What’s a mom to do? Here is this high standard for Christian wife and mother set before us. And so often the point is totally missed. I’ve heard it said that this is the Christian command (or at least model) for mothers to be out in the work force and "doing her fair share" to contribute to the household income. PLEASE!! Take another look.

(This post began as a comment of encouragement to women after reading Renae’s post (link below). But it is NOT a response to or directed back toward that post. This really takes a MUCH different direction than those thoughts, to much more underlying ones.)

This woman, that a mom was telling her son would be a good wife, in what stage in her life was she? Newly married? Raising many little ones? Lots of older helpful children? Lap and table filled with grandchildren? Perhaps all of the above. This is a LIFETIME of  God’s expansion, the growth of a life. This is NOT a daily to-do/ check off list! It is the blessing of God upon a productive woman in the home. She looks after her home well, and God brings an increase.

Ladies, please don’t think you have to look beyond your own homes to profit your husband and your household.  Renae mentioned, "toys and dog hair off the floor and meals on the table." These are all of GREAT profit to the home. As well as clean laundry, taught and cared for children. Yes, these things even profit our families financially. You aren’t paying someone else to do it.

Many times the things a mom of young children can do, in caring for her home and family, SAVE far more money than she could make elsewhere. The fruit of her hands does not need to be a tangible product producing tangible cash in the hand to be of financial contribution and benefit.

But throughout her life the venerated "Pro. 31" woman expands the things she does within the home and her interests to help bless others. She’s not looking for a job or income, she’s increasing her own productivity to include blessing those outside the home, as well as inside.

A love of books, a love of design, a love of teaching, a love of ?cleaning - really, Renae? - are all blessed ministries we can share out of our homes.

But still nothing is greater than "the investment in my children [and husband, and friends and neighbors, that] profits for a lifetime and more." Our role as women is such a rich and rewarding one, blessing many in both our home and the homes of others.

We were made to primarily be nurturers, not providers. We do not in any way have to succumb to our society’s egalitarian ideas, that in their promotion of feminism, devalue women and their God given roles. We can rejoice in the fruit of our hands (and our bodies) and pray that God brings increase.

This is an area that we receive so much un-Biblical input in, we need to constantly be renewing our minds and reassuring ourselves to not forget God’s Big Picture of a godly woman, throughout God’s Word.  Another scripture we can look is Titus 2:4-5, and others I’ll ramble about on another day.