Blessings and Praise

"Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:" Proverbs 31:28

There is nothing more rewarding to me than a hug from my children. Nothing. I love how when they accomplish something they look to me to show off their accomplishment, and always a hug. The first thing my children do in the morning when they wake is give Mom and Dad a hug, and it's the last thing at the end of the day. It always breaks my heart when I have to be firm with Abigail and I know she isn't happy with me. It's hard, but necessary, yet it doesn't take long for her heart to soften and she's cuddling up to me again. My children are such treasures to me- yet this verse strikes a chord. I do my best to be a good mom to them, but the idea of them calling me blessed is humbling to me. Very humbling. Because to me it isn't just that I am a good mom, it's that I'm doing a good job at raising them in God's Word- that I'm showing them everyday that Jesus loves them.

Then there's the second part- her husband praises her. You know, this sometimes seems strange to me. I can't decide sometimes if I like it when my husband praises me. He'll compliment me every once in a while on what appears to him like a busy day, and while I appreciate it, I also consider it my job to take care of these things for him, so that he doesn't have to when he gets home from work. It's truly humbling sometimes- especially when I hear that he's been going on about something I've done or said to other people. I know he appreciates my abilities in the kitchen...but the idea of this woman's husband praising her, that's a mighty thought, that's for certain.

I guess that a part of this verse that isn't here, but goes hand in hand with it is the idea of grace. The grace of accepting praise and blessings, the grace to accept a compliment with a thank you. That is something I have learned over time. When people compliment something I've done I used to just shrug it off, but I have taught myself to accept their compliments with grace and say thank you. I think that for me that was a lesson in humility. Being able to accept a compliment is an important part of being a Godly woman, I think, and fits right in here with this verse.

There's just three verses left in Proverbs 31, I pray that as I finish the chapter out that everything I have learned so far will stay at the forefront of my mind and that I will be able to apply what I need to apply to my life.