I LOVE words!  I think that constantly expanding my vocabulary is fun.  When I hear someone use a word I don't know I itch to get to a dictionary and find out what EXACTLY it means.  I don't settle for "in context". 

Recently I was asked to speak at a ladies program and for a couple months I thought I 'knew' what the Lord wanted me to share. Well, life has been very confusing lately and stress has been trying to make it's home in my home!

As I sat to spend time with the Lord one morning, pouring my frustrations on to Him, He directed me to Proverbs 31.  WAIT!!!  Don't blow this off because you don't want to hear another Prov. 31 'lecture'!  I got stuck on the word 'virtuous'!  What do you think it means?

According to the WorldBook Dictionary it means, “good, moral, righteous, chaste and pure”.  Okay, that is what I thought.

 BUT !! Strong’s states, “probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength:--able, activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, (+)valiant(-ly), valour, virtuous(-ly), war, worthy(-ily)!!!!!

Whoa, and to think the world thinks Christian women are weak and oppressed!  This is a whole lot different than the weak little righteous female definition.

The thing is, how do we do this?  By focusing on the Lord and spending time with Him daily!  Sure we learn in church what we are suppose to be like but I'm going to face different things each day than you are.  I need to be fueled with the appropriate fuel for what He is going to put in my life, what I'm going to be facing each day. 

I need to have my priorities in order.  I have to put the Lord first, then my hubby and children then the others He puts in my life.  If I'm out of whack so is everything else around me and I won't be prepared. 

Think about military training.  It is decisive, rigid and scheduled.  I need to start out that way so that I'm available to be 'unscheduled' as the Lord leads.  Notice I said, "Lord"?  Not the phone, email, visits etc... I need to KNOW changes are of the Lord. 

When presented with something out of my God given schedule I need to face it with the question, "What will this matter in eternity?" That will help me to know what to do. 

We can get so involved in good things that we neglect our priorities.

Ministries even, get get in the way of our homeschooling.  What message is that sending to our children?  Are they important?

Let's look at Mary and Martha.  I used to be and still struggle with being the epitomy of a Martha.  When I’m Martha my family is disjointed, things don’t come together and we’re all out of sorts. I’m to busy doing the earthly necessities to see the spiritual necessities, the ones that are important, the eternal ones!

 Luke 10:38-42*   “….But Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.” (Strong defines “good” as ‘of benefit’)  Mary sat at Jesus’ feet basking in HIM while Martha was seeing to physical needs.  There is a time and place for this but we need to remember that JESUS said, “Mary hath chosen that good part..."

Ask yourself, "Am I choosing the beneficial part?  What good will this ____________ do in eternity?"  Feel free to fill that blank in with anything that takes up your precious time.  Phone calls, reading, cooking, cleaning, shopping, visiting..... Is your time taken up by things of eternal importance or just things?

Be ready for the battle, war-worthy and brave.  Know your job and do it for HIS Kingdom!

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