Today is my wonderful mother's birthday. I have been so very blessed by her over the years and I cannot express how thankful I am that I have such a God-fearing woman as not only a mother, but as a best friend and an example. She's loved me unconditionally through yelling matches, tears, heartbreaks, achievements, disappointments, and my "think I know it all" attitudes. I would not be half the woman that I am today (nor the one that I am becoming) if it wasn't for her leadership and her love. She is homeward in her orientation, always putting herself last (literally) and sacrificing her time and money to make sure that my father, brother and I were always taken care of before she was. There were times when I MADE her buy clothes or spend money on herself because she wanted so badly to give the money to me. She is kind, creative, intelligent, hard-working, loving, respectful, and wise. There are countless times that I remember walking into her room as a child and seeing her sitting in the rocking chair digging in to The Word of God, or there were numerous times when her first question to me is "Have you prayed about it?". She keeps me grounded. She always points me to Christ and always looks for the good in situations and other people. She always reminds me that this life is not about me, and has ultimately encouraged me to always be humble when I tend to be a bit head-strong.
Mom, I love you to the end of the world and back. I read Proverbs 31 and can't help but think to myself, "Yep, she does that. Yep, she does that too. Yep, even that." Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for being a Proverbs 31 woman.
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
(Proverbs 31:10-31 ESV)
