http://all-things-bright-and-beyootiful.tumblr.com/post/44316410842/photography-by-elizabeth-messina
Hymn to a Good Wife (Proverbs 31: 10-31 The Message)
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!
Tagged: Christian Marriage, Christianity, Pleasing Your Husband, Proverbs 31 woman, Relationships, Wife, Women
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
INTERESTING!—Jonathan
Interesting indeed. Have you ever read the book by Rhoda Janzen…”Does this Church Make Me Look Fat?”…I think you’d like it. —Jonathan….my wife and I are reading a large print edition.
Oh so that’s what you meant, it does sound like a good book. I usually have to wait till they get to the library before I get to read new books.
Nor is sex mentioned beyond the fact she has children.
She does have an eye for fashion though.
Charm and beauty do fade, but with this years spring lineup by Proverbia, you’ll always be admired and praised.
How typical that a man notices sex is missing and a woman notices love is missing. She doesn’t sound like a good wife to me.
Well it all basically sums down to, “Be an awesome Beta wife and ignore all that Alpha stuff.”
I mean lets face it, given enough time, the Proverbs 31 wife could be replaced by a robot.
And phew… I’m glad you didn’t focus on me noticing her fabric choices. That would have be awkward and I do have a rep to maintain.
I think it’s clear she’s hot, she also brings back exotic surprises.
haha – I’ve got to stop drinking my smoothies or coffees (or whatever) when I read your blog
yup almost lost my mouthful all over my screen again! It was Athol’s reply about the robot. I got a picture in my head of an episode of Big Bang Theory, when Howard’s robot got ahold of his penis!
I didn’t know how to respond to that one. Love Big Bang theory, but haven’t seen that episode, sounds interesting.
I have the link if you want it
a link for exotic surprises?
yes
A link for exotic surprises, sadly no – but if you come across any, feel free to forward. we are always on the look-out for new adventures! I meant the link to The Big Bang episode that you said you’d not seen.
Oh! Oops. That’s okay.
Solomon, the author, had 700 wives and 300 concubines, he probably had more sex than anyone in the world and in Ecclesiastes he compares chasing pleasure to chasing the wind.
She’s alpha enough. She’s doing something that ups her family’s wealth and upkeep, she makes sure she looks good on the outside – and so do they. Then she uses words to express respect for her husband to the world at large.
She is loving (as a verb) her family and her husband.
Anyway, I believe that this is supposed to be Solomon’s mom’s advice to him on how to pick a good wife. Not sure, with 700 of them, that he really hit it. “Hey, do I know you? You look familiar!” “We got married 6 years ago, of a Tuesday.” “Really? Wow! We’ll have to do dinner sometime. Have your people call my people.”
i’ve never heard it was his mom’s advice before. maybe that’s why sex isn’t mentioned.
You want to read the verses above. And sex worked out SO WELL for Bathsheba. :p Pro 31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
Ahhhh, now I see it, you know your Proverbs.
Different culture. When I did my marriage and the Bible series one of the things I noted was that love and romance were not part of the equation very often. They were often lucky accidents after the fact. The eastern culture seems to look at marriage far more pragmatically than we do. By the way, this proverb is not Solomon’s, it was from Lamuel and it is actually his mother’s. Means this is a woman teaching what her son should look for in a wife. Puts a different spin on it.
Yes that changes the tone quite a bit. I wonder if American marriages would be more successful if there wasn’t such a high expectation for love. Maybe love just means sticking it out in some situations.
It would be that ‘love is patient, kind and endures all things’ part of the Bible – yes I think sometimes love is expressed by just sticking it out because the person and relaitonship is more valuable than the situation.
I’d just assumed that, keeping an eye on everyone in her household included her man, meaning sex – or food.