My Journey-Part 5 Concluded

So, I've been "under the weather" the past couple of days, and blogging has taken a backseat. I'm trying to get myself better before next week's conference. Pray to that end if you think about it. I'm gonna finish up the virtuous' woman's work ethic in this one entry. I could write on it way more, but don't won't it to seem overbearing. Here goes...
In addition to working at night, the virtuous woman also works early in the morning. Proverbs 31:15a says, "She gets up while it it still dark." Okay, so that is pretty early for me. It even gets earlier sometimes when the time changes! Ha! Seriously, though, I've had to ask myself, "Do I love my bed?" The answer is often yes. Even though I stay home with the boys, I long for a morning to sleep in. One great perk of presently living with my parents is that Mom takes the boys about one morning each week and lets me and Jeremy sleep in. This is a God-send. I do feel, however, that I don't take advantage of the early morning hours; the time where no one else is up; that precious time where I can be by myself; where I can spend some quiet moments with the Lord. Often I don't get up early, because I go to bed too late. That's so foolish on my part. I've got to work on this!
Anyways, Henry writes on this, "The virtuous woman loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure...and has more true satisfaction in having given meat to her household."
The Proverbs 31 woman also finds a "business" appropriate for her. Verse 13 says, "She selects wool and flax and works with EAGER hands." She works cheerfully and hard. The virtuous woman is prepared to do her work. She's not frantically looking around for things.
Proverbs 31:19 also says, "In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers." These work items are her honour. Henry writes, "She does not reckon it (work) either an abridgment (reduction) of her liberty (freedom, right) or a disparagement (disgrace) to her dignity, or at all inconsistent with her repose (composure)." This beautiful woman considers it a privilege to work. She doesn't use the "I stay home with the kids" excuse to not do anything. And please don't take that statement the wrong way. I stay home with the boys and know how busy I am. I also know that I'm saving our family daycare money and making an investment greater than any job or bank account could give me. At the same time, I don't want to use staying home as an excuse not to help bring in some income (not just save). That, once again, is part of my search! Moving on...
Verse 17 again reassures us she is a hard worker by saying, "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." She doesn't trifle or play around with different things (which I tend to do). She figures out what God has for her to work on; what will bring back the best financial return; what God has gifted her to do; and plunges head first into this calling.
Henry sums this up by writing, "She will go through with work that requires all the strength she has, which she will use as one that knows it is the way to have more." And the best way for me personally to do this is...to determine the avenue of work God has for me and secondly to prioritize my time better. It's hard to help out financially if I can't find a spare moment in the day!
The next section I've been studying is about her management and perception. It's kinda about her work ethic again, which you will find is a major topic in the description of the virtuous woman. I'll start that section soon, I hope!