A Virtuous Woman

Proverbs 31:10, 17, 25, 26, 28, 30 KJV

10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Rubies can command the highest price of any of the gemstones.  The price is determined by their quality which is determined by color, size and weight, clarity and cut.  Fine quality rubies over one carat are very rare and valuable.  Proverbs 31 tells us that a virtuous woman is valuable beyond the price of rubies.  Proverbs 12 also tells us that a virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.  If there is one thing I want to strive to be in this life, it is a virtuous woman.  A woman of high moral standards and yet according to Proverbs 31, so much more than that.

I have many important, influential women in my life.  Women that I love and cherish and look to for strength and guidance. But when I think of a virtuous woman, one stands out among the others.  My Granmaw Deyton. Her favorite color is even red.

She girdeth her loins, she surrounded herself, with strength and strengtheneth her arms. Raising 4 boys is not an easy task.  Raising 4 boys with just 2 years between each one is an even harder task.  Raising 4 boys with Deyton tempers and stubborness is well, nearly impossible.  But my Granmaw gathered the Lord's strength around her and did just that. And from the stories I've heard my Daddy tell it took every ounce of strength the Lord would give her.   

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Granmaw is quiet and soft spoken.  She doesn't sit and idly gossip.  She is full of wisdom and kindness.  I always loved to sit and listen to her stories as a little girl.  And as a Momma I can appreciate and marvel that Granmaw never had to be hateful and raise her voice.  Granmaw could accomplish in a single look what screaming from the rooftops wouldn't be able to do for me, or at least that's what it feels like at times.  With a single look she could strike fear in those 4 rough and tumble boys.  They sat up straight in the church pews, they didn't fidget, look behind them, talk or laugh.  They most definitely didn't take the Lord's name in vain, which I may or may not know from my own childhood experience.  You'd have thought they were perfect angels.  Because one look from Granmaw meant business.  She didn't believe in sparing the rod to spoil the child and those boys knew it.  

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  I look at my 2 boys and see their streaks of Deyton tempers and stubborness, and I hope and pray to have the relationship with them that my Granmaw does with my Daddy and my Uncles.  She taught them to work hard, to be respectful, to love the Lord, and how to be fathers.  My Daddy certainly inherited "the look".  (I really need to practice "the look" in the mirror. I am obviously doing it wrong.)  She turned 4 rowdy, wild boys, into 4 pretty amazing men.  And the love that they have for her is abundant.  My Granpaw passed away in 2011 and he was a wonderful man.  He loved my Granmaw and it showed. And she loved and respected him.  His meals were hot, on time and just the way he liked them, right down to his plate, fork, and coffee mug.  His clothes were clean, pressed and put away.  The house was immaculate.  And it was all done because she loved my Granpaw from the depths of her heart.  They spent the evenings together after a hard day's work in quiet companionship.  

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.  My Granmaw loves the Lord.  Going to church with her is one of my favorite memories.  I can remember how proud of me she was when I would recite my Bible verse. I remember standing between her and Granpaw to sing hymns, listening to good old fashioned preaching and fellowshipping after service.  And I can remember her Bible, worn with love and years of reading and getting close to the Lord.  

Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.  Caring for my Granpaw while he was sick was unfortunately familiar territory for Granmaw.  She cared for both of her parents in their last years as sickness overcame them.  She never hesitated to move them into her home and nurse them day in and day out.  She certainly did no less for her husband.  She never left my Granpaw's side.  The amount strength and honor that it takes to tenderly and lovingly tend to a dying loved one, not once, not twice but three times is staggering.  

My Granmaw's life is a testament of the Lord's strength and love.  And she will leave it behind in the hearts of her boys and her grandchildren.  I pray that I have many more years to continue to love her and learn from her but I know that she is rejoicing at the time to come.  The time when she will meet with her Lord and Savior and worship at His feet as she has done faithfully here on earth.  I fervently pray to be more like her every day.  To serve my Lord and my family out of love, not just duty.