Summer Study Week 6

Week 6 is Done!!!

Thanks for walking with me through this journey.  When I think of this past week I am reminided that we can find joy in the mundane and that we are called to bless others! 

If you think about it, please pray for my friend, Chelsey, and her family.  They lost their 1 4 month old son to a rare genetic disease this month.  I can't even imagine what that would be like.  Please pray for the family!  If you would like to know more about them she has written a wonderful blog - http://oursonnylife.com/.  Thanks for the prayers!

Monday Read: Proverbs 31:17

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
Here is a woman that has servants and she chooses to do the mundane.  She goes to great lengths to get food and to shop for her family.  She is up early and goes to bed after dark.  She even makes her own clothes. 
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
I am so thankful that I don’t have to make my own clothes!  But I think the take away point is that she is willing to do tasks that are mundane.  Those mundane tasks are important to keeping the household going.  If someone didn’t do them you would never have clean pots or pans.  The laundry would be stacked up and the bathrooms would be disgusting.  It is a labor of love to keep your household from falling apart. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Help me to find joy in the mundane.  I pray that my attitude would be better when I take on tasks that I don’t like.  I know that you are pleased when I’m taking care of my family. 

Tuesday’s Read: Col. 3:23, Eph 6:7

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
They are trying to hit this point home!  We are to work with all our heart because we are serving the Lord. 
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
Yesterday we talked about our mundane tasks.  We need to do these tasks wholeheartedly!  I was putting away clothes yesterday with my one year old.  Sometimes I bring out the spray bottle to spray down wrinkled clothes when I hang them.  I started spraying my daughter.  She just thought that was the best thing ever.  What was a task that I usually don’t like became a task that was fun and interactive with her.  I hope to find ways to make more mundane tasks joyful. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Help me to realize that everything I do for my family is also pleasing to you.  You want me to work at those things with all my heart. 

Wednesday’s Read: Prov. 31:20, Deut. 15:7-8, Prov. 11:5

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
She thinks beyond her own needs and her family’s needs.  She is very aware of the people who have needs around her.  God calls us to extend our hand to the needy!
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
The ebook reading for today discusses what our hands look like.   Do we have hands that are worn from service to others and to our family?  I want my hands to be useful and to be a blessing to others. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Help me to be aware of the needs of others around me.  I want to take care of my family but you have called to me to meet the needs of others as well.  Show me how to prioritize and balance both. 

Thursday’s Read: Prov. 19:17

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done.
O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
The Lord sees our acts of kindness and will reward us in some way for them.
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
I think that this can be carried out in many ways.  It may be by giving money if you are able or putting your hands to work to do something more tangible.  There are so many ways to do this and I know God just wants to see that your heart is open to giving.
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Show me how I can serve others. 

Friday – Reflection

I was reading the “Good Morning Girls” blog that goes along with the Bible Study.  They were talking about how to be generous and bless the poor.   They encourage us to be generous with our time, treasures and talents. 

We can give our time by setting it aside for someone who is in need.  Make a meal for someone!  Invite people into your home.   This can be one area where I can be “stingy.”  If any of you know me you know how much I value my time.  I plan out my time the best as possible and I don’t like to deviate from the plan.  That’s such a challenge for me and I get cranky when I have to be flexible with my time.  I need to strive to be more Christ-like in this area. 

We can also give our treasures.  This may be money.  This may also be giving the things you have to the poor or people who need them.  I think this is something that is important to teach our kids.  We live in a society that is all about receiving all the latest “stuff.”  It is more challenging to give. 

Finally we can give of our talents.  Are you an encourager, a planner, an organizer, a good cook, a great decorator, etc… (I know there are many more talents you can give but I have only had one cup of coffee this morning and I’m still a little sleepy.)  Give your talents to others or volunteer at church.  Everyone has something to offer!

God calls us to be generous with everything!  Not just one area.  How can you give this next week?

Summer Study Week 5

Another week done!  Here are some fun ACC Women Ministry blog facts from the past month... 103 of you have visited the site.  People from 11 different countries have read about the study.  Kinda cool to think that people from Russia, Latvia, Australia, UAE, etc... have tuned in. 

I hope you are finding something from this study that is applicable to your lives!  I think there is a lot for us to learn!  As always I love to hear your thoughts!  Please comment if you get the chance!

Is this the first time you are reading about this? Click here for information about the our summer online study.

Week 5:

Monday Read: Proverbs 31:17, Ne 8:10, Ecc 9:10
S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
When this woman puts her mind to something, it gets done!  When we have a task ahead of us we should work at it with all our might.  The joy of the Lord is our strength. 
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
I tend to work hard at the task before me but where I struggle is distractions.  I think of something I want to look up on the internet or on facebook.  That tends to be my biggest distractions!  I want to work on this!  Think of how much more productive I could be if I just shut down the internet for certain hours of the day….
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Help me to go at my work with all my heart and mind.  In the end I am serving you with my work and my attitude.  Help me to start eliminating distractions and to have more focus. 

Tuesday Read: Psalms 118:24, Phil. 4:13

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
God is good.  Let’s not forget to take time to ask Him for strength or to rejoice for what he has done. 
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
Luke and I have some big decisions to make about finances right now.  I can’t help but look at the verses and think about all the Lord has done for us.  I want to rejoice with Him and be glad. 

I also think this morning as I pulled my tired little booty out of bed early – I can wake up early even though I don’t like it because God will give me strength.  He has also given me coffee and I will rejoice and be glad for that!

P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Thanks for the reminder today that you are my strength.  Help me to rest in that and to rely on that strength and not my own. 

Wednesday’s Read: Proverbs 31:18

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
The Good Morning Girls Blog points out that burning oil in that day in age would start between 5:30-8:30 depending on the time of the year.  That is a very good point.  When I think of this woman keeping her lamp on I think that she must be up until midnight but that probably isn’t the case.   Our oil goes on when we start turning on our lights at night.  So many of us are going to be working well into the evening making dinner, taking care of kids, cleaning up, preparing for the next day, etc… 
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
I have to admit (can’t remember if I have confessed this before or not) that I love the show “24.”  When my daughter was born we starting watching the whole season over on Netflicks.  She is 13 months old now and we are on the last season (season 8).  I have been convicted about watching too much television at night.  If you have ever watched 24, you know it’s addicting.  You can’t watch just one episode.  So here’s my confession.  I am going to work on cutting back my television habits at night so that I can be more productive with other things.  But I can’t do that until season 8 is done.  There are 12 more hours (episodes) to watch.  I have invested 13 months in this (sad, I know…) and I can’t stop now.  I’m weak!  But I will let you know if I can give up my Netflicks subscription so that I can take that temptation away….once I’m done with season 8. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – I know I have work to do in making my time more productive in the evening.  Help me to find the right balance between spending time with my family, rest, and work.  Help me not to be wasteful with my time. 

Thursday’s Read: Proverbs 14:3, I Thes. 4:11

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,
but the lips of the wise protect them.

And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
Foolish = Prideful. 
Live a life where you are not a busybody.  Do your work and keep busy. 
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
It can be easy not to watch what you say but being wise means that a lot of times you just need to shut your mouth!  My mouth can get me into trouble!

I think about how I act at work.  There are times when I listen to the latest gossip.  But God is wanting me to do my work and not catch up on the latest office gossip!

P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord- Help me to watch my mouth.  The things I say are not always pleasing to you!  Please help me to set about my work and not get involved in gossip. 

Friday – Reflection

When I think back on this past week, I am reminded that a Proverbs 31 woman is a hard worker.  She doesn’t let grass grow beneath her feet.  She is ready for the tasks that come her way and she doesn’t give up in the evening.  She uses all the time available to her.  I don’t know how she does it other than to rely on God for strength. 

She must also have to rely on God for strength to keep her mouth in check.  It’s easy to lash out at others.  It’s also easy to listen to gossip.  But we are instructed to mind our own business.  This is not an easy thing to do as a woman.   I tend to think it’s easier for women to get sucked in to the latest gossip! 

Summer Study Week 4

Another week down!  I really liked this week.  It was challenging to me.  One of the most challenging things was trying to get up earlier.  That is so hard for me but everytime I did that it was amazing how much that helped my day.  I didn't make it up early everyday but I will continue to work on that.  The other thing that was impressed upon my heart was that I need to work on involving God in both the little and big decisions throughout my day.  I tend to only talk to Him about the big decisions but He wants me to come to Him with everything!

Is this the first time you are reading about this?  Click here for information about the our summer online study

Here are my thoughts about Week 4!

Week 4
Monday’s Read: Proverbs 31:15, Psalm 5:3, Mark 1:35
S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

 O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
Rising early in the morning seems to be a theme in the Bible.  The woman in Proverbs 31 is already  busy working for her household before it is light out.  In Psalms we see the authors talks to God the first thing in the morning and is waiting anxiously for answers!  In Mark we see that Jesus who is the son of God gets up early to talk to his father.  Okay okay… I get the message =-)
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
Uggg… I always gloss over this whole rising early thing.  Isn’t that for other people!  You know, the ones like my daughter who just love the hour of 6:00 a.m. (and sometimes earlier)?  Maybe I need to let go of the control I like to hold over my sleep and try to take this passage to heart.  I’ll let you know if I make any progress. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – I’m not really a fan of waking up earlier.   I really need my sleep and it’s hard to get to bed sooner.  Please help me to start this new discipline.  I know it could make a huge difference in my life and the life of my family.  But I’m really going to need your strength!

Tuesday’s Read: Proverbs 31:16

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
Now this I like.  I love that she is a saver and a dreamer!
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
This is right up my alley!  I have several different savings accounts each with a purpose.   I love to save up for things and projects.  My next dream is to save enough money to finish a part of our basement.  It will be something my husband and I will finish together.  We will need more room in our house for our family as it grows. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – thank you that you delight in us and you have plans and dreams for us!  I pray that you will guide us in our plans and dreams.  Help us to be wise with our money so that we can accomplish them!

Wednesday Read: Proverbs 16:3, 21:5

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.

The plans of the diligent lead to profit
as surely as haste leads to poverty.

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
God wants us to commit our daily lives to Him so that He can go before us!

Hasty and unplanned choices can lead to poverty.  But if you make careful, planned decisions and work persistently you will profit.  This makes me think about the woman in Proverbs 31 who was very thoughtful and wise about her plan to buy a vineyard. 

A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.

I need to spend more time committing my plans to God.  So often I forget him in the equation. 

P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Help me to more diligently commit my plans to you.  I tend to make my own plans and go for it without consulting you.  I pray that I would make decisions in haste like that but carefully plan them out and bring them to you in prayer. 

Thursday Read: James 4:13-15

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
Many of us will try to plan out our lives.  But in the end we ultimately have no control over tomorrow circumstances.  In the end, it is up to God.
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
This is hard for me.  I love to plan and often I don’t ask God’s will for my life.  I need to work on consulting God more often in the big and small decisions. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – You know I am a planner.  Sometimes I get ahead of myself and have things all planned before I involve you.  Help me to remember everything on this earth is temporary.  Being in your will is the best place to be. 

Reflection:

This week we learn that our new friend (the Proverbs 31 woman) is an early riser.   She gets up early so she can get a jump on the day so it goes more smoothly for her family.  She does this so that she can make the most of her day. 

She is a dreamer but also a very wise business woman.  She does not make rash decisions with her money.  She considers her purchases before she buys them and she invests wisely. 

I have tried waking up earlier this week!  It was hard but worthwhile.  One of the days I overslept and felt really rushed.  I prefer to start my day relaxed and will try to continue to wake up earlier. 

I want to talk more to God about my daily plans and my life plans.  This is an area of my life that needs more work!

This week I’m not quite as overwhelmed by the Proverbs 31 woman as I was last week.  Maybe my attitude is changing!

Summer Study Week #3

Sorry this post is a little late.  Over the weekend Luke and I celebrated our 6th anniversary.  We got away for the weekend thanks to my mom who watched our little girl.  It's nice to get out and do something different! 

I have to admit this study has been challenging for me.  The Proverbs 31 woman is a little overwhelming!  Comment if you feel the same way and if you have any suggestions about how to move forward.  All I can think of is prayer.  There is no way I can be a Proverbs 31 woman on my own.  Often times I like to coast through life trying to do things on my own strength.  Prideful... I know.  But then I look at the Proverbs 31 woman and I can see that God desires me to be more like her and it's very clear that I can't do that on my own strength.  I've tried!  Believe me!  So my hope is to delve more into the practice of prayer. 

Thanks to my mom I have found some fun new blogs to read about the art of housekeeping from some Christian authors - Sarah Mae and Fly Lady.  Great reads!  I love Sarah Mae's post for June 4th.  She and I are cut from the same cloth.  We both love our netflicks subscriptions and struggle with our 24 addictions.  Luke and I are on Season 7 of 24.  I have to admit that I cannot stop until I am done with Season 8 (the final season). Then I will try to take Sarah's lesson today to heart =-)

Now back to this blog.  Here are my thoughts for week 3.  It's not to late to start the study and do it on your own time.  Click HERE for instructions! 

Week 3

Monday’s Read: Proverbs 31:12, I Kings 11:4
S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
I believe Proverbs 31 woman is the type of gal that will help keep her and her husband in God’s will.  This will bring them good, not harm.  Women really do have the “power” to help their husbands spiritually or to pull them away from God.   Goodness is also a fruit of the Spirit.  I need to seek to bring my husband goodness ALL the days of my life.  This means every day and not just when it’s easy but during the hard times.  This is a life-long commitment.  
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
I want to continue to seek God so that I can be the type of woman who brings my husband good and not harm.  God has put me in a unique situation to be a blessing.  In order to do this all the days of my life I am going to need His strength.  This is not something I can do on my own power. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord - Thank you that you have given me an opportunity to bring good and blessing to my family.  Help me to bring goodness even when it’s hard and I don’t feel like it! Help me to take that responsibility seriously and to know that this is my number one priority.  I must do this in my home before I do it at work and in ministry. 

Tuesday’s Read: Proverbs 31:13, I Kings 11:4

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
Thankfully I am not responsible for making my own clothes anymore!!!!  What a blessing that is.  But we can see that this woman takes the responsibility of providing her family with clothes seriously.  She works with eager hands.  No matter what we work at it in our lives we should work at it in a way that would make God proud!
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
I can grumble a little bit with my work.  I am a busy mother,wife, employee, and I volunteer my time for ministry.  So sometimes my husband will hear me grumble about cooking, the housework, managing money, etc… I find that it’s a challenge to navigate through “gender roles.”  Even 50 years ago it was the tradition to see women stay at home full time and manage the house and kids.  Now more and more women are in the work force and it’s not always realistic to expect us to work, take care of the kids and manage a household.  So how does it all get done?  How do you work together with your husband to balance time between all these areas.  I’m still working on that.  I have to say that I think single moms rock!  They truly do it all!  But one thing I know is that I need to have a better attitude about my contributions to our family.  I think back to Biblical time when women had to “select wool and flax” and make their own cloths.  They didn’t have washing machines and ovens.  They had to do everything by hand.  They didn’t have grocery stores.   Modern technology is a blessing and a curse.  We are able to do things much easier but we also have more things that compete for our time. 
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – It’s hard to balance all the challenges in our lives these days.  Help me to honor you with the work I do for my family.  Please help me to be mindful about my attitude and remember that you are honored when I work at it with all my heart.   

Wednesday’s Read: Proverbs 31:14, Proverbs 9:1-2

S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

Wisdom has built her house;
she has set up its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.
This women goes to great lengths to get her shopping done!  She is an incredible cook and hostess and goes to great lengths to get her shopping and meal prep done!
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
This women loves to shop and I can picture her search for a good deal.  I love this.  Shopping and finding the best deal is exciting for me.  I know I could do a better job with finding deals with groceries but it’s hard to make the time to go to several places with a child!  But I would like to do my best to find good deals and provide the best food and clothes for my family on a reasonable budget!  I struggle to find new ideas for meals.  I also struggle to buy the right proportions and sometimes end up throwing food away.  I want to be better about not being wasteful.
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Thank you that I don’t have to prepare my own meat and wine from scratch!  But I pray that I would be conscious of the money I use to provide cloths, food, and necessities for my family.  Help me to make wise decisions and not to be wasteful of what you have give us!!

Thursday’s Read: Proverbs 31:14, Proverbs 9:1-2
S--‐ Write out the scripture passage for the day.
Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.  The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.”  So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.

O--‐Write down 1 or 2 observations from the passage.

This woman had a servant’s heart.  She was quick to assess the needs of this man and meet them as quickly as possible. 
A--‐ Write down 1--‐2 applications from the passage.
How quickly do I assess needs and take care of them?  I do a great job sometimes and other times it can be an inconvenience and I ignore them.  Rachel meets the needs of a complete stranger.  How much more should that make me want to meet the needs of those I love!
P--‐ Pray over what you learned from today’s passage.
Lord – Help me to be quick to meet the needs of those around me, especially my family.  It’s easy to keep score and think about the times where my needs were not met.  Help me to remember that I am in charge of my own actions and reactions.  I have to answer for those regardless of what others say and do!

Reflection:

I have to be honest and say that reading this “instruction” manual is overwhelming at times.  I’ve been thinking that the writer really should have included a Proverbs 32 with instructions for the men!   My human nature just thinks -  What about the men?  What are they doing while this woman seemingly does it all?  It’s a challenge for me not to want to see how we can all work together and make things “even Steven”.  I think part of my challenge comes from my circumstances.   I work outside the home about 30 hours a week.  I am happy that I can provide for my family in that way.  I also love my job.  I also love my Monday and Tuesday where I can stay home with my daughter.  So I can get a little overwhelmed when I think about the Proverbs 31 women.  I am guessing that some of you may feel the same way. 

Maybe what God is trying to teach me is that I rarely rely on Him.  In order to be a Proverbs 31 woman there is no way I can skate by on my own strength!  I need to start praying for His strength and relying on Him more everyday.