a few Proverbs. . .

Rachel and little Ivan came for a Texas visit; one day I hung Ivan's diapers out to dry,  fitting wooden clothes pins on cloth corners, one by one. I remembered the comfortable rhythm- and dimmer is the memory of the last dry diaper pinned on my sweet baby while outside rain dripped, dripped down. . .

A few weeks ago I shared some thoughts from Proverbs for a friend's baby shower; I chose favorite verses- the faded, underlined, smudged ones, verses marked and dated in my tattered Bible.
A Proverb a day, is what I decided, and since I had some requests for for the notes. . .

Monday: Get wisdom
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the market the market she raises her voice- Pro 1:2
Buy truth and do not sell it, buy wisdom and instruction and understanding- Pro 23:23
(wisdom is not hidden or private nor exclusive; every woman must get wisdom, not just young women, older ones too, and not just one time. . .)

Tuesday: Pursue kindness
What is desirable in a man is his kindness- Pro 19:22
Do not let kindness and truth leave you, bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart- Pro 3:3
(Ahh. . .to make kindness part of the fabric of my life; Lord, help me to be a kind woman today!)

Wednesday: Watch my words
When words are many sin is not absent but he who holds his tongue is wise- Pro 10:19
Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as cursing- Pro 27:14
(when we multiply words, we risk sinning. . .and yes, a loud voice can be rude, like cursing!)

Thursday: Abandon quarrels
Keeping away from strife is an honor to a man but any fool will quarrel- Pro 20:3
The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so abandon the quarrel before it breaks out- Pro 17:14
(wonderful word picture. . .pay attention to the beginning)

Friday: Work and eat
He who tills his land will have plenty of  food but he who follows empty pursuits will have plenty of poverty- Pro 28:19
. . .the precious possession of a man is diligence-Pro 12:27

Saturday: Self control protects
Like a city broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit- Pro 25:28
(the medieval city without a protecting wall was vulnerable to the enemy's attacks. . .and so am I.)

Sunday: Fear God
In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence and her children will have a refuge- Pro14:26

(it's nice when cousins hug. . .)