#AtoZChallenge - Zealous Proverbs 31

Zealous - ardently active, devoted or diligent; enthusiastic, eager, fervent, intense, passionate, warm.

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

You have to believe in what you are doing.  Anything worth your time is worth a bit of sacrifice - getting up early, giving up time-wasters.  Nothing on this earth, however, is worth losing yourself to gain.  It's a matter of degree.

These days, I think people hear "zealous" and hear "zealot", with all it's negative implications.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  To me, a zealot is self-centered, while a zealous person cares passionately about something other than him- or herself.

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

Being zealous is going outside our comfort zone for a reason, sacrificing of our time or resources for a cause.  When we find our purpose, or dharma, it resonates inside and out; it feels 'right'.  We feel excited about our new adventure.  When we are "in the zone", we can stay up late and it does not tire us.  What a great way to live!

Well....it's the end of another Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  What a rush!  I hope y'all enjoyed yourselves!

One last question...what makes your heart sing?

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Being Young and Proverbs 31

Young - having the appearance, freshness or vigor of youth.

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

In the New Testament of the Bible, Matthew 15:11, Jesus said, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."  If  I were to spend years eating unhealthy foods and consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol and tobacco, well...that's going to take a toll on my physical well-being.  But if I gossip or criticize unfairly or speak unkindly, that will rot me from the inside out and make me old before my time.

30.  Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

The poet Samuel Ullman wrote in his poem "Youth" that "Nobody grows old merely by a number of years.  We grow old by deserting our ideals."  When I started college, I was a musical theatre major.  For various reasons, I gave up my dream and in my sophomore year, I switched to "business".  I gave up on my dream, and in the ensuing years, my soul aged exponentially more than my body.  Ten years later, I had the opportunity to return to theatre, and I took it.  Life became new and my heart re-opened to the spiritual.  I became 'young' again.

What keeps you 'young' and excited about life?

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

Also linking with:

#AtoZChallenge - Being 'X-emplary" and Proverbs 31

Exemplary - worthy of imitation; commendable

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

What a wonderful world this would be if everyone worked to their potential and treated others they way they would like to be treated.  Strength and honour are some pretty stylin' threads!  And while accolades from our peers are definitely nice to get, I believe even more to be valued is the inner glow of satisfaction that we get from doing our best work, even if it is outside our comfort zone.  Every belief system has a provision for recognition of good work from its deity or leader, even if the world shows no notice.

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

We are not in competition with others.  (Ok, maybe sometimes, like the Olympics, or elections.)  

Our biggest competition is with ourselves.

To gain that promotion at work is a fantastic thing.  To achieve that status while not resorting to shortcuts and dishonourable behavior is even better.  They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  Sometimes the first step is the hardest.  But then you still have 1,759,999 (roughly) steps to go.  Determination is a commendable characteristic.  

To some extent, the people to whom our children look up seems to be controlled by the media.  Many of them are not exemplary.  Do you remember when Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber used to be clean-cut? Oy!  Let's be better examples for our children and young people.  Let's turn away from the vain competitions set by the world's standards and do what we know to be right and good.

Who has been a good example for you in your life?

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

I'll be linking with the following groups:


   

#AtoZChallenge - Welcoming and Proverbs 31

Welcoming - greeting an arrival with pleasure or kindly courtesy; causing a visitor to feel comfortable and appreciated.

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

Imagine the scene.  It is a cold winter morning.  You wake up and can almost see your breath.  You definitely don't want to get out from under your quilts and blankets.  But then it hits you.  A scent of coffee and warm bread and maybe some bacon and eggs (or something equivalent for the vegetarians amongst us).  Tempted?  

We want our guests to feel comfortable and valued.  Even if the person is a subordinate in some way, it is our duty to show them that their service is appreciated.

Sometimes it is more about what we give than what we get.

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

Even when you disagree with someone, there is a way to express your opinion without belittling the thoughts and beliefs of other people.  The words of one of my high school English teachers comes back to me; she was commenting on a idea expressed by a student (not me).  She said, "That was a great argument.  You are wrong.  But you stated your point very well."  I don't want to tell you how many years it has been since I heard those words.  

Tell us the circumstances of an occasion when you felt welcomed into someone's house (or office, or religious service ....)

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - The Vigilant P31 Woman

Vigilant - keenly watchful; alert and awake

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

Sometimes getting our work done is not pretty, or not convenient.  We may have to work at a time of day that is contrary to our internal time clock.  We may have to cram for a test at school.  So we put on the coffee, splash our faces with cool water and get to it.

Parents are (or should be) experts at this practice.  Nobody starts out perfect at vigilance either, so don't freak out.  We put child-safe locks on cabinets so our little helpers can learn to walk before they learn to mix the mop water.  

Drivers are (or should be) experts at this practice.  If you are old enough and skilled enough to get behind the wheel of a heavy piece of metal, vigilance should be on your skills list.  When we lived in Fort Worth, I was driving I-30 westbound one day when a beautiful German Shepherd jumped a retaining wall and ran onto the road right in front of me.  It did not end as well as it could have, but on the other hand it could have been a lot worse, too.  This was before I even had a cell phone.  Please, for the for the sake of all you hold dear, please do not attempt to operate a motor vehicle and a cell phone at the same time!

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

Most people reading this will consider themselves either a writer, or a reader, or both.  When we are in the zone with our writing, energy soars and we can spend all kinds of time on the craft.  We pay attention to grammar, spelling, setting, characterization and a million other details in order to exhibit due diligence to our work.

And readers?  How many times have you got caught up reading something that you "could not put down"?  Well, maybe life intrudes (it likes to do that), but in my own case, I found 'extra bits' of time' that may have otherwise been frittered away and put them to good use.  

Something just occurred to me.  Normally, I have been asking a question at the end of my A to Z posts, but neglected to do so on the last three (in my 'rush' to have the week's posts done on Sunday, 4/20).  Hmmm...looks like I'm still working on vigilance.  How about you?

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Unselfishness and Proverbs 31

Unselfish - not selfish or greedy; generous

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

An unselfish woman realizes that life is not all about her.  If we are living a righteous life, most of the work we ever do will be for the benefit of other people.  Sure, we earn money and we buy things for ourselves.  But we buy food for our families, support school fund-raisers, buy a minivan instead of a sports car because it's hard to pack the family and possessions into a two-seater convertible for a vacation.

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

We don't all have the financial resources of a Gates or a Buffet, and doubtless we cannot help everybody.  But we can support those in need with what we have.  It may be money, it may be clothing, or furniture, or time.  Sure, most of us a fairly busy individuals, but do I really need to see that NCIS rerun (and it's my favorite show) again, or do I have time to drive one of my in-laws to a doctor's appointment, or to help out in a child's classroom.  

Sometimes we spend a lot of time worrying whether or not the recipient is 'worthy' of our donations.  The inscription on the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor includes the words, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."  It does not say, "so long as they are productive, have no substance abuse issues, mental health issues or criminal background. (see also section V, subsections 14-27)"  Assuming there is no safety issue involved, a recipient's "worthiness" should not be a deal-breaker when it comes to us being unselfish.

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Trustworthiness and Proverbs 31

Trustworthy - deserving of trust or confidence; dependable; reliable

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

Trust is an extremely important characteristic of relationship, no matter if they are in marriage, family, friendships, businesses, and others.  To be considered worthy of someone's trust is just about the highest compliment they could give you.  In my opinion, one measure of trustworthiness in marriage is that you do not seek physical or emotional intimacy outside of that relationship.  In a business setting, it could mean that when you accept an assignment, that assignment will be completed satisfactorily and on time.

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

In the setting and Proverbs 31, and in many cultures today, the household is the purview of the woman or wife.  (Please note I am making no judgment whether it looks that way in your family or not.)  When I was growing up, my father worked as a PhD in Chemical Engineering to provide the means for our family to thrive.  My mother stayed home and kept the household running smoothly by cooking, cleaning and the like.  He provided the 'investment' and she managed the same; neither would last without the other.  Both my mother and father trusted the other to fulfill their part of the agreement, and trustworthily fulfilled their own duties.

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Success and Proverbs 31

Successful - having attained wealth, position, honors, or the like.

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

What better measure of success is there than when we can say, "You know what?  I have enough.  I am happy.  Let me help others find their miracle."  There are as many different roads to happiness as there are people:  a full belly, a pair of glasses, a well-timed hug, help mastering a subject or technique.  (Note to self:  A-Z Blessings would be a GREAT topic for the 2015 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!) :O)

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

OK.  Maybe this one isn't necessarily 'better' than the previous example, but it's pretty dang nice to receive kudos from those closest to us, be they family or friends (or associates).  Our first year in Kentucky, I worked four 10-hour night shifts a week during the Christmas season at the Amazon warehouse in Lexington.  When I came home (close to 7:00 AM) I could barely move.  But when I opened the door, my (then) 2 YO daughter would run through the house towards me, arms flung wide and shout, smiling, "MOMMY!"  I will have a tough time achieving more success than that.

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Respect and Proverbs 31

Respectful - full of, characterized by, or showing deference or politeness.

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

When you respect someone, how do you treat them?  When someone respects you, how are you treated?  Hopefully, the answers are similar and positive in nature.  One's 'station' in life does not matter.  Albert Einstein said, "I speak to everyone in the same way, whether is a garbage man or the president of the university."

Think of it this way, could the White House have nearly as many state dinners if the President and his family had to do all the cooking and cleaning up?  Uh....no.

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

"The gates" are where the men of the day went to hobnob.  The equivalent in our part of rural Kentucky would be the gas station/convenience store.  Most of the local men (and some of the women) stop in for coffee or a sausage biscuit (etc), to check in on the pulse of the community.  How you act while there and what you accomplish outside of the setting sets at least part of your reputation.  

When you respect someone close to you, you help them reach their goals, encourage them, and want to be counted on their list of 'assets'.  I've heard spouses called, "my better half".  Someone who is called that shows a lot of respect for their spouse, and their spouse knows it.

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Qualified Proverbs 31

Qualified - having the required skills, qualities, talents or accomplishments

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

We all have things to do during the day, whether it's work outside or inside the home.  Maybe we want to learn something new.  That seems to happen for a lot of adults in the evenings (or after the kids have gone to bed).  Maybe we want to improve a skill we already have.  That can be a new recipe, scientific research, writing a book, making a business plan.  We are only limited by the level of our desire to learn.

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

Before we were married, my husband once asked me what I thought was the difference between ignorance and stupidity.  My response ran along the lines of, "Ignorance is the simple not knowing of a subject.  Stupidity is refusing to learn."

None of us come into this world knowing everything.  Precious few, if any, leave the world that way, either.  What we learn on the way, and what we do with that knowledge is a measure of living "a good life".  

Tell us a little today about a skill or talent that you have developed, improved or mastered, and how that made (makes?) you feel.  Have a great weekend!

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Organization and Proverbs 31

Organized - to be or to cause to become neat and orderly.

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

Wow...this is really close to yesterday's topic, isn't it?   But it's kind of like when you are at supper and someone asks you for the salt, you should hand them both the salt and the pepper.  Some things just naturally go better together.  

To be adequately prepared for winter, or when it snows, one must be prepared.  And it is a whole lot easier being prepared if one is organized.  Say you live in Tornado Alley.  Having a family emergency plan of what to do in case of a twister is practically a necessity.  All but the youngest family members (infants and toddlers) can have an assigned job.  It helps them to learn responsibility and fosters a sense of pride.  So if, God forbid, a twister does approach your house, the plan gets put into action and lessens some of the fear naturally associated with such natural disasters.

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

Someone who is sloppy and unorganized in business does not stay in business long.  If you don't deliver a product or service when you have promised, customers and potential customers will lose confidence in your abilities to supply their needs and look elsewhere.  

If you are particularly skilled at organization, you could make a business out of that talent.  There are innumerable people and businesses that could benefit from someone helping them to organize.  Practices and procedures can become more streamlined and everyone can breathe easier.  

Getting out of the hole of disorganization is not easy by any means, but the result?  Priceless.

How has being organized (or disorganized) affected your life, your business, your writing?

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Neatness and Proverbs 31

Neat - habitually pleasingly clean and orderly

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

I don't think most people set out to do a bad job, or to be mean, or to give up.  Maybe some do, but those are not the people about whom I am talking today.  I'm talking about those of us who try, but sometimes do not reach our goal.  Maybe we are looking sideways at what our friends or competitors do, or have, rather than looking up to see our God.  It is human nature to try to "keep up with the Jones's", but I submit that it is more important that we make the best us that we can.  We can't do that if our inside selves and outside surroundings are in disarray.

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

There's a reason we wear our "Sunday best" to worship services.  There's a reason 'casual Fridays' usually don't include hole-y jeans.  There's a reason we don't take glamour portraits after a hard day's work in the garden.  Now there's nothing wrong with an honest day's labor, no matter if it shows up on "Top 10 Paying Jobs" lists or not.  

I remember a line from a movie, "Chariots of Fire", where a father is advising his son and says, "You can praise the Lord by peeling a spud, if you peel it to perfection".  Those of us who write (and that's all of us, isn't it?) - do we turn in manuscripts with misspellings and jam smudges on the pages?  Uh, I hope not.  We turn in our best work, because we want it judged on its merits, not the cosmetic aspects.

So, as I am a poster child for the domestically-differently-abled, today I am asking for your tips on how to be neat, orderly and organized!

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Maturity and Proverbs 31

Mature - fully developed in body or mind.

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

When you are young, your food is brought to you; when you mature, you go and get it.  Youth is the promise and possibility; maturity is the fulfillment and delivery of the promise.  Both need the other to function at optimum level.

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

Many women are intimidated by the archetypal "Proverbs 31 Woman".  What we've got to remember is that this is a woman with the resources available to be the wife of a king.  She does not have to get up on a cold winter morning when she is sick, to get her children breakfast and make sure they get off to school.  This is not to say that her life will be all ease.  She will still be judged on the smooth running of the king's household.

In the comments, please share a time when you "got down to business".  Have a great day!

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Knowledge and Proverbs 31

Knowledgable - possessing or exhibiting insight or understanding; intelligent, well-informed, perceptive, discerning.

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

Most people would agree that acquiring knowledge is a good thing.  A person who puts that knowledge to good use is even better.  Life is education.  If we do not learn from our experiences, we cannot profit from them.  

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

In this example, the woman knows a little something about real estate - and presumably the wine business since she plants some grapes.  She was probably not born with this knowledge, she acquired it somewhere.  Maybe someone taught her.  Maybe her father and mother were vintners and she grew up with it.  Maybe she just listened in on people's conversations.  But somewhere, somehow she educated herself (or was taught), and she put that knowledge to good use.

I would love it if you would share with us something that you have learned and how you have put it to good use!

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Joy and Proverbs 31

Joyful - full of joy, gladness, delight; showing or expressing, causing or bringing joy.

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

This one is tough for me.  I think I'm vitamin-JOY deficient or something.  But I keep putting one foot in front of the other.  And usually somewhere during the course of my day, joy pops up her pretty little head.

Sometimes, joy is like a field of flowers - beautiful, fragrant and all around us.  At other times, joy is like a hidden treasure and must be sought with vigor and energy.  Both are balm to the soul.

30.  Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain:  but a woman who feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Joy and beauty on the outside are great.  Who doesn't like looking at things that are beautiful and/or make us smile?  Living joy and living beauty are on the inside of each one of us.  It's the seed that slumbers through the winters of life and bursts out of us in the spring and flowers in the summertimes.

SO, send out some joy to the universe, or your brother and sister A-to-Z-ers.  Honor us with what brings you joy in the comments!

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Proverbs 31 and Forgiveness

Forgiving - to cease to feel resentment against.

~~~oOo~~~

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

Who among us has not needed to forgive at some point?  Who among us has not needed to be forgiven at some point? *cricket* *cricket*  In a perfect world, the word forgive would probably not even be in the dictionary.  But the world we live in is far from perfect, hence the need for forgiveness.

When someone wrongs us, it is human nature to feel resentment.  Muscles stiffen, nerves stretch thin, and this insidious disease surrounds our soul and begins to cut off our air supply.  If the person who has wronged us is repentant, then our forgiveness helps restore them (think of the prodigal son).  If the person is not repentant, forgiving them anyway helps us move on.

Maybe that person does not deserve our forgiveness.  I can think of a few situations I would find nearly impossible to forgive.  I like to think I would try anyway.  I would be a frightful hypocrite if I were to deny forgiveness to someone and then seek it for myself.

(I'm not speaking here of wrongs that involve personal safety or the safety of those in our care.  Get away from the situation, for only then can your healing begin.)

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

Sometimes it is us who need to be forgiven.  Seeking forgiveness is not comfortable, but being worthy of forgiveness and/or receiving forgiveness is like a great weight taken off our chests.  When we injure someone, we ourselves are injured.  We become less than we could be.

Of course, it would be better if we didn't need forgiving in the first place.  But again, no one is perfect.  At some point it is going to happen.  Better to know now how to go about fixing what is broken.  But the good thing about all this is, no matter what part of our journey we are on (good or...not so good), we are loved.

Please share what you think of forgiveness given or received (or both!) in the comments?  Thank you so much!

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

Also linking at:


    

#AtoZChallenge - Proverbs 31 and Energy

Energetic - possessing or exhibiting an abundance of energy; powerful in action or effect

~~~oOo~~~

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

The "Proverbs 31 Woman" appears to be a bundle of energy.  Where does she get it all?  (And can she send me some?)  She maintains her health (insofar as she is able)  That means she gets enough sleep, eats and drinks healthy foods and beverages.  She knows (or can discover) what her purpose is, and does it willingly.  Fulfilling one's purpose gives energy; fighting one's purpose drains energy.

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

Back in the day, the functioning of a household was the woman's job.  Some consider it still to be so.  Sometimes, today, the lines between the roles of men and women are blurred.  I'm not making a value judgment, simply stating fact.  I believe God loves us regardless of our age, gender, eye color, skin color, level of education etc etc etc.  I believe as long as we are fulfilling our purpose, we are not 'eating the bread of idleness'.  Let's face it.  It's a big world with a lot that needs to be done.  The world needs people with energy of mind, body and soul.

What is your best tip for maintaining your energy?

~~~oOo~~~

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZChallenge - Proverbs 31 and Dedication

Dedicated - wholly committed to something; set apart for a specific purpose.

~~~oOo~~~

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

Cooking a meal takes effort; cooking 18,615 meals (3 meals a day x 365 days x 17 years) takes dedication.  Facing danger requires effort; facing danger every day for 730 days during a two-year deployment takes dedication.  Writing one blog post takes effort.  Writing a blog post starting with each letter of the alphabet during a single month takes dedication.

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

When we put forth effort, we receive reward.  Maybe it is money; maybe it is satisfaction at a job well done or from making a difference.  One reward we get from dedication is reputation.  When one cooks a tasty meal, one hears, "That was a great meal!"  When one cooks 18,615 tasty meals, we hear, "You are a wonderful cook!"

Let us know in the comments one thing to which (or two whom) you are dedicated.  Thank you so much for your visit here today.  I appreciate your time, efforts and dedication.

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)

#AtoZ Challenge - Proverbs 31 and Compassion

Compassionate - having or showing compassion, tenderness, sympathy

~~~oOo~~~

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

When I think of compassion, for some reason how we treat those who are grieving dominates my thoughts.  We take them food, sit with our friends or neighbors, talk with them if they want to talk.

We have many opportunities each day to give a word of encouragement or congratulations to those with whom we interact.  Not just those who are grieving, but those who are feeling overwhelmed or unsure.  We've all been there.

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

Yes, so we've all heard "Proverbs 31 Woman" or "Proverbs 31 Wife".  While in context, it's a mother giving her son advice on what kind of woman to marry, I put it out there that this is actually a good set of guidelines for us all, female or male, to follow ... to help make our time on this rock a little nicer.

I'm all for a healthy self-love, but a person who acknowledges that there is something greater than him or herself in the universe, and treats other people with respect, honor and compassion has a value "far above rubies.

Today, why don't we talk about times we have given or received compassion?  Share in the comments...pretty please? :O)

(thanks to Jeremy @ Being Retro for the original button design, to dictionary.com for the definitions, and to picmonkey.com for the ability to customize the graphics.)