Proverbs 31 Woman

I am blessed to be married to Doug  who wrote this song.  Spread the word!

Yes, our home is a flurry of activity as we prepare for another child to be married - this time, a daughter.  Being a traditional family, we are putting on the event, and with great joy!  We are preparing to release our daughter, in a sense, giving the responsibility of protection and provision to her beloved.

So what advice would I give to a family with lots of children, especially several daughters?  Since some have asked, I would say to begin the conversation now, between husband and wife, regarding courtship (what is it?), budget, expectations and more.   Some have lumped dating and courtship together.  But the big difference is that a man and a woman in a courtship are heading towards marriage.  Dating, however, seems to imply a lack of commitment.  Yes, some who “date around” end up marrying that one, but dating around can leave great wounds.

Why talk about the budget when your children are young or teens?  Because this is a big issue.  We know folks who have gone into debt to put on their child’s wedding.  We know folks who spent $40,000 on the wedding only to be divorced a couple years later.  A wedding is a wonderful celebration, but it can be lovely and memorable even on a modest budget.  So, set a budget now, while you are thinking clearly, and when the time comes, make every effort to stick to it.  Pray, be creative, do some research.

In our case, our daughter wanted lots of guests, 100’s in fact.  So, the sit down dinner option was nixed.  But we will have delicious food for the guests:  fruits, vegeys, crackers, cheeses, shrimp, desserts, hors de voures, etc.  The setting is our home church for the ceremony and reception.  Since children are very important to the bride to be the wedding party includes 2 ring bearers and 4 flower girls, in addition to 7 bridesmaids and 7 groomsmen, ushers, musicians, and 2 ministers presiding.

This is also a time to let go……….to realize that the couple is establishing a new home.  It’s time to say, “I’ve raised you and love you and will continue to love you.  But if you want advice from now on, you will need to come to me and ask.”  That can be a very hard thing to grasp for a parent, especially a controlling parent.  But do you really want to treat your 20 something child like he/she still has a diaper on?  Cut the apron strings, in fact, start to loosen them little by little as the years roll on from ages, let’s say 1 , until the late teens.

Rejoice with us at this time!!

If today I could fly anywhere in the world, where would I go?

If I could give any gift in the world to someone, what would it be?

If I could see what the future holds, would I want to know?

If I could find a treasure chest full of treasures, what would that be?

The Lord has been showing me that that treasure chest is sitting on my dining room table.

As I read it (Bible), I unearth great and precious treasures.

I acquired my Polo by Ralph Lauren at the Edison Street Sale last Saturday. Everyone’s heard of Ralph Lauren, but have you heard of the Edison Street Sale? It’s an annual event now in our city, usually held the first Sat. of June, although that’s spilled over to include the few days prior and a couple days after.

People actually come from out of state now to shop the Edison Street Sale. Many people, like me, make a list of things to look for at this event; my list this year included a new winter jacket, some tennis shoes or sandals,milk glass dishes to add to my collection, a pair of summer shorts (I haven’ t worn them in years but my wonderful 13 yr. old daughter practically coerced me into getting a pair this year), a globe for my friend named Jennifer, a shirt or jacket for my husband, something for my new grandchild, and some tomato cages.

I found just about everything on my list within an hour or two. But it’s funny, I never made it onto Edison Street. You see, over the years the adjacent blocks, including mine, have joined in the fun. Yes, it’s still called the Edison Street Sale, but it spans several blocks now. I didn’t even make it off my block; actually, I still had money in my pocket, but I had four bags of goodies to carry after going to about 6 houses and so I went home and put away my loot!

I missed getting my annual hotdog sold by the boy scouts on Edison Street. But, I found a Polo by Ralph Lauren! Enjoy the Summer.

ps. maybe you can start such an event in your town

As of May 4 I’m a Grandma again!  My 2nd grandchild was born early that morning!  She was 8 # 5oz. and 21″ long.  Her name is Erin Mairead (Irish for “pearl”).  What a wonderful privilege and blessing it is to be blessed in this way once again.  I’m learning to think more generationally.  What I do and say and think today impacts the coming generations…..I need to go study the Proverbs some more to get more wisdom.

If you’re looking for an inspirational book to read to your children or as a family, go to the library and check out The Shoe Box, by Francine Rivers.  It is wonderfully illustrated by Linda Dockey Graves.   On the back cover it says, “Six -year old Timmy O’Neil comes to live with Mary and David Holmes on a cloudy day in September.  When Timmy arrives, he has very few things with him.  As he slowly makes new friends, he finds a chance to offer his small treasures to a very special someone.  A tender and moving story from beloved author Francine Rivers, retold especially for children ages 6-10.”

If I say much more I’ll spoil the adventure.  Francine Rivers even includes a page entitled:  How This Story Came to Be.  Themes of healing, mercy and joy shine through.  The Lord’s graciousness to adopt His children as His own is manifest in a special way.  Enjoy!

Today, as part of my devotional time with the Lord, I was going through another chapter of Gate Keepers of the Home - How to Guard Your Home by Nancy Campbell. The chapter dealt with how we can bless/minister to/encourage others. I share with you this entry from Matthew Henry’s commentary discussing Proverbs 11:25 which reads, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”

“So backward are we to works of charity, and so ready to think that giving undoes us, that we need to have it very much pressed upon us how much it is for our own advantage to do good to others, as before, v. 17. 1. We shall have the comfort of it in our own bosoms: The liberal soul, the soul of blessing, that prays for the afflicted and provides for them, that scatters blessings with gracious lips and generous hands, that soul shall be made fat with true pleasure and enriched with more grace. 2. We shall have the recompence of it both from God and man: He that waters others with the streams of his bounty shall be also watered himself; God will certainly return it in the dews, in the plentiful showers, of his blessing, which he will pour out, till there be not room enough to receive it, Mal. 3:10. Men that have any sense of gratitude will return it if there be occasion; the merciful shall find mercy and the kind be kindly dealt with. 3. We shall be enabled still to do yet more good: He that waters, even he shall be as rain (so some read it); he shall be recruited as the clouds are which return after the rain, and shall be further useful and acceptable, as the rain to the new-mown grass, he that teaches shall learn (so the Chaldee reads it); he that uses his knowledge in teaching others shall himself be taught of God; to him that has, and uses what he has, more shall be given.”

On the right side-bar of this page under Business you will see Hearts for Family.  That is the website of the Crawford Family.  In this short entry I will review the E-Book offered at their site.  The E-Book is called “How I Make Money Sellling Homemade Skin Products (And how you can too!)”.

The E-Book begins with a description of the Crawford Family, a single income large family, and a project they had of making more homemade gifts.  This soon became their home-business.  There are many helpful tips on starting up, about how much money you need to start up, helpful websites, where to find recipes and such.  Also, Mrs. Crawford also gives suggestions on pricing, keeping financial records, and marketing.

I would recommend the E-book for anyone wanting to start a small business, especially a skin-care business.

Well, the wonders of computer technology, ha! Yesterday I spent a good bit of time reviewing 3 books from Above Rubies and when I pressed the publish button, they seemed to have disappeared into cyberspace. So, I will try again but will give a more simple description this time.

Above Rubies is a ministry that reaches out to the moms/families of the world. They also offer an array of helpful resources. I would like to briefly mention a few and would encourage you to check out the website (Above Rubies).

1. Rejuvenate Your Life - Recipes for Energy is a no-cook book chock full of recipes that have been tried, information about the benefits of eating fresh foods, living on a tight budget and eating well, and more. This is written by Serene Allison.

2. Be Fruitful & Multiply - What the Bible Says About Having Children is a very forthright book about the blessing of children. On the back cover we read, “There is no escaping the fact that the Bible is dogmatically pro-child. In fact, it declares unapologetically that the birth of many children is a source of blessing, that a key reason for marriage is to bring forth many children for the glory of God, and that parents should actively seek such blessings.” Some chapter headings are as follows: Gifts from God, Trust and Obey, God’s Provision, The Vision, What Do Children Say? and many others.

3. The Power of Motherhood - What the Bible Says about Mothers is a wonderful volume that talks about the most influential career in the nation. Loaded with Scripture, this volume is a great springboard into a lifelong study of motherhood and what God has to say about it. If you are wondering if the role of mothering is worth it, this volume would be helpful. There are 24 chapters and more!

So, check out the Above Rubies website and consider reading one of the books recommended.

Stay tuned for a brief review of a family and the natural soap business they started a while back.