"She is not afraid of the snow for her houshold;
For all her household are clothed with scarlet."
Happy New Year Dolls!
I am so excited to be back to blogging. Some of you may not know that I was hit by a car 2 and a half years ago and have been in recovery. It is strange how being physically injured can affect your mental stability - but it does! I went through a terrible time of depression, gained 45 pounds, and suffered with pain for two solid years. Just managing the activities of daily living took all of my strength and it took me away from blogging but I now have a whole new respect for people who are living with daily pain. God is good. He saw me through to this day when I recommit myself to living a life of peace and simplicity. Living the ways of a proverbs 31 woman.
Currently this is what my life looks like. I have a wonderfully supportive husband who travels often as a national sales manager. I am VERY proud of him and his name is Jeff. Here we are a couple years ago on an air plane off to Clearwater Florida for a romantic get away! Thank you frequent flyer miles!
I have 3 children living at home; 17 yr old daughter and two 19 year old boys/men and two 23 year old young adults; One who is married and one who is on his own. It's like living in a college dorm!! I have to admit that I struggle with the mess in their rooms and have to consciously prevent myself from obsessing over it. I just shut the door because I am trying to give them they space that they need to grow into adults. Plus I don't want to be a nag or whiner and have been told that I expect things to be cleaner than most people.
Some of us on vacation - missing John and Kevin
Kevin who now lives on his own
Me with my son John on his high school graduation day - June 2013
My married daughter Elizabeth with her husband Krist - Christmas 2013
I also have two cats - Romeo and Juliette and a sweet doggie named Betsy.
I achieved my masters in counseling in June of 2013 and started my own health coaching private practice. www.crosscounselingservices.com. I see clients some evenings and Saturday mornings. I also teach classes on food and sugar addiction a couple times a month as well as sell Usana health and wellness products.
Yes, I am busy. I manage the home and my other responsibilities by being organized and keeping it simple! I don't complicate my life with drama and I live life based on my moral code which is God, Husband, Family. Because I always make decisions based on these priorities I find myself a very happy person!
I keep my home simple by always de-cluttering every couple of weeks by loading up a box or large bag to take to Savers or Goodwill. I keep it all simple; my home, my food, and the food I feed my family, and my social life. Spiritually I am a christian women who attends the Chicago Church of Christ in Wheaton, IL. I have an awesome church family and would not be happy without them! Because I have balanced my relationships, spirituality, career, with physical activity I feel amazing even though I still have 25 pounds left to lose! I have lost 20 pounds and am well on my way to losing the rest I am happy to say. I don't have too much pain any more accept for my ankle and elbow but nothing like what I was dealing with prior to a few months ago and have started walking and jogging a few times a week. My motto for 2014 is Pure Simplicity!
I am resigned to a life a pure simplicity in 2014.
So enough about me...on to our study...
I love the poetry in proverbs 31. The the Middletown Bible Church has done a great study on the Proverbs 31 woman. Please enjoy the below excerpt from their blog. here is the link...http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/homefam/prov31.htm
Proverbs 31:21
Snow in Palestine occasionally occurs, but when it does snow it rarely reaches any great depth. During some winters it may not snow at all. "A fall of snow in the rainy season of winter is not rare in Palestine...and is sometimes accompanied with freezing cold" (Keil & Delitzsch). The Bible mentions snow a number of times (Psalm 51:7; Proverbs 26:1; Isaiah 1:18), but only records one instance where snow fell: "And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow" (2 Sam. 23:20; compare 1 Chron. 11:22).
The virtuous woman, always concerned about the welfare of her family, is not afraid of the snow. Snow is here a symbol of the cold that accompanies it. She is not afraid of the cold because she has made preparations ahead of time to dress her family in warm clothing. "Household" may also include servants.
Her household was "clothed with scarlet." The scarlet color (compare Isaiah 1:18 and Joshua 2:18 where the same word is used), of itself, did nothing to warm them. "The scarlet clothing is of wool, which as such preserves warmth, and, as high-coloured, appears at the same time dignified (2 Sam. 1:24)" (Keil & Delitzsch, see under Proverbs 31:21). Thus they were protected by the wool and the scarlet provided ornamentation. "Scarlet" is "obtained from the Tola, a cochineal-like insect, which, being crushed, produces a fine deep red, or rich crimson dye, much admired by the Orientals. It is the 'worm' of Psalm 22:6, to which our Lord likens Himself, He who was bruised and slain that all His redeemed might be clothed in splendor for eternity" (Ironside, Proverbs/Song of Solomon, pages 477-488).
One lesson here is that believers and the children of godly parents do not need to be dressed in dull clothing. Drabness and dullness of apparel do not add to one's spirituality. There seems to be an allowance for clothing that is colorful and attractive. At the same time dress should be modest and should not unnecessarily draw attention to self or to one's body.
Note: The LXX and Vulgate translate "scarlet" as "double-garments" or "doubly-clothed." It is from a different Hebrew word which is very close in appearance to the Hebrew word for "scarlet." See Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament. This meaning would make sense with respect to the cold of winter.
I hope you enjoyed today's post...it was Long over due! I am forever grateful to my followers and enjoy your comments and feedback. Please post your blog site as well so I can visit you while on a coffee break!
Be Well!
Jenny
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