The title of this piece was originally to refer to the Book of Ruth, but I think that the better reference will be to the description of a good woman in the Book of Proverbs.
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
ב
11The heart of
her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of
spoil.
ג
12She will do
him good and not evil all the days of her life.
ד
13She seeketh
wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
ה
14She is like
the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
ו
15She riseth
also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to
her maidens.
ז
16She
considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a
vineyard.
ח
17She girdeth
her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
ט
18She perceiveth
that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
י
19She layeth her
hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
כ
20She stretcheth
out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
ל
21She is not
afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed
with scarlet.
מ
22She maketh
herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
נ
23Her husband is
known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
ס
24She maketh
fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
ע
25Strength and
honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
פ
26She openeth
her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
צ
27She looketh
well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
ק
28Her children
arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth
her.
ר
29Many daughters
have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
ש
30Favour
is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that
feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
ת
31Give her of
the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
My daughter-in-law came into the house, and she wasted not her time.
She picked up a cloth and soap on her way in, and washed the countertops in the kitchen right away. Who knew they needed it?
The next day we arose and she said, "Let's begin," and we went into the back room where my papers had proliferated and reproduced themselves (seemingly) for about three or four years, and we began.
I sat down and she placed containers nearby or in my lap, and as we went on she took things for :
1. Giving to the Amvets
2. Giving to my sister
3. Keeping
4. For her to take
5. Grindables
6. Trash
And we proceeded along that line for four or five days straight, eventually moving into two or three other rooms.
Before she left, she utilized the cartons we've had out in the garage, packed up her share of things, taped, stacked boxes, cleaned the kitchen floor on her hands and knees, cleaned the bathrooms, floor and walls...she brought my husband a hundred glasses of tea with ice which he requires a number of times a day.
She only had a couple of times on her own to get out of our troubles and share some relaxation with a friend. Thank God she had that! For, the night before she was to leave at four-thirty a.m., my husband fell. We all went to the ER but at ten she brought me home and went back to sit with my husband until he was sent home at one o'clock. As a final thoughtfulness, she called her friend to do the task I was going to do, which was to take her te air
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