excelled" once and was done for she was *continually*
doing so.
I've written before on how our lives consist of routines
and the ebbing and flowing of those routines whether
productive or not. Every one lives out routines every
single day and night even if they aren't recognized as
such.
The sun rises every morning and the moon settles in
place when the day's light is done. We wake up and we
fall asleep... we eat and we play, work, talk, and
whatever on a continual basis. Routines.
The parts that make up the definition for "routine" are
simple:
"occurring at fixed times or predictable intervals;
"made her routine trip to the store"
"found in the ordinary course of events; "a placid
everyday scene";
When reading (yet again:) on
www.dictionary.com
, I found that routine holds hand with habit and method.
Less I bore you to tears, I'll simply list that a habit
is a "recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior
that is acquired through frequent repetition. In other
words, when you do something over and over again they
will become a part of your life with little effort!
Method is just:
"A means or manner of procedure, especially a regular
and systematic way of accomplishing something:
Orderly arrangement of parts or steps to accomplish an
end"
Simply put: The way we do something on a continual basis
is our "method"
<smile>
A few examples from Proverbs 31:
She looks for wool and flax, and works with her hands in
delight. 13 She "works" and this seems to mean on a
regular basis. If things are being done regularly, we
might find more delight in the work of our hands!
She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from
afar. 14
She "brings"... routinely.
She rises also while it is still night, and gives food
to her household, and portions to her maidens. 15
Every morning before the sun rises... this woman is up
getting her routines started.
She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she
plants a vineyard.
16
Since her home duties are taken care of on an automatic
basis... this woman is able to pursue other things to
benefit her family and home.
She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms
strong. 17
Our wise Proverbs woman strengthens her arms on a
continual and habitual basis!
She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go
out at night. 18
There is a peace in such an example's day bec/ she knows
she has done her duties in a timely manner and all is
well in her home.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her
hands grasp the spindle.
19
Once this woman has her own affairs in order, she is
ready to work with those around her.
She extends her hands to the poor; and she stretches out
her hands to the needy.20
This lady has her finances organized and her own family
well fed so she is easily able to reach out to others in
need.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all
her household are clothed with scarlet. 21
What a prepared woman! Our lovely woman here takes care
of things consistently and by the time winter comes
doesn't have to panic over provisions!
She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine
linen and purple. 22
Our model recognizes the importance of caring for
herself and looking as beautiful as she can. She wears
lovely coverings and understands her worth in Christ!
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at
the future. 25
When today's tasks are under control on a regular
basis... the future isn't so overwhelming, is it?
She opens up her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of
kindness is on her tongue. 26
With herself, her family, and her home in order... this
dear sister has enough inner peace to teach others in
kindness.
She looks well to the ways of her household, and does
not eat the bread of idleness. 27
We wrap this up with a verse that gives us such shining
hope! The Proverbs woman looks well to the ways of her
household and isn't idle. She knows it takes getting up
and getting things done to keep things in sweet order.
Surely she rejoices in knowing her household is well
managed as she tends to her habits with a simple method
that ties together with regular routines?
What small steps do you think could be added to each new
day to help you keep up with the demands set before you?
My routines aren't always set in stone and there are
days when I simply do not find a way to check off each
one. Even so, I keep doing what I can each morning,
handling what I manage each afternoon, and setting about
with what I can get done in the evenings and this keeps
my home well tended.
It has been a very long and very slow process to reach
even this far from perfect point. Learning to take care
of my needs as well as my roles as wife, mother,
homemaker, in home schooling, as a writer, and on and on
it goes... is still being built each little step at a
time. The beauty? My life is being built to be organized
in all areas instead of being more than I could handle.
What small steps do you think could be added to each new
day to help you keep up with the demands set before you?
Are you at peace, sweet woman, in how you are caring for
yourself, your family, and your home?
How about the activities you jump into at the start of
your day, during your day, and into your evening; are
they productive and serving your needs or is it the
other way around?
I pray you haven't been as hard on yourself as I've been
to *me* over the years. I pray that you haven't expected
such pristine perfection that you couldn't measure up to
your own expectations no matter how hard you tried. I
pray that you haven't felt God's love for you was gauged
according to your actions or how well you preformed. . .
but you more than likely have been the same way to *you*
along the way.
Praise our precious Lord, dear ones, because not only am
I learning to celebrate what I'm getting done
(step-by-step) but you can/are too! We can lift our
heads from staring at the ground and return our gaze to
the brilliant skies to bask in His goodness.
I've written that I'm following the routines found on
www.flylady.net
and God has blessed me more and more with each new
habit. I'm seeing that we make things way too hard on
ourselves. If you aren't ready or don't feel comfortable
making a control journal and things like this... you
don't have to!
IF you don't already have a set routine for in the
mornings and evenings --- I encourage you to begin
building them into your life. What are one or two things
that you really need to have done each morning? Write
them down on a sheet of paper, small or large index
card, post-it note, or dry erase board.
Do these things every single morning before anything
else. Do the same for your evening routine. Get ready to
be amazed and add on new things to do one or two at a
time. What a difference simple changes can make!
For those of you born organized and/or following the
S.H.E. system with flylady already "flying" through your
routines... keep us inspired! Please send any tips,
help, ideas, and so on in your homemaking that might
bless another sister. This is always so fun and it is a
gift to have someone take the time to share.
Love,
Sandy:)
copyright 2004 Sandy Willoughby
