Dear sisters:Points to reflect on

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