Disclaimer:I'm still learning what qualifies one to be God's daughter and to be viewed by him as a woman.I am not where I should be,so this post is about the things God is currently teaching me and I'm slowly implementing these instructions in my life.I thought I should share and revive womanly dignity God's way.
I've always thought of certain housechores as demeaning.Growing up,I only had one goal-a degree,financial stability and nothing else.So,I viewed certain chores as a waste of my time.But none compare to my dislike for cooking.Somehow I associated it with those who were going to get married,which I had decided at a young age,I would not.So,I spent my time cleaning my home,ironing,helping with laundry.
Whenever I came across the chapter on "woman's rights" in Adventist Home I quickly browsed through it because I felt it wasn't meant for me.And I just hated the pressure that came with cooking.Last year December I went to a mission camp for the first time and I was paired with a brother who was a good cook.So,I kinda felt challenged.
Fast forward to 2016 and in March we had a women and men's seminar.I was really challenged.God spoke and told me that regardless of my marital status,I still need to know household duties.Also,being part of our mission group's cooking team just opened my eyes to my need for cooking.I now really see how crucial cooking is to maintain your own well-being and how it ties in with the health message.What's the point of teaching reform in health,when there will be no lessons on healthy cooking?
The world presents a different view of what a lady is.Being a lady is often associated with one who always dresses nicely,has delicate mannerism and often accompanied with a certain academic accomplishments.So,this is what I really aspired for,except for delicate mannerism.But God has taught me that physical labor is crucial and it is part of maintaining good health.Also,I'm learning that we are to be balanced individuals-not only have well-developed mental faculties while the physical is neglected (and I'm guilty of this!).But I'll soon go back to brisk-walking.
So,below are some of the statements that have really challenged me this morning.I did my devotion on Testimonies for the church,volume 3,chapter 14,under the subheading Physical Labor for Students.I've learnt that physical labor is very pivotal to guard us from falling into sin and it is part of true education.So,there are many things to unlearn with regards to education.
“Young women regard housework as demeaning. And although
the physical exercise required to perform household labor, if not too severe,
is calculated to promote health, yet they will seek for an education that will
fit them to become teachers or clerks, or will learn some trade which will
confine them indoors to sedentary employment. The bloom of health fades from
their cheeks, and disease fastens upon them, because they are robbed of
physical exercise and their habits are perverted generally. All this because it
is fashionable! They enjoy delicate life, which is feebleness and decay.”-p.158.
“Young ladies frequently give themselves up to study to the
neglect of other branches of education even more essential for practical life
than the study of books. And after having obtained their education, they are
often invalids for life. They neglected their health by remaining too much
indoors, deprived of the pure air of heaven and of the God-given sunlight.
These young ladies might have come from their schools in health, had they
combined with their studies household labor and exercise in the open air.”-p.150
“Young ladies will
read novels, excusing themselves from active labor because they are in delicate
health. Their feebleness is the result of their lack of exercising the muscles
God has given them. They may think they are too feeble to do housework, but
will work at crochet and tatting, and preserve the delicate paleness of their
hands and faces, while their care-burdened mothers toil hard to wash and iron
their garments. These ladies are not Christians, for they transgress the fifth
commandment. They do not honor their parents. But the mother is the one who is
most to blame. She has indulged her daughters and excused them from bearing
their share of household duties, until work has become distasteful to them, and
they love and enjoy delicate idleness. They eat, and sleep, and read novels,
and talk of the fashions, while their lives are useless.”-p.151
Parents, inaction is the greatest curse that ever came upon youth.
Your daughters
should not be allowed to lie in bed late in the morning, sleeping away the
precious hours lent them of God to be used for the best purpose and for which
they will have to give an account to Him. The mother does her daughters great
injury by bearing the burdens that they should share with her for their own
present and future good. The course that many parents pursue in allowing their
children to be indolent and to gratify their desire for reading romance is
unfitting them for real life. Novel and storybook reading are the greatest evils
in which youth can indulge. Novel and love-story readers always fail to make
good, practical mothers. They are air-castle builders, living in an unreal, an
imaginary world. They become sentimental and have sick fancies. Their
artificial life spoils them for anything useful. They are dwarfed in intellect,
although they may flatter themselves that they are superior in mind and
manners.
Exercise in household labor is of the greatest advantage to young
girls. –p.151,152
“There
are very many girls who have married and have families who have but little
practical knowledge of the duties devolving upon a wife and mother. They can
read, and play upon an instrument of music; but they cannot cook. They cannot
make good bread, which is very essential to the health of the family. They
cannot cut and make garments, for they never learned how. They considered these
things unessential, and in their married life they are as dependent upon
someone to do these things for them as are their own little children. It is
this inexcusable ignorance in regard to the most needful duties of life which
makes very many unhappy families”-p.156
“But there can be no employment more
important than that of housework. To cook well, to present healthful food upon
the table in an inviting manner, requires intelligence and experience. The one
who prepares the food that is to be placed in our stomachs, to be converted
into blood to nourish the system, occupies a most important and elevated position.
The position of copyist, dressmaker, or music teacher cannot equal in
importance that of the cook.”-p.158
"There are many listless, useless girls who
consider it unladylike to engage in active labor. But their
characters are too transparent to deceive sensible persons in regard
to their real worthlessness. They simper and giggle, and are
all affectation. They appear as though they could not speak
their words fairly and squarely, but torture all they say with
lisping and simpering. Are these ladies? They were not born
fools, but were educated such. It does not require a frail,
helpless, overdressed, simpering thing to make a lady. A sound
body is required for a sound intellect. Physical soundness and
a practical knowledge of all the necessary household duties
will never be hindrances to a well-developed intellect; both
are highly important for a lady."-p.152
"
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."-Philippians 1:6
