"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands." (Proverbs 31:13)

Ever since I was a small child, I've been facinated by handiwork of all kinds. Embroidery is one of my favorites. It is amazing how beautiful things can be made from scraps of thread or material. The Amish are known for their wonderful handmade items. I can picture women at a work frolic or sitting around their porches or living rooms while they work willingly on a piece.

But I believe this verse is talking about things that require much more work than the dainty items. To work with wool and flax, one must sit for hours combing the wool or at a spinning wheel. This is hard work from beginning to end.

Why does the virtuous woman do this? If her family is to have anything to wear or linens to sleep on, she must do this work. It is a labor of love. She works until her back is tired from bending over the wheel, or combs. But there is joy and love in her heart as she pictures her family using the item she is working on.

How often to we joyfully labor for our family? I often grumble and complain at a difficult task and wish that someone else would do it. But is this the right attitude? The virtuous woman worked 'willingly' at her task. All too often this is not the case in our homes. The problem is in our hearts. The work would be much more rewarding if we would only picture the end result, of the child or husband who would benefit from our labors.

I often remind myself that my children's attitude begins with my own. What am I teaching them if I show an example of grumbling and complaining? Let us all strive to have an attitude like that of the virtuous woman. Let us be willing to be a slave to our family because of the love we have for them.