Such a nice day Sunday is. Quietly, I’ve started embracing Sunday as my official day of rest. With Bible Study and Church in the morning and Bible Study in the evening, I have a little time to think about the direction my life is heading. I’ve time to listen for the wind, forever looming on the high desert plains.
Winds are mysterious. Around here, the day can be so still not a Cottonwood leaf moves. And then, with a vengeance, they strike out of nowhere. Limbs sway this way and that causing the trees to dance, while the birds hang on for dear life. Then, just as quick, the winds are silent and stillness returns.
Isn’t life like that? Turbulent and scary at some points. Still and quiet at others. Through it all, the winds blow out polluted thoughts and make us cling to our own branches so we don’t get swept away.
Lately, the winds in my life have caused me to clutch tightly my core values. Being shaken down to my toes by the last 16 months, there were some days the winds were so strong, it was all I could do to keep from being blown away. These days, life is kinder. More fun. Happier. Peaceful.
One of the biggest contributors to this is my church family, as they become closer by the day. Attending four times a week, I’m gaining new friends that struggle with the winds of their lives, too. Sharing their stories, I realize how much I enjoy these valued friends that want nothing more than a seat at Bible Study. Friends that harmonize beautifully as choir members. Last night, one of the sweetest gals brought a bag of California peaches to share. Dripping, juicy, tree ripened peaches. It doesn’t get better than that.
Each time I attend another class, I’m strengthened by lessons shared. The strengths of this loving church community are evident. With smoke from the California wildfires choking my little town, Nevada’s big blue skies have been missing for weeks. You can taste the air. Opening the door to the chapel and entering is a great visual for my world without these friends and my world with. Inside, the air is clean without a hint of smoke and the temperature cool, making me forget about the ugly days of August. A perfect environment for seeking truths I need.
Through my journey, I’ve identified with the type of woman I’m striving to become. A Proverbs 31 Woman. Raised this way by farming parents, I thought all women were of this mind set. At times, personifying these traits is consuming and difficult. Young women might find fault with this thinking, for no where here is there a hard and fast rule for 50%/50%. For me, embracing these qualities is making my life richer.
A Proverbs 31 Woman is…….
- A well-rounded, unique, and rare gem.
- A wise and intelligent woman.
- Faithful.
- Kind.
- Trustworthy, honorable, comforting, and encouraging.
- An excellent Homemaker.
- One who empowers herself spiritually, mentally, and physically.
- Charitable.
- A preparer and a provider.
- Properly dressed for every occasion.
- Dignified and appropriate.
- A good judge of character.
- Business minded.
- Someone who attains and excels.
- Strong, graceful, and secure in her position.
- Above all else, God-fearing. (theodysseyonline.com)
When my life ends, it will have been well lived if those that knew me best remember at least some of these qualities when they speak of me. As the desert winds blow, these guide posts will lead me down a path towards a bright tomorrow.