Proverbs 31 makes me feel better...

...and other random things. I was thinking about Proverbs 31, the verses about the virtuous wife. "She watches over the affairs of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness." I love that. "She considers a field and buys it." She is a business woman. "She rises before dawn and prepares food for her household." I do that!! So often, women are told they work too hard (sometimes I feel that way and feel sorry for myself), but Proverbs 31 thinks that I am ok. It's OK for me to be industrious, to invest, to make having a clean house and feeding my family a priority. Actually, I don't have to just sit there and "rest."

I have always worked relentlessly for the things that are important to me. And by relentless, I mean RELENTLESS. Stubborn. Fixated. Until I have achieved my goal. Maybe this is why running suits me, why after working a 10 hour day I still clean and do laundry and help with homework and make Italian food from scratch. Then I do not go to sleep without exercising in some way every day, unless I have the stomach flu. I shop, I read more books on counseling, mental health, medicine, cooking, and time management. I counsel people in crisis, too, which takes quite a large chunk of my time. For years though, I keep hearing "you need to rest/nap/play more." Especially when I was pregnant- although I knew that the best time ever to get things done is before I go into labor, so I work even harder then. I cleaned our entire garage three times during the nesting phase with my second pregnancy.

There are many people who do not value industriousness, which is their call. There are many people who value "me time" and naps and daydreaming- again if this is you, no judgment. Some of my friends have expressed their anxiety at having me to their house because of the lack of cleanliness, and I tell them that I only wear white gloves in my own, I am just happy to see them and enjoy their hospitality.

*But* in a day and age where I don't often hear "it's fantastic that you are so industrious, you are sure to be blessed for it" it is nice to hear it from the One who knows, and distributes blessing.

(Note: God does not bless us solely on what we do, but God does bless us for what we do when our hearts are aligned with God, who highly values work ethic).