Challenge #5: Proverbs 31:14

For some strange reason, I can't get the spacing to work. Sorry that it is all crammed together, I hope its okay for you to read.

"She is like the merchant's ships, she bringeth her food from afar."

Proverbs 31:14

This verse is a bit different from the previous ones, so its taken me a little longer to figure out how to apply it to us as women - married and unmarried. My sister-in-law Shannon and I talked for a while about what it means and came up with some good ideas. But if you have any other suggestions or insights about what this verse means to you, PLEASE share - I'm interested to hear what you have to say about it.

bringeth - to go in, to attain to, to gather, bring to pass

What can we learn about the word bringeth? It is an action word. It requires work. In order to have something to bring, you need to go out and attain it - gain something with effort - and then you can deliver it. You have to complete a task in order to say you "brought something."

The verse says the Proverbs 31 Woman "bringeth her food from afar." Just think about what it would have been like back then when they had to use different ways of providing for their families. The women couldn't just climb into their car and drive to Wegmans or grab something from the drive-thru to bring home for dinner. These women probably had to get up early to walk to the market (most likely with the kids), harvest food from their gardens and make a healthy and delicious home-cooked meal for their family. Could you even imagine?! AND they didn't have any of the modern ways to cook food either - ugh! This verse challenges me to remember to be smart about what I am feeding myself, my husband and my kids. We need to take care in providing the right kind of foods for ourselves - remember the old saying "You are what you eat." Our kids needs to see us making healthy choices too, they follow by example. The Bible even says in 2 Corinthians 6:19-20 "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." God gave you that body, you need to take care of it!

I don't want this portion of my duties as a wife, mother and individual to take a backseat to whatever else it is that I am doing during my day. Like the merchant's ships, I may be a bit slower but I want to take the time to prepare nutritious home-cooked meals for my family. This is also yet another way to show honor and appreciation to our husbands: by taking the time to plan a menu so I don't have to throw away any food and make light of his hard work for our family. I want him to know that its important to me that I don't squander our money with something I can easily manage with lots of prayer, planning and perseverence. And for you unmarried ladies who are reading this...its never too early to start eating healthy and being frugal with your money.

- "The trait not to settle for mediocre is portrayed by a woman who goes the extra mile for quality items."

- Strive for quality - while being frugal

- Make the time to take care in providing for your family