Not Quite 31, Still So Called

Have you started reading yet?!  If you're not sure what I could be talking about, check out my first post on the book, My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife, here.  I know some of you may be thinking that Christian books (particularly those about marriage) can be very dry.  And some of them can be.  I've read several and would definitely agree with you on a few, but this book is different.

Guys, Sarah Horn is human!  And she has a sense of humor!  She doesn't make you feel bad for being an imperfect woman.  She can relate.

So, last week I started breaking down Proverbs 31 and sharing my thoughts on the book.  Like I said, Horn is very relatable.  I would love to hear your thoughts about the book as well as your own experiences (successful or not) with trying to be a Proverbs 31 wife.

First off, she refers to the Proverbs 31 wife as Martha 31.  I have to admit, I don't picture Martha Stewart when I picture the Proverbs 31 woman, but I can totally see where this image comes from.  Someone who enjoys baking, crafting, cleaning, blah.  My visual is more of a small, quiet, simple looking girl with a long skirt, long hair, just tip-toeing around doing everything in the house.  Words I would use to describe my mental picture: timid, quiet, mousey, Cinderella-esque.

Source: google.com via Disney on Pinterest

I am not that girl.  My husband will be the first to tell you there is nothing timid or quiet about me.  The more I think about it though, I really do enjoy those things.  I really do have the desire to be better at them, to be acknowledged for them.  Well, minus the cleaning part.  I'm sorry, there is not one single thing that gets me excited about the smell of Clorox or the feel of a mop between my hands.  What woman doesn't want to hear their husband brag about her cooking?  Even if it is out of a box or once a week?  ....Or take out?

"She finds wool and flax and busily spins it.

She is like a merchant's ship, bringing food from afar.

She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household

and plan the day's work for her servant girls.

She goes to inspect a field and buys it;

with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.

She makes sure her dwellings are profitable;

her lamp burns late into the night."

Proverbs 31:13-18

Like the author, I struggle to be un-selfish.  I'm selfish with so much: time, money, food, energy.  At one point, Horn even tries to give her husband the last bite of her favorite sushi roll.  I can't think of a time I was wiling to give my husband the last bite of sushi roll.  I like my sushi!  

This week I've tried to be a little less about me and more about him.  I'm still taking care of myself - I wouldn't even go so far as to say that I've put myself on the back burner.  I just make a little extra time for him.  One way I've done that is by juicing for both of us each morning and putting his in the refrigerator so he can drink it before he goes to work.  I've been matching his socks instead of just throwing them in the basket to be put away.  I do try to work hard and I do try to have energy.  I'm sure my husband wouldn't mind if I even toned it down in that department from time to time.  

As for the other stuff, my hubby would kill me if I went off and bought a piece of land, although my own vineyard sounds pretty darn good  (I'm kidding folks - I understand this is not intended to be taken literally)  and the lamp only burns late into the night if we forget to turn it off before we go to bed.

Do you struggle with selfishness?  Are there little things you do for your man that make him feel special?  Please, share!  Lord, knows, I need to work on it myself.

If you're reading the book, I want to hear what you think!  Would any of you be interested in doing the P31 Challenge and linking up together as we go through it?  Is there anyone that would be interested in cohosting said link-up?  Get at me!