October 12, 2006
She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar.
Contrary to popular (and apparently, not very attentive) opinion, this verse has nothing to do with outside employment. (Something about that “magic” word merchant seems to cause people to jump on this.) The verse says that she is like the merchant ships, and it even tells us how she is like these ships: she brings her food from afar. Now, I would guess that the commendable trait here is not that she drove ten miles instead of five, but that she either got her hands on hard-to-obtain goods or that she got them straight from the source (which would save her money because she cut out the middleman), or both. (Either of these could involve obtaining the food “from afar.”)
These are skills we can acquire, as well. When we shop at co-ops, locate harder-to-find whole foods, etc., we are “bringing our food from afar.”
October 6, 2006
She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.
I think the emphasis here is on the second half, rather than on wool and flax, specifically. This ideal woman is a diligent worker. She looks for productive work to do. The implication (in the word “willingly”) is that she works cheerfully, as well. (Ouch; those are my toes!)
October 2, 2006
Nourishing Traditions has definite strengths and weaknesses. On the negative side, it is first of all not very practical for those completely new to whole foods cooking. Nearly all of the recipes are “weird”: not the kinds of things that normal people will be willing to eat (especially hard-to-convince hubbies!). Very little basic “how-to” information is given. For example, there is a list of alternative sweeteners, telling the reader what each one is, but it does not explain how to use them. There is an extremely strong emphasis on the “need” to soak and/or ferment all grains and flours before use, all the time, under all circumstances. This “need” is not well-supported, and process can be quite burdensome for some families.
Some of the recommendations (as the need to soak grains, above) are not well-documented. Others are anti-biblical or in opposition to common sense. For example, the author recommends eating raw meat along with its accompanying fat. (“You shall not eat fat or blood.”) She also recommends soaking all fruits and vegetables in bleach water prior to use. This despite the fact that chlorine is a known carcinogen, and we should be filtering it OUT of our water.
On the other hand, some aspects of the book are extremely well-documented, and fascinating! Did you know that blood cholesterol levels have never been proven to be related to heart disease? Did you know that saturated fats have not been proven to contribute to heart disease, or to raise cholesterol? Rather, polyunsaturated vegetable oils have been linked to heart disease and our bodies need saturated fats. Fats help our bodies to assimilate sugars gradually, nourish our glands, maintain normal brain function, etc. These facts are all thoroughly documented, with quotes from multiple sources in the sidebars.
The book is also a good source for some unusual recipes – especially for fermented foods like sourdough bread, kefir, and saeurkraut.
All in all, I found the book fascinating. Just read it with a discerning eye and pay close attention to what is and isn’t well-supported by outside research.
October 1, 2006
She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
This is another fairly self-explanatory verse, but let’s consider some practical applications.
When our husbands make decisions we don’t like, do we make them sound bad to others in conversation so no one will think it was our idea? Ouch. Not doing him good.
Do we insist on an outside career so we can feel “fulfilled,” instead of raising his children? Not doing him good.
Do we insist on making our own opinions known, at the expense of his? Not doing him good. (This one hits close to home, for me.)
Do we discourage him? Do we put our desires ahead of his?
Our focus, as wives, should be on “doing him good” – encouraging him, making him look good, building his “empire,” pursuing his vision. This is, after all, what it means to be a “help” for him, as we were created to be.
Also see Kristen’s post about Job’s wife. 
(reading chronologically)
