Lately I am really into reading other blogs. I have definitely discovered some new favorites, and wanted to share part of a post from one of
them. I love what she has to say about God holding us in one hand, and all of our responsibilities in the other. HE is the balancer of everything in my life- not me! What a relief we have in that grace. Enjoy...
[Talking about Proverbs 31]
"Now I, probably like you, have read that a million times. And before when I read it...I thought...well isn't that special...who can be like that? Really? What a nice thought but how can this really apply to my life today? I mean maybe I can try to be like that in some areas...but all of them? Are you kidding me?
And then the last time I read it...it smacked. me. in. the. face.
While this proverb IS a list that God sets before us to aim for...I feel like this last reading let me see another layer to it. And from now on, when I read it...this is what will be playing in the background of my mind...
It's about balance. It's about family harmony. It's about what makes your family tick the way that God intended it. After reading it I realized that (I don't think) there is a set plan out there for everyone. I think God has a plan for each and every family and it is up to us to seek His will in the matter of staying at home vs working. It is about what is BEST for our particular family.
To ME...my balance is staying at home...while sewing for a small living...while managing my house...while taking care of my husband...while taking care of my kids.
Your balance may not look anything like mine...and you can still be in God's will for your life. We don't have to look the same. I think God is awesome that way.
I kept getting this word picture in my head...of God holding me in one hand...and all my jobs in His other hand. To me that represents doing what He has called me to do and Him doing the balancing...not me because I am doing what He calls me to do.
The only time I am unbalanced...when my household is out of whack and when I am going nuts...is when I am trying to hold the things that God was holding for me...or trying to hold things that aren't on His list for me. Does that makes sense to you?
I now understand the proverbs 31 woman to be a wife who is protective of her family's well being and her husbands reputation, as well of her own. She seeks ways to add to her family's wealth so that she can help others too...she seeks God's will in all she does and because of that God blesses her in all she does...she brings good to her household and her children and her husband because of it. She makes choices that keeps God's will for her life in the center...and that still leaves her able to pursue business and work and charity and friends and all sorts of other things. She pursues only what God intends and not what the world is telling her she should. She defines herself by the Lords standards and not by the worlds.
All in all...there is no clear cut recipe. You have to figure out what God wants for you. Maybe that means you work...maybe that means you stay at home. Whatever brings that balance and harmony.
And maybe, just maybe, we should stop worrying about what others are doing and why...and worry more about what WE are doing and why."
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What an amazing way to think about things. Hope that brings some encouragement to your week!
