Pam Woodson
wife, mom,
minister, writer
minister, writer
"Out of the abundance [OVERFLOW] of the HEART, the mouth speaks [the blogger blogs!]" (Luke 6:45).
"Watch over your HEART with all diligence, for from it FLOW the springs of life" (Prov. 4:23).
"Watch over your HEART with all diligence, for from it FLOW the springs of life" (Prov. 4:23).
Woodson Ministries
WORD WORLDWIDE: my husband Woody's weekly word -- always
good!!!
Solid Bible Teachers I Like
Joyce Meyer
Kate McVeigh
Bob Yandian
Willie George
Myles Munroe
Woody Woodson!
Radio
Favorites
KXOJ Sunday mornings, contemporary worship songs
Books that Have Helped Me
The
Bible!
Beyond Ourselves, by Catherine Marshall (I received Christ while reading this in 9th grade)
Cooks Collage,
Tulsa Jr. Women's League cooking
Prescriptions for a Miracle, by Mark Brazee (devotionals on healing)
Sparkling Gems, by
Rick Renner (devotionals)
The Pulpit Commentaries
Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
You Are
Special (Max Lucado -- children's book with a wonderful message even for adults)
Totally Frivolous Why-would-anyone-else-care?
Trivia:
I Like...
Christmastime
Mexican food
Italian food
chocolate!!!
praying in the afternoon
writing
playing the guitar
looking at
the stars
playing baseball
putting (golf)
classic cars
longtime friends
giving the Word
helping needy kids
Butterfingers
flowers
the color
blue
my son's brain and humor
cooking (not every day)
staying up on the news
going to Branson
barbecued ribeyes
love songs
reading
my Bible in the morning
being with Woody and our son
getting flowers and cards from Woody
Reruns: I Love Lucy, Mary
Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, Andy Griffith
listening to praise and worship music
seeing fireworks on the 4th
my birthday,
July 5th -- so one reason they shoot off fireworks the night before?
chocolate doughnuts and orange juice for breakfast
wearing
jeans and sneakers
being me -- the unique person God made
Note: I took a few weeks "sabbatical" from writing my blog. I'm back in the groove, and you can expect to find them here
weekly once again.
Picture from "The
Good Wife's Guide," HOUSEKEEPING MONTHLY, May 13, 1955 (supposedly)
Date: 10/05/09
Proverbs 31 Woman
by Pam Woodson
My
computer is set up to flash a slideshow of photographs stored in my files, so they appear on my monitor screen when
I power it on. Seeing pictures of my family and friends pop up gives me a warm fuzzy to lessen any serious intensity a pile of computer
work might induce. Amidst my cute, heart-warming digital memory-triggers, an e-mail I once copied online showed up recently.
It contained an article which was an exerpt from HOUSEKEEPING MONTHLY, May 13, 1955, explaining what "a good wife" is supposed
to be like. In researching it, I discovered that perhaps the article actually was fabricated for a flyer to be distributed to
promote the feminist movement of the 1970's. Other people think it truly was a 1950's article but published in a home economics
school textbook. The validity of "The Good Wife's Guide" article is not of major importance. It does paint a picture of the gist of
life back then, to a certain degree, as our older generation might tell us.
"The Good Wife's
Guide" lists several instructions for a woman to follow in order to qualify as a good wife. Here are a few that could either
make females today laugh or cringe and go, "Ooooooh, no way!":
~~~ Be refreshed when
he arrives [from work]. Touch up your make up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary
people.
~~~ Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before
your husband arrives.
~~~ Prepare the children...Comb their hair...Change their clothes. They are little
treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.
~~~ Minimize all noise. At the time of his
arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, or vaccuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.
~~~ You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first
-- remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
~~~ Never complain if he
comes home late or goes out to dinner or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain
and pressure.
~~~ Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night.
Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.
~~~ Arrange his pillow and
offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.
~~~ Don't ask him questions
about his actions or question his judgement or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house...You have no right to question
him.
~~~ A good wife always knows her place.
Using this as a checklist,
I have a feeling most of my female friends would flunk the good wife test. Definitely no way could I myself take the "let him stay
out all night and don't question it" advice. (I'm glad I've never had to even consider using that rule in my marriage anyway.)
Putting
aside the outdated 1950's column (if perchance it was real), here's a good question: What IS a good wife's guide? I somehow get
the feeling we won't be able to find one by watching this fall's new television program "The Good Wife," though I haven't
seen it. Before you start laughing at my next comment, let me explain: The Bible, however, DOES have a good wife's guide. Did
I lose you there with that? After all, the Bible was written hundreds of years ago, so how pertinent could it be for today? Although
it was penned ions ago, "the word of God is living and active" (Hebrews 4:12, NASV). It's message never dies, but is always alive.
It is never dormant, but is forever active. Everything in the Word of God has the same power today as yesterday to breathe into our
life and stir us to action. Only the generations it speaks to have changed.
Proverbs 31 in the Old Testament
gives specifics to women of that day, from which we can draw generalities from God for our lives today. For instance, most of us don't
sit at a spinning wheel or plow a field; but we can learn the lessons God taught women who once did, applying them to our own
time and culture. In Proverbs 31, King Solomon's mother taught him how to find a good wife. She said, "An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels" (Prov. 31:10), and then described the type of person which would be a good catch for
him. She was saying, "Boy, I don't want you to fall in love with just anybody and get stuck in a bad marriage. There's a precious
girl out there who would be a good wife for you, and I'm going to tell you how to recognize her when she comes along. And if
you marry her, you'll have yourself a real gem!"
Now, I originally had no intention of writing a
blog about how to be a good wife (offering, of course, wisdom from the Bible and not my own, for sure). Soooooo, I
am going to switch gears a bit. In talking about marriage material for young Solomon, Proverbs 31 naturally reveals characteristics
of an all-around "godly woman." Meaning, we can see in this chapter how God wants us to be as Christian women,
married OR single. We discover GOD-APPROVED CHARACTER QUALITIES...and if we concentrate on having good character, I suppose being
a good wife will not follow far behind. So let me get off of SPECIFICALLY the "good wife" aspect and on to GENERALLY the
"godly woman" aspect, as we take a quick look at the wisdom of King Solomon's mother in Proverbs 31. Character qualities
of a godly woman:
"She does him [her husband] good, and not harm, all the days of her life" (v. 12).
She is a woman who consistently does good to people (especially her husband, if she's married), not thinking of ways to deliberately
hurt them. Jesus does good and doesn't harm anyone; she makes Him her example and follows His lead. She is kind.
"She works with willing hands...She does not eat the bread of idleness" (v. 13). Laziness is taboo with her; she has a good work ethic.She is fruitful, or productive.
"She provides food for her household...all her household are clothed in scarlet...She
looks well to the ways of her household" (v. 15, 21, 27). She doesn't selfishly shirk responsibilities; she has a caring heart,
caring about her family and caring for them. Even in this fast-paced society, she realizes her family needs to eat, whether
it's home-cooking, carry-out, or delivery, and even if hubby's the one to go get it. She is considerate.
"She
considers a field and buys it" (v. 16). She ain't no dummy -- she knows a good deal when she sees one, and snatches it up. She
"considers," or thinks over, a purchase before spending, to avoid blowing money and to be a good steward over the finances
God has given her. She is faithful.
"She plants a vineyard...She perceives that her merchandise is profitable...She
makes linen garments and sells them" (v. 16, 18, 24). Whether it's working at a local business or at home, she knows she can be productive.
She believes her life matters, she has a purpose for existing, and she can be used by God for His purposes. She is destiny-minded.
"She opens her hand to the poor" (v. 20). She gives of what she has to the less fortunate. She is generous.
"She
reaches out her hands to the needy" (v. 20). She lifts up those with needs; she comforts; she reaches out with the love of Christ
to help meet people's needs. She is compassionate.
"She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing
is fine linen and purple" (v. 22). This one is for married women only. Let's just say this verse is saying she's got her act together
physically with her husband, as much as she can. She is loving.
"She is not afraid...She laughs at the time
to come" (v. 21, 25). She is not afraid of what might come in the future. She tries not to worry about things, but
trusts in the Lord to work on her behalf always. She is peaceful and joyful.
"Strength and dignity are her
clothing" (v. 25). She draws from God for inner strength when circumstances hit to weaken her. She looks to Him
to lift her up to a place of dignity in her heart if someone tries to knock her down to a place of disgrace or embarrassment. She
is strong in Him.
"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue" (v. 26).
She doesn't backbite or gossip, but speaks words of kindness to people. And if someone asks for her opinion, she does the
best she can to give wise advice or counsel. She is encouraging and edifying.
Now, we can't accomplish
or be even one thing on this list from Proverbs 31 without God's grace. It is He who enables us to have good character.
He gives us the ability to be godly women. But the decision is ours to head in His direction. If we choose to make the Word our
guide for character, it doesn't go unrecognized. People notice it. "Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband
also, and he praises her...her works praise her in the gates [outside the home]'" (v. 28, 31). She deserves the praise, too,
because she's chosen rightly. As verse 30 says, "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord
IS to be praised."
Who can live up to all that is listed in Proverbs 31? I certainly haven't
arrived. Life is a journey; we keep taking step after step to get to where we want to be. We might trip over a stone in the path,
we might get tired and slow our pace; but to the woman who keeps heading towards God and His ways throughout life's journey comes
reward.
Giving:
Bible insights,
Personal trivia,
Christian world perspectives
Personal trivia,
Christian world perspectives
Copyright 2009, by Pam Woodson. All rights reserved.
Living:
Jesus-Is-Lord Christianity,
Grass roots conservativism,
Red-white-and-blue patriotism
Grass roots conservativism,
Red-white-and-blue patriotism
Audio: Finding God's Will for Your Life
RECIPE
Archives
Praise & Worship CD's
Hello Love (Chris Tomlin)
Beautiful Name (Church On The Move)
Hillsong CD's
Beautiful Name (Church On The Move)
Hillsong CD's
Michael
W. Smith CD's
WOW Worship CD's
Top-Ten I Play On My iPod
Over My Head, Brian Littrell
I Know You're
There, Casting Crowns
Today Is the Day, Lincoln Brewster
With You, Mark Willard
God With Us, MercyMe
You're Not Alone, Meredith Andrews
Only
You, David Crowder Band
Your Grace Is Enough, Matt Maher
What You Give Away, Vince Gill
Blessings, Martina McBride
Movies
with a Message
The Note, Hallmark movie
A zillion Christmas movies
Hallmark Channel movies
Fireproof (good for
marriages)
Facing the Giants (like the strong Christian message, but not so much the acting)
Scriptures I Cling to
Repeatedly
Luke 6:38 (finances)
Prov. 4:18 (hope for better days ahead)
Phil 4:6, 7 (peace)
1 Cor. 15:10;
Phil. 4:13 (ability to do what I just can't do)
Matthew 28:20 (assurance God is with me)
1 John 5:14,15 (assurance
God answers my prayers)
1 Peter 2:24 (healing)
Matt. 11:28 (rest)
1 Peter 5:7 (assurance God loves me)
Pam's Blog
HeartFlow
Pam Woodson