Can I be like her please

I know its not right to want to be someone else... To look at her and say man I wish I was her! I want what she has, I want to do the things she does, I want to dress like her, act like her, cook like her etc... But the woman described in Proverbs 31 is truly a testament of what kind of wife and mother I truly long to be. 

Hymn to a Good Wife

^{Prov 10-31(MSG)}  A good woman is hard to find,
    and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
    and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
    all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
    and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
    and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
    for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
    diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
    reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
    when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
    and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
    and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
    her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
    but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
    The woman to be admired and praised
    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
    Festoon her life with praises!

I read an amazing post the other day by Heather of Cook Family Chronicles called The Ministry of House Work http://www.cookfamilychronicles.com/2012/09/ministry-of-housework/  

Amazing post!  And totally amazing blog totally worth checking out!

Her post was beyond beautiful and so easy for us to forget that our family is our ministry, the things we do for our family is our ministry.  

In 2008 I went to Uganda Africa and fell in love with those beautiful children and that country.  Its easy to see doing things in Africa as ministry but ministry opportunities are all around us not just in foreign countries.  I spent 3 years on staff at a church and I loved working in the 'ministry'  Its always something I thought I would do and I never thought of the things I do every day as ministry.  

Its so easy for me to get frustrated and say whats the point.  Most days are a little crazy around here and lately our days have been starting earlier and earlier.  Jax still wakes up several times each night which makes early mornings even more annoying. Our laundry is beyond overflowing.  I feel like an epic failure when my hubs goes to get ready for work and says I don’t have any clean pants?! Or where are all the clean towels?  I just can’t seem to get ahead!  Most days cleaning seems pointless, I do it many times and it’s a mess 10 mins later  My sweet lil monkeys mess it up faster than I can clean it up. We watch way to much TV and most days seem to be a free for all run amuck kind of days with no progress really made, maybe a load of laundry done etc.  

This is seriously the story of my life!

When I was growing up my mom was ALWAYS on the go.. She rarely sat down and vedged, as a matter of fact I don't know that she knew how to. That's because she was and is a great wife and mother. She could have worked a 13 hour day and still found energy to keep care of her husband and house. I used to think dang mom take some time for yourself why are you doing this for your husband can't he do it himself etc. But she had embraced what God had called her to do and was and still is very much like the woman described in the verses above.

When my hubs came home from deployment we went on a mini 3 day vaca and my mom stayed here and took care of my 3 kids.  When we got home the house was clean, rearranged, all the laundry done, all the dishes done etc.  My hubs said maybe someday I would learn to be like her.  I was a little ticked off but at the same time well its true.  Of course she only had to do it for 3 days which is totally different then living it every day but still..

Steven Curtis Chapman - Do Everything (Official Music Video) from steven-curtis-chapman on GodTube.

Before you stop the song playing listen to beginning.. it is totally perfect for mommies!  LOVE the words!  

The post Heather wrote about housework being a ministry seriously stuck out to me.  It was one of those posts I just happened to stumble upon and then couldn’t get it out of my mind.  This verse seriously sums it up…

Colossians 3:23

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²³ Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men,

It really is time to find joy in laundry not bc laundry is fun but you are doing it for your family and ultimately doing it for Jesus, take joy in cooking dinner and doing dishes, running around  simply bc thats what a good wife and mama do! Time to quit being soo lazy and embrace the wondrous job I have been given as a woman and rise up and take care of my Husband, Babies and our house!

So this begins a new journey, a time to put down self and flesh and laziness and rise up and be the crowning joy of my family and aspire to be just like the Proverbs 31 woman.

PS Mommy to Mommy Q&A Thursdays will return next week!

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