Proverbs 31, Rebooting Alcohol Text

Hi there!! Thanks for stopping in!

Today is a wonky reboot from last October, 

some remarks on Proverbs 31, verses 3-7.

If you would like to read other entries, 

check out my tab up top.

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   I will try to mostly avoid the Grand Bossy Soapbox on the plain issue of alcohol consumption and just try to let the text (though it is slightly confusing) stand on its own. Alcoholism is real, that much I know. And it destroys lives. That much is immutable. But I do realize lots of people see a vast gray area here, which I will leave each person to explore on her own.

   We'll just lay some stuff out today, okay? If you happen to have some insight or expertise, or really just an opinion, then as always you are 100% welcome and invited to post comments or email and share! That's what this is all about!

   In the light studying I have done, it seems to be a generally agreed upon point that verse three is simply foreshadowing of events in King Solomon's (Lemuel's) reign. As most people know, Solomon was known for his wisdom. So the building of his character is pretty fascinating. The instruction given him by his mother is vital.

"Give not thy strength unto women,

nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings."

   Are there any take-aways here for us, the common people? Not sure. I will resist the temptation to extrapolate meanings where scholars have already explained something clearly and simply.  A King's mother was giving her son advice which he would later need in his reign. I can accept that much and move on...

The Judgement of Solomon, where a mother sacrifices her child to keep him whole.  

A powerful story that is painfully close to my heart.

   The next four verses seem clear enough at first blush but have incited plenty of debate.  This is where I will step back a bit, quote the scripture and references, then keep my remarks brief.  For a change.  LOL.  

"It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgement of any of the afflicted.

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more."

Schofield References:

• "Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!"  ~Ecclesiastes 10:17
• "Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart."  ~Hosea 4:11

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   Okay.  Last October I felt free to give my personal opinions on alcohol and strong drink. Not so much this year. This seems to be part of an evolution in my heart, the distinction between gladdened and mocked. Please feel free to read my thoughts then or ignore me altogether, but mostly please share yours. This all is wildly interesting to me, and I love to hear how other people sort it out.

   Okay.  Thanks again for reading! Tune in either tomorrow or Saturday for something totally different!

"We are all tattooed in our cradles with the beliefs of our tribe;

the record may seem superficial, but it is indelible.

You cannot educate a man wholly out of the superstitious fears

which were implanted in his imagination,

no matter how utterly his reason may reject them."

~Sir Oliver Wendell Homes, Sr. 1872

xoxoxoo

Proverbs 31: Swept and Sprinkled, Ma Joad as a P 31 Woman

   As we sink into the warmth and wisdom of Proverbs 31 

as it applies to women, rather than to kings as in the first few verses, 

a lovely and demanding image comes into focus. 

We begin to see the heart and the habits of a woman who clearly makes her home a priority. 

The descriptions available to us go far beyond dull exteriors, too. 

They evoke purpose, joy, self discipline, industriousness,
and above all... love.

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   Always a sucker for characterization, I would like to propose a literary parallel. Earlier this summer our book club gobbled up a fairly modern classic, Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. If you're interested, I wrote more on that book here, Trading Wrath for Gratitude and here, the full book review.

   One of the main characters in Grapes is of course Ma Joad. She is the matriarch of her growing and suffering family, and she leads them with great dignity and resourcefulness as they migrate westward and endure one devastation after another.

   Ma Joad cooks whatever food stuffs she can collect, and she does so with aching love. She feeds strangers with astonishing generosity. She washes her family's dust-packed clothes in brutal circumstances. She keeps her adult children motivated and soothes her husband's frayed nerves and bolsters his wilting ego. She honors her aging and sometimes difficult parents. (Actually, I think they are her in-laws.) She keeps house in every sense of the word, both physically and spiritually.

   One of the rituals Ma Joad maintains no matter where they camp, no matter who is with them or what is happening that day, seems to be cleaning the floors. Despite the Dust Bowl conditions of extreme dryness and wind-blown dirt that would permeate every crevice, she persists. She places high priority on refreshing her family's state of mind by refreshing their physical surroundings.

Steinbeck frequently used the phrase, "swept and sprinkled" to describe Ma's finished house.

And while she did special things for guests, she kept house for her family.

Photo Sourced from Google, original website unavailable.

 
   My husband's grandparents lived in western Oklahoma during the infamous Dust Bowl. They farmed and raised their families and survived the incredible heat and drought. When I finished The Grapes of Wrath, no doubt still in that afterglow of having read something so excellent, I asked my wonderful father-in-law a few questions about his childhood memories and the stories he'd heard about his parents and grandparents. Among other stuff, I wanted to know more about "swept and sprinkled." He nodded and smiled knowingly.

   Since the floors were all dirt, Harvey explained, any amount of foot traffic would stir up messy paths all day long. He said that people had a habit of sweeping the thresholds of their homes with a broom then sprinkling the smoothed earth with a little water to settle the dust. He said that this would beautify the home and also minimize the tracking in of dirt.

   So simple.

   And yet, would anyone now really blame Ma Joad had she ignored this task? I mean, the dust was blowing all day, every day. Relentless.

   Sweeping and sprinkling had to be done on a regular, perhaps almost constant basis because of their conditions.

   But she kept doing it. In addition to cooking and washing (by hand, not with a machine) and doctoring and tending, this not young woman made sure her family had a smooth, settled entry to their home. So simple. I find this absolutely beautiful and fascinating.

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   I am so full of wondering about this... Every family is different, every woman is different, and every home is different... But the drive to nest and nurture stretches across cultures and eras and personalities. I'd love some fresh input. Please join me!

• What simple things can you think of that the modern woman might do just to improve her family's state of mind, or their basic physical surroundings? 
• What regular little rituals do you keep for these reasons? 
• Is there something you do every day that makes you feel like your home is "ready" for your people? What makes you super comfy and might make you say, "We are swept and sprinkled and ready."
• How do you feel when you do this stuff? Are you radiating love, or obligation?
• What tasks do we avoid, just because they are painfully monotonous or repetitive? 
• What excuses do we offer ourselves for shirking duties?
• Does not doing something accumulate anything adverse, either spiritual or physical? What are the consequences of this?

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   I hope this little theme was as enlightening to you as it has been to me. Internalizing the purpose of what we do at home and the true value of the seemingly mundane tasks that comprise home-keeping... these can prompt powerful shifts in attitude. 

   My personal wish is to be more like Ma Joad, for starters. To be more loving in the routine jobs I might prefer to ignore, and to always remember that repetitive tasks sometimes make the biggest difference.

   I wish the same and more for you!! 

   Thanks so much for reading.

"What's this call, this sperit? An' I says, 'It's love.

I love people so much I'm fit to bust, sometimes.'"

~Ma Joad

xoxoxoxo

Proverbs 31: Beginning to Dig

Good Morning Ladies! (and gentlemen? LOL Maybe...)

For the second day of Proverbs 31, I am rebooting 

the post I wrote on October 3rd of last year 

about the speaker of this chapter, 
a little bit of the historical context, 

and some possible ways to interpret the material.
As always, I hope you'll join in the conversation!

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   First off, I would like to encourage you to read Perfect Imperfections' thoughts on the entire book of Proverbs throughout the month (October 2011).  Proverbs is a juicy, meaty piece of text to read almost no matter who you are or what your exact personal condition at the moment, because, as Schofield puts it, "This collection of sententious sayings is divine wisdom applied to the earthly conditions of the people of God."  

Sententious means, "Given to or abounding in aphoristic expression  Given to or abounding in excessive moralizing."
Aphoristic means, "A concise statement of a principle.  A terse formulation of a truth or sentiment." 

   

   I groove direct and timeless.  I groove applicable wisdom, and this is it baby.

   This is a flavor apart from law and parable; this is a rich assemblage of morals, rules of thumb, bits of wisdom, and (then) socially agreed upon objectives for us to digest and consider.

   The final part of the six parts of this book is chapter 31, which is my focus this month.  I did quite a bit of reading to learn about the speaker and context of these thirty one verses, only to discover a rare Biblical mystery.  Evidently some debate remains over the true identity of "Lemuel," some people believing he is actually King Solomon (making the speaker's mother Bathsheba), others understanding the translation to be almost symbolic, more of a general representation of God's king, or a man dedicated to God. Still another camp suggests this is advice given to the church herself.

   I encourage you to read more on your own if the background feels vital to your acceptance or understanding of this book.  There is always Wikipedia, but I personally found Dr. Claude Mariottini to be clear and studious.  Also, this Bible study page was easy to read. As always, if you happen to have some insight on this topic PLEASE share!

"The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy 

that his mother taught him.

What, my son?  and what, the son of my womb?

and what, the son of my vows?"

~Proverbs 31:1-2

   So we begin the month ready to explore either advice given to an historical king by his trusted and beloved mother or just really good, deep down wisdom that applies to all of us.  Perhaps especially those in positions of authority.  Maybe both.

   I can hardly wait!

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   Tomorrow's theme will be bit different, as will a few days this week. I have a couple of fun things planned, and one fabulous woman who curates Periphery has thrown her smart, well written hat into the ring for guest posting! 

   Wishing you all a really great Tuesday. I am off for a long and much needed run outside, some horse grooming and floor mopping, and then an afternoon filled with sewing projects. 

   See you tomorrow!

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.
It is the source of all true art and science."
~Albert Einstein
xoxoxoxo

Proverbs 31, the King James Text

I am starting this month of study with the actual King James text

and a few scriptural references for this chapter...

Read it, soak it up, and let it speak to you a little.

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1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgement of any of the afflicted.

6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

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References:

• Job 29: 15, 16
• I Samuel 19:4
• Esther 4:16
• Leviticus 19:15
• Deuteronomy 1:16
• Job 29:12
• Isaiah 1:17
• Jeremiah 22:16
• Psalm 2:12
• Romans 12:11
• Luke 12:42
• Ephesians 4:28
• Hebrews 13:16
• Proverbs 12:4
• Psalm 19:9

Thanks for reading!

See you tomorrow for a look 

at the history, speaker, and context of this chapter.

40 Days Till Easter

   Springtime is high season for me. This is when everything greens up and things start to bloom. This is when the house is cleanest and my mind freshest. My birthday rolls around. And Easter approaches. I love Easter even more than Christmas, for a million reasons. Do you?

   Easter is when promises are kept. Easter is the fulfillment of hope and the answer to hard wrought prayers. It is a wonderful time for healing and forgiveness. It is the time of every single year of life that we can celebrate the light that follows darkness. Without fail, and independent of anything we do, springtime warms us up and gets our hearts thumping again. And Easter is the culmination of all the waiting, all the spiritual dormancy, all the deadness.

   This year I want to be ready. In yet another bizarre way, God is whispering to my heart a hidden meaning behind our childlessness... that I should be redeeming my time more wisely, not just filling it up. Not just comforting myself or wishing the weeks away. The hours that might otherwise be spent on coloring eggs and shopping for frothy Easter dresses can be spent studying the Word and preparing my heart for miracles.

"God is eagerly waiting for the chance 

to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, 

just as He always has. 

But He can't do it if you don't pray, 

and He can't do it if you don't dream. 

In short, He can't do it if you don't believe."

~ Jeffrey R. Holland 

   I am not sure I agree with Mr. Holland's word choice here, saying that there's anything God can't do, but I certainly agree and believe that the Lord wants a relationship with each of us, privately and permanently and apart from worldly tethers, and so we need to seek Him. That's our part. Praying, dreaming, hoping, trusting, believing in His goodness above all else, far beyond pain. And in doing so we are assured that He will be there with strong, capable, powerful, merciful, loving open arms.

   And by the way, YES. God has already answered so many big, incredible prayers for us! Why would I ever stop believing in Him? So many dreams are already fulfilled, I get chills to reflect on where we are in life, on how much love already surrounds us. These yet unanswered longings, these fears which remain, are only scabbed over by my own limitations. He has the power to heal all of it, to work miracles I cannot even imagine! Same goes for you and your heart, whatever it is that you're hoping for or against, He already knows.

   As late winter stretches and yawns herself into the dawn of another springtime, the life giving tremors of Easter are very real to me. Regret over wasted time and spiritual deadness is finally evaporating under the warmth of hope. The busy-keeping activity of recent months, trying to work away pain and over and over again struggling to make sense of things in my own weak ways, is being replaced with a craving for spiritual activity, seeking what He wants me to seek and discovering His power again.

"Let the past sleep, but let it sleep 

on the bosom of Christ, and go out into 

the irresistible future with Him."

~Oswald Chambers from My Utmost for His Highest

   Lest we get too awfully serious this morning, below is a photo of Tomato the rooster. You know, spring chickens and all. He was only a few weeks old when this photo was taken, and my nephew Zane (well, Zane is *sort of* my nephew, and I love him so much) named him not knowing this feathery creature's gender. I think it's a perfect name. You may notice that Tomato got a bright red talon polishing that day, too, which may or may not have affected his personality in the long run. That was two years ago.   

   Nowadays Tomato runs free and wild when the sun is out. His rooster comb is a little wonky, which helps me tell him apart from the others. This is good because his full grown talons have lost their red glamour and we have several white and black roosters. Tomato can be a trouble maker, but we think he's cool.

   However you observe Ash Wednesday, whatever your rituals are for preparing for Easter, springtime, or just another fresh new day of being alive, I wish you the very best. I wish you a long, wide view of the world, a closeness to Love,  and renewed hope for the biggest miracles you crave! Paint your talons red if it thrills you, and be happy. You are loved, and big things are waiting.

"I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."

~Psalm 34:4

xoxoxo

   

Eyewitness of His Majesty (Small Stone January 22)

   Sitting on a hard pew, sliding around on the polished wooden planks because of my polyester dress and winter tights, shivering from the cold air, I look forward and blink. I am listening to the scriptures passively at first, gliding thoughtlessly through our Sunday morning routine with little effort. 

   Until the speaker's eyes change. His brow furrows and his voice follows suit, revealing light that is about to break through. And then it does.

   Long wrestled questions are calmly and brightly put to bed in my heart with a great, silent swoop. 

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,

when we made known unto you 

the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

but were eyewitnesses of his majesty."

~II Peter 1:16

   I have myself been an eyewitness to the physical healing of my own children and in this moment am recharged to believe again in the promise of new miracles.

   How could I have grown so comfortable in my lack of vision?

New Every Morning! (re-inspired by lifeingrace)

   I am, like so many women, more specifically like so many women in my life (which is maybe why they're in my life to begin with) heavily prone to writing lists and getting delightfully giddy at the beginning of a project or adventure. I tend to foam in my accident-prone mouth at the sight of blank paper, crisp, early sunrises, and January, which is pretty much our cultural embodiment of new beginnings, followed closely by Easter and spring garden planting.

   I have also had divided success with past lists, though, maybe because the lists are so great in number. Thinking the sensible thing to do this year was control my natural urge to change the world (or at least my red dirt covered corner of it), I thought and thought about everything I wanted for 2012. I tried to see through to the core of why these good and worthy goals haven't been reached already, about why the same  wishes cling tenaciously to my Long List. I managed to boil it all down to the Lowest Common Denominator, into one articulatable "resolution," though some would argue this is too broad to qualify: 

"Time Management." 

Yawn.

   Then something wonderful happened to shatter the clay around my mind and loose a myriad of vivid feelings and ideas that were swirling around insistently anyway.

   What happened is that tonight I stumbled on an electrified post by Edie at lifeingrace, her thoughts and encouragement about writing New Year resolutions. The best part is that she (or perhaps a friend of hers) coined them reVolutions. I can't get over how cool this is, you guys. Please go read her post as well as her very colorful list of personal reVolutions for 2012.

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Are you back? Or did I lose everybody 

because you're off writing your own electrified lists? 

If so, that's cool.

xoxoxo

This less photoshoppy list belongs to moi. I couldn't wait.

And it just so happens that my new not blank anymore planner 

offers one large lined page just for personal notes.

This passionate brainstorming session was kinda meant to be.

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   What I liked about the switch that flipped here is the freedom, the encouragement to be truly wild with my wish making, my list writing and my hope forming. This is passionate, crazy-bones brainstorming, friends, and I groove it in a big way.

   Hopefully, better time management will underscore a lot of my new habits in 2012, sure, but the coming months are bigger than one goal. Life is rich and complex whether I lose 18 pounds or not (though I do hope this is the last year I fiddle around with that). Every day is beautiful and exciting far beyond the exact condition of my baseboards or compost pile and the exact number of times I post on my blog.

   Tonight's reading and subsequent writing has me thinking BIG, you guys. Big in EVERY direction, and nothing on my hotly scribbled list is outside the bounds of love. None of it will do anything but add to the quality of life both for Handsome and me and for our friends and family.

   Here's to lifeingrace for her inspired post on reVolutions that got me thinking about the whole list-making tendency on a spiritual plane. Thank you for the very C.S. Lewis-y phrase, "liturgy of life."

   Here's to early January in all of her blank-notebook splendor.

   Here's to the power of Love, to the hidden but ever present designs and patterns in life that we sometimes fail to notice, and to the limitless creativity and renewal available to us through God.

Happy New Year *AGAIN* from the Lazy W

xoxoxo

Proverbs 31:8-9 Speak Up for the Needy

   The next two verses are rich enough in their own right, but they also are accompanied by a long list of references in the Schofield text.  In my opinion this stuff needs very little expounding, though each of us, depending on our stations and functions in this world, may learn to apply the directives uniquely.  First, the lines from Proverbs:

  "Open thy mouth for the dumb in the course of all 
such as are appointed to destruction.  

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, 
and plead the cause of the poor and needy."

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These references follow:

"I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 

I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out."

~Job 29:15,16

"And Johnathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, 

Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good."

~I Samuel 19:4

"Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment:  thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty:  but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour."

~Leviticus 19:15

"And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him."

~Deuteronomy 1:16

"Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him."
~Job 29:12

"Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow."
~Isaiah 1:17

"He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him:  was not this to know me?  saith the Lord."
~Jeremiah 22:16

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   In what ways are you exposed to the poor and needy?  The widowed, the orphaned, the lonely?  How do you personally cross paths with those who cannot speak up for themselves or who are appointed to destruction?  Granted, these lines are perhaps directed in context to an actual ruler, a king, but if the popular scholar's interpretation of proverbs 31 is to be considered, then the Christian church is accountable for these behaviors too.  These instructions are certainly consistent with Christian teaching.

   Also, how are we doing in the judging righteously department?  Not so awesomely most times, I suspect.  We are all naturally shaped with unique filters, feelings, preferences, grudges, politics, indoctrination, just all kinds of multi-faceted, self-protective words that really mean, "personal opinion."  And personal opinion has a way of affecting how we treat others. Personal opinion also has a way of being wrong.  Ever been called to jury duty and felt, whether you expressed it or not, a strong bias, despite the evidence?  Ever catch yourself being cold to someone you don't know based on another person's opinion of him?  I have.  And worse.

   These events are common and natural human behavior, but if we read these words in the Bible then we hear a call to do better.  To strive for a life past what is natural and easy.  Stretch, not stagnate.

   I am reminded that every story has more than one side, very often more than two.  And I have been wrong a thousand times in my life, siding with the wrong person, standing on a moral I later discovered to be flawed or at least incomplete.  This is scary; it impresses on me the gravity of the job of judges who decide the fates of people daily.

   This brief study tonight has excavated in my heart more guilt and greater challenge than I expected.  I have a lot of work to do, but I believe that it can be turned around.  I believe that love and mercy are powerful, and I am hoping for second chances.  Checkout the above reference in Isaiah; the words learn and seek are loud to my eyes.

   Learn to do well.

   Seek judgment.

   These are active verbs, words that immediately acknowledge a position of lacking and then command work.  Ignorance and error can be overcome, so do it.  (I am bossing myself around, not you guys.)  I am thrilled by this idea, this encouragement.  

   

   That's all for tonight.  Oklahoma is finally receiving a much needed deluge of cold rain, and a big pot of homemade chicken and dumplings is almost ready on the stove.  Pain is ever present, and so are hope and joy.  Wishing everyone a peaceful end to the weekend. 

xoxoxo

   

Proverbs 31:3-7 Advice on Strength, Kings, & Alcohol

   I am gonna resist the Grand Soapbox on this particular topic, 

not because I don't feel strongly about it but because it's an easy one for me 

and yet I know it's not so easy for a lot of other people.  

Also, the text is a little confusing, and while I know what it tells me 

I do not feel qualified to speak on it with authority to others.  

I'll just lay some stuff out today, okay?

If you happen to have some insight or expertise, 

you are 100% welcome to post comments and share your knowledge or wisdom.

That's what this is all about!

    In the light studying I have done, it seems to be a generally agreed upon point that verse three is simply foreshadowing for events in King Solomon's reign.

"Give not thy strength unto women,

nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings."

   Are there any take-aways for us, the common people?  Not sure.  I will resist the temptation to extrapolate meanings where scholars have already explained something clearly and simply.  A King's mother was giving her son advice which he would later need in his reign.  I can accept that much.

The Judgement of Solomon.  

A powerful story that is painfully close to my heart.

   The next four verses seem clear enough at first blush but have incited plenty of debate.  This is where I will step back a bit, quote the scripture and references, then keep my remarks brief.  For a change.  LOL.  

"It is not for kings, O :Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgement of any of the afflicted.

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more."

Schofield References:

• "Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!"  ~Ecclesiastes 10:17
• "Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart."  ~Hosea 4:11

   Okay.  Here are some things I personally believe to be true, and they are what make the otherwise blurry line crystal clear for me and my life:

• Alcohol is definitely a "mocker."  It alters inhibitions and for many people outright changes personalities.  I do not groove this.  I like the original, please.  
• Alcohol is addictive and dangerous, and yes I realize that some people have a stronger propensity for alcoholism than others, but I have witnessed the fallout of this condition (disease?) in lots of relationships, first hand, and it is no small problem.  I do not groove it.  I want no part of it my life or in my home.  We have friends who drink, and I don't think we've ever "preached" to them about it, but it just doesn't come to the farm.  And I have never had to worry about someone leaving one of our fun parties here and making the long drive home intoxicated.  
• Yes, we did "preach" to the girls about avoiding alcohol when it was warranted.  It has always been important to me that they learn to maintain control over their lives and that alcohol can poison that, can poison your temple.  Some people find this radical.  I consider it it healthy.
• The advice for kings and princes in particular to avoid wine and strong drink is plenty enough reminder for me to heed the warning.  I am in no position of authority or control in this world, but I still need my judgement to be sound.  I still want my life to run smoothly and steadily.
• I am not sure what to say about the last verse here, about drink given to those who are suffering.  To me it speaks of compassion, but clearly I have some studying and thinking to do.

   Okay.  Yes, smarty pants, that was me N-O-T on a soapbox.  Thoughts?

Proverbs 31: What Exactly are We Reading?

   Depending on your personal beliefs and personal tolerances, knowing the nature of what you're reading might be just as important than the content of what you're reading.  Or at least, it might be a prerequisite for accepting the words, the message.  

   I know I can read Grimm's Fairy Tales for entertainment plus a little bit of old fashioned wisdom without worrying about muddying the waters of my core values.  Same goes for Bruce Lee's Zen and the Martial Arts:  I can read his ideas as his ideas, comparing and measuring them up to what I know to be true for myself.

   Where I have to be careful is reading religious interpretation of text that is already close to my heart.  Human interpretation can be flawed, and that can be misleading.  For example, I was very cautious while reading The Shack.  Ironic, eh?  That I am attempting to share my (admittedly human) study of a book of the Bible?  Just take this as a big chunky grain of salt.  I wish only truth and stability for everybody.

   The reason I'm even thinking of all of this is that the Schofield Bible I use has that heading at the beginning of Proverbs which prepares the reader for a collection of wisdom, not a list of laws or a chronological story.  It got me wondering what are the literal similarities and differences between parables, laws, promises, folklore, warnings, etc.  Lovers of words can always appreciate the fine points, the subtle but crucial nuances of language.  What I learned isn't groundbreaking,  but it does help me put in perspective the content of Proverbs 31.

********************

Adage:  a saying often in metaphorical form that embodies a common observation

Fable:  a fictitious narrative or statement intended to enforce a useful truth; especially one in which animals speak and act like human beings

Folklore:  traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances or art forms preserved among a people

Law:  a binding practice or custom of a community:  a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority

Parable:  a usually short, fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle

Promise:  a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made the right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act

Proverb:  a brief popular epigram or maxim  (an epigram is a terse, sage, or witty, and often paradoxical saying)

Warning:  a notice or bulletin that alerts the public to an imminent hazard

Wisdom:  accumulated philosophic or scientific learning; ability to discern inner qualities or relationships

   ********************

   The Bible is filled with all of these examples and more, except perhaps the fable.  I cannot think of any fables, only God speaking through animals, which is quite different.  But until now I had always thought that Proverbs 31 was a resume of the perfect woman.  It never occurred to me that it was anything other than a strict list of requirements.  The possibility of symbolism certainly never surfaced.
 
   To read the last book of Proverbs once more, this time less as either an historical account or a list of mandates for either a woman or the church, and more as an urging toward spiritual and earthly profit, my thoughts blossomed.

   I feel more inspired and less defeated, seeing all of my womanly deficiencies.  I see the potential benefits and possibilities of following the sage advice in these thirty one verses and am a little less encumbered by the rigidity of law, etc.

   What do you think?  Do you agree a little bit?  Do you vehemently disagree?  Is it too risky to consider that anything in the Bible is anything other than strict instructions?  Are you inspired in any new way after reading Proverbs 31 as a joyful suggestion, an invitation toward something more beautiful?  Or had you always read it that way?

   Forgive me if I am a bit long winded tonight; I participated in a limited-word exercise earlier today and am experiencing a crazy bottleneck of words at rush hour in my brain.  Whew!

 

Proverbs 31:1-2 Speaker, Context, & Interpretation

   First off, I would like to encourage you to read this blogger's thoughts on the entire book of Proverbs throughout the month.  Proverbs is a juicy, meaty piece of text to read almost no matter who you are or what your exact personal condition at the moment, because, as Schofield puts it, "This collection of sententious sayings is divine wisdom applied to the earthly conditions of the people of God."  

   Sententious means, "Given to or abounding in aphoristic expression  Given to or abounding in excessive moralizing."  

   Aphoristic means, "A concise statement of a principle.  A terse formulation of a truth or sentiment." 

   

   I groove direct and timeless.  I groove applicable wisdom, and this is it baby.

   This is a flavor apart from law and parable; this is a rich assemblage of morals, rules of thumb, bits of wisdom, and (then) socially agreed upon objectives for us to digest and consider.

   The final part of the six parts of this book is chapter 31, which is my focus this month.  I did quite a bit of reading to learn about the speaker and context of these thirty one verses, only to discover a rare Biblical mystery.  Evidently quite a bit of debate remains over the true identity of "Lemuel," some people believing he is actually King Solomon (making the speaker's mother Bathsheba), others understanding the translation to be almost symbolic, more of a general representation of God's king, or a man dedicated to God.   

   I encourage you to read more on your own if the background feels vital to your acceptance or understanding of this book.  There is always Wikipedia, but I personally found this writer to be clear and studious.  Also, this site was easy to read.   As always, if you happen to have some insight on this topic PLEASE share!

"The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy 

that his mother taught him.

What, my son?  and what, the son of my womb?

and what, the son of my vows?"

~Proverbs 31:1-2

   So we begin the month ready to explore either advice given to an historical king by his trusted and beloved mother or just really good, deep down wisdom that applies to all of us.  Perhaps especially those in positions of authority.  Maybe both.

   I can hardly wait!

 

Proverbs 31: Overview & a Realization

   After deciding to spend the month of October studying, exploring, and displaying the book of Proverbs 31, my mind sort of exploded.  But I liked it.  My heart swelled and my thoughts gained momentum in a really exciting, dangerous way.  There are so many writing possibilities here, so much potential learning to do!  Can I please have more than one month?

   Here are just a few of the very meaty topics 

that are begging to be covered:

• Have you ever noticed that this thirty-first chapter of Proverbs also has thirty one verses?  Is there any significance to that?
• Who are the speakers and what is the context?  What was going on in history at this time?
• What is the difference between a proverb and a fable?
• Did you know that some theologians argue that this book, though traditionally understood to be instructive to women, might actually bend toward instruction to the church?  This is at least consistent with the New Testament analogy of Christ's bride.  Hmm.
• Fascinating advice on dealing with the poor, defenseless, and underprivileged.
• I have never owned a ruby.  What ARE they worth?  
• How can the modern woman translate the resourcefulness of the Proverbs 31 woman?  I mean, we don't really have flax to work.  Wait, what is flax again?
• Food management and nutrition in an extreme couponing, fast food culture:  How do we strike the balance and please God?
• Real Estate.  Hmm.
• Strength of body versus vanity in an image-obsessed but wildly healthless culture.  (Has there ever before been such a paradox for women?)
• Charity.
• Household preparedness:.  Winter is Coming.
• Significance of the colors scarlet & purple, of silk & tapestries.
• Husband's reputation.
• Contributions to the family/ marriage by way of her skills.
• Bread of Idleness:  REALLY interesting how this interacts with the Biblical importance of leavening, both Old and New Testaments.  
• Excellence:  WOW.
• Favor & beauty:  Some people call these evil, but is that what is actually says?
• The ways of Her Household:  Mind Yer Beeswax.

   

   What I can say with certainty is that this book is a timeless source of inspiration for women across the centuries, in every walk of life and every "religion."  Writers have always had a lot to say about these few dozen sentences, so I guess I am I just late to an awesome party.

   So..... regardless of how much or how little I manage to accomplish with this October study, the obvious fact remains that it will be insufficient.  This can only be a springboard study, but it can still be nourishing.

  

   I hope that whatever your path is right now, you give Proverbs 31 a glance, at least a philosophical one, and share your thoughts, you reactions, your personal  experiences.  I think Truth grooves this kind of networking.  Please share your thoughts and insights in the comments.  I would love to spark an exchange and really make some spiritual progress here!

     This month of study will be well spent.

   

Introducing 31 Days of Proverbs 31

   A group of eight well established and supremely inspirational bloggers is embarking on a thirty-one day surge of focused writing, each selecting her own topic for the month of October.  For every single day next month, including weekends, each woman will offer up a blog post related to her topic of choice.  Lots of the writing topics are domestically focused, and I am very excited.  I am looking forward to 31 days of organizing, 31 days of entertaining, 31 days of fitness, etc.

   October is such a great time to actively switch gears and delve into a fresh perspective, a different routine, a new season.  I am super excited.  Super Duper.  Excited.  Ready for inspiration and specifics.  Thirsty for input.  Ravenous for stimuli and encouragement.  Sometimes hearing how one person finds success is all it takes to finally dive into something new and challenging yourself.

   Another yummy gimmick!  I am powerless to resist.

   SOOOO in addition to normal writing I am going to participate in this.  Write about what, you ask?  The Bible book of Proverbs 31 has been speaking to me for years, sometimes more clearly and purposefully than others, and I need the refreshment.  I am also in the midst of a calmer Bible study with friends right now, so this feels just perfect.

  And hello?  31 days?  

Proverbs Chapter 31?  

Kind of a no brainer.

I feel like it was meant to be.

.  So this October I will try to explore this book more deeply than before.  I will try to offer some history, common interpretations, daily life applications,  questions, artwork, etc.  

   

   Previewing some of the other planned writing bonanzas, the month of October can potentially drench us in ideas and inspiration for the coming winter and help us focus on lots of worthwhile topics.  

Happy Autumn Everyone!

I would not upset of you wished me luck.

xoxoxo