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when I have a visitor, I’m still completely thrown into a panic. Why? Because I don’t want to leave a bad impression of the kind of housekeeper I am!
    So imagine my dismay when my dad showed up for an unannounced visit and proceeded to inspect my house. I kid you not; he went from room to room, each time saying, “Oh, Chrystal!” This coming from a man who barely raises his voice (except to preach, of course). Now, granted, the day he came was a bad day. Forget all my housekeeping rules. He wouldn’t have known I had any!
    In fact, it was a Monday. Mondays are always the worst. He commented on the spots on the carpet, the dishes in the sink, the stuff on my countertops, and the baskets of unfolded clothes in the hallway, and then he even peeked in my bedroom and saw the confusion in there. When he looked in my refrigerator, Dad groaned at the sticky stuff on the top shelf too.
    I found myself following him around the house, explaining, explaining, and explaining some more.
    So, how does the story end? Well, the Lord sent me help. My dad lovingly told me that I shouldn’t try to do it all and that it wasn’t a bad thing to have some help every now and then, especially for a mother of five children. He offered to send over a housekeeping service. He also told me to get my carpets cleaned at his expense.
    Now, I have a lot of pride. I hate the idea that I can’t do it all. I hate accepting help. The truth is, though, that I needed and appreciated the boost he provided. It saved me hours (probably days) of work and gave me an opportunity to focus on things that needed my personal attention.
    I had time to catch up on balancing our bank account and plan ahead for school. Instead of doing dishes, I was able to make some much-needed phone calls to insurance companies and doctors. I got a chance to scrub that graffiti off the side of my house (long story on that one). I had lots of time to thoroughly finish planning for my daughter’s upcoming birthday. Those are things a cleaning service can’t do, but I could . That little injection of more available time in my schedule got me going. I started barreling through my list and got caught up in getting things done !
    The point of this little illustration is not to say that everyone ought to dig into her pockets to pay someone to clean her home all the time or even every now and then, for that matter. The principle here is that you and I don’t have to do it all. The Proverbs 31 woman didn’t.
    She lived in a culture where children were instrumental in carrying out large duties from a very young age. (Put those kids to work!) She did not peel those carrots or cut those potatoes all by herself. She probably did not make all the trips to the market for food and cloth herself. (There’s nothing wrong with shopping online, girls!) The field she bought was probably researched and recommended by a trusted friend. (Use the expertise of others, honey!) And she did have “maidens.” Ladies, if you are in a position to curb some of the wants in your budget (shopping, cell phone, cable, eating out, hair, etc.) so that you can hire a housekeeping service once a month—therefore helping you be a kinder, gentler person—by all means, doit! The Proverbs 31 woman did a lot, yes. But she did it with help. And that makes all the difference in the world.
    The picture of the Proverbs 31 woman should never make us feel guilty. Okay, maybe we can agree that she was a woman who had it all . . . but let’s also agree that she didn’t have it all at the same time. Proverbs 31:10–31 summarizes her whole life.
    Becoming a Proverbs 31 woman is not unattainable, but she definitely is a model of a woman we can emulate if we take the time to get to know her. The Proverbs 31 woman keeps her priorities straight and in line with God’s priorities for her. She maximizes her gifts and uses everything and everyone at her disposal. She is a manager. She doesn’t do it on her own.
    Let yourself off