Women's Work

I love making a beautiful home.  Serving tea, making bread and schooling my children are part of my everyday life.  And I wouldn't change it for the world!  However, I've come to realize that my duties can't be limited to the household arts.  I am my husbands help-meet, and as such, the scope of my responsibility spans far beyond the kitchen proper. 

When Adam was in the garden, God sought a helper comparable to him.  Genesis 2:18  None among the animal kingdom were deemed comparable to Adam, so God caused Adam to sleep and took from his side Woman and presented her to Adam.  Genesis 2:19-22   Eve was designed to be Adam's helper, his completer, the flesh of his flesh.   Adam needed Eve.

And so it is today.  I am my husband's helper.  I care for our home, our children, our holdings - but I also do whatever needs to be done to help my husband care for our family.  Sir Knight works in town, about an hour away from our home.  He is there 5 days a week for nearly 10 hours a day.  So many things happen that require attention while he's gone, that I've learned to do what needs to be done.

In the early years of our marriage, I had a clear idea of what I considered "men's work" and "women's work".  I would take care of the house and children, garden and chickens, and he would be responsible for everything else.  While living in town, this separation of duties seemed to work well - and then we moved to the country.

I'm sure that if Sir Knight worked from home we would still have a similar separation of duties, however, he does not.  I have learned that to be an effective helpmeet, I've needed to become a Jill-of-all-trades.  In order to help my husband, I have learned to fix leaky pipes, troubleshoot fussy generators and thaw frozen pipes.  I've plowed snow, pulled out stuck vehicles and saved cows that have been stuck in bogs.  I've pulled a trailer laden with batteries (3000 lb. industrial batteries, to be precise) through the middle of a city during rush hour and then backed the trailer up a narrow road to off-load said batteries.  I've belayed a gun safe into a basement, using a tree as an anchor and saved a wind turbine from colliding with the ground after the guy wires broke during a wind storm.  I have learned to do what needs to be done and truly help my husband carry the burdens of life. 

Although I have learned to do a lot of things over the years, one thing I never learned was to run a chainsaw.  I remember my dad teaching my brother to run a chainsaw, say it was the most dangerous thing he had ever done.  I watched my husband teach our eldest son to run a chainsaw with fear and trepidation - and was thankful that was one skill I didn't have to learn. 

Over the last 16 years we have lived a rustic off-grid lifestyle, and I have come to realized that every new skill is an asset.  The more I know how to do, the more I can help my husband, my children, and myself, as well as those in my community.  And I want the same for my daughters. 

And so, we are teaching our children.  Our sons will know how to run a household and our daughters will know how to do whatever needs to be done - even if that means learning to use a chainsaw.

Miss Serenity is the first of our womenfolk who has learned to use a chainsaw - and I'm telling you - that girl's got skills!  Sir Knight taught her about safety (she never picks up a saw without saw chaps, hearing protection and safety glasses) and saw maintenance.    He taught her about controlling her saw and how to expect the unexpected.  He taught her to sharpen a chain and use a wedge.  He taught her to fell trees and cut off a log deck.  Miss Serenity uses her (Dad's) Stihl 044 with confidence.   Already she has helped many in our neighborhood with her chainsaw skills and she regularly helps me with our winter wood supply.  She is a blessing and a help.  She is a master at "women's work".

We will continue to raise our daughters to uphold the values extolled in Proverbs 31.  Our prayer is that our daughters will conduct their lives with wisdom, with strength, with virtue - that they will be the women God created them to be.   This truly is "Women's Work".

I am Mary

I love my Bible.  Every time I pick it up, there is perfect wisdom waiting to fill my soul.  No matter how many times I read it, it is new every morning, lifting my spirit and narrowing my focus on the will of my Father.  My Bible is worn with years of use and smudged with tears of joy and sorrow and frustration.

Recently, I was making my through Luke.  As I read the account of Mary, I realized that Mary's story was not only the story of the young woman chosen to be the mother of our Savior, but it was my story as well.  You see, both Mary and I were filled with the Holy Spirit.  We were both chosen to carry our Savior - she in her womb and I in my heart.  We were both highly favored and blessed among women.  Mary and I, when we encountered the God of universe answered "Be it unto me according to thy word".

And if you are a follower of "The Way", then Mary's story is your story as well.  You, too, were called from among the people.  You were filled with the Holy Spirit.  You, in essence, became the "handmaid" of the Lord.

Think of it - Mary was just like you and I.  She was nothing special.  She was not from a wealthy family.  She was not highly educated.  We don't know if she was physically beautiful, but if she was, it was never mentioned.  She was just an ordinary girl. Yet she was chosen to bear the Savior of the world.  And, you - you ordinary, imperfect, undeserving human being, were also chosen.  You were chosen to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to bear the Savior to the lost.  You were chosen to be the Lord's handmaiden (or servant, if you prefer) and, in perfect faith say "Be it unto me according to thy Word".

Now, I sing Mary's song with a new voice.  I sing it with my voice, knowing that it is my song and my voice will rise to the heavens...

"My soul doth magnify the Lord.  And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.  For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.  And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.  He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their harts.  He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.  He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.  He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;  As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever."  Luke 1 47:55

Today, remember who you are.  You, dear ones, are chosen among the people.