Mom of the Year Award Goes to.......YOU!

Remember the Proverbs 31 woman? You know the woman we're all expected to be like? Yeah, I never took this scripture much into consideration until recently.

Proverbs 31:10-31

⁰ ^{c]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[c]} A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²² She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹ "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

³¹ Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I come from a family of amazing women. My grandma was a working mom of 3. Louise worked for AT&T, before it was bought a bunch of times and is now just another name for horrible service also known as Cingular. Another blog, another rant. MY GRANDMA took me to work with her on several occasions. I remember being about 12 years old and sitting in her office while she was busy giving solutions to a whole bunch of crisis. I remember sitting there in my chair with my AT&T pen and pad, thinking my Grandma is "the woman"! She's important. One thing that leaped out at me about my grandma, though, wasn't her gentle way of making you instantly feel comforted. Or the way she made you feel like the most important person alive. It was the conversations I would hear her have on the phone with people from her work or church. She was a minister. She would pray with those people on the phone, talk them through their doubts, and share with them her stories. My grandma went to be with Jesus when I was 16 and I still grieve of my loss of a great woman of Christ. I take joy, though, in having had several good years with one of my earthly hero's.

My mom, is no exception by any means. She is not just another example but THE influence in who I am today. She taught me as just a little girl that I could do anything I set my mind to. She gave me creativity as I would stand beside her while she would reinvent something useless into something useful. I remember some of my favorite times with my mom were the times when she would wash the dishes, yes this was back when dishwashers weren't in every home, and I was be designated dryer. We would stand there and do the dishes together and get into good discussions about all kinds of stuff. Those times taught me things that I use today. What spoke to me mostly, though, weren't the spoken words of wisdom but the times when I would watch her with others at church, the grocery store, and in our home. Both my parents are amazing examples of how to be Christ like. But, my mom is a true example of how to be the Proverbs 31 woman. Something that I always felt was way out of my league to accomplish.

I recently read, and highly recommend, a book entitled, Mama's Got a Fake I.D. How to Reveal the Real You Behind All That Mom by Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira. I love how Caryn describes the woman in Proverbs 31.

"Say what you want about her-but this woman has depth. She is not just accomplished beyond any normal measure of human accomplishment: she's interesting. I daresay someone would meet this Mom of Noble Character at a party and say, "Fascinating! Tell me more!" And while you can tell from reading portions of the Bible that women weren't usually held in the highest of esteem, this passage shows that "noble" women had a lot more than their mom roles going on. Leave it to God to look this deeply into a woman's identity and give us a glimpse of her talent, inteligence, creativity, and impact on the world"

Caryn was right on! I now read about this Noble Mom and want to be like her in every way. I'm also encouraged that God sees the depth of who I am. He sees my identity even when I have to fight to gain that identity myself. It is nice to know that on those days when I look in the mirror and wonder who this woman is staring at me, God sees me. As a woman living in an era of time where woman can do, learn, teach, experience, and taste all that men can do, I have an obligation to my sisters who worked and died for me to be here. I have an obligation, yes, but I also have to have the courage and strength to rise beyond myself and strive to be like the "Mom of Noble Character". I may not accomplish "Mom of the Year" but I will try. Excuse me now, my girls are blowing bubbles and I am going to join them.