Blessed is the Woman...

Today is my Nana's birthday.  I sure miss her.  She was one of
the most godly women I know and this morning I was thinking
about her as I was reading my scriptures.  I don't ever remember
going into her home and not seeing her Bible sitting on the back
of the couch or on a table near her seat.  It wasn't a nice, new
book, but well worn with pages marked and papers sticking
out of it.  It always looked like she was right in the middle of studying
something. When I was young, I didn't think much of it.  It was just
part of what I always saw there;  like the Grace Livingston Hill books
lining the bookshelves, the dozens of family pictures, the teapot collection,
the calendar by the phone with every square filled with someone's
birthday and the table groaning under the weight of good things to eat.
But now that I'm older, I realize, that well worn Bible speaks volumes
about why she was such a good person. Being a godly woman doesn't
just happen.  It takes effort on our part and tutoring from the Holy Spirit.
I have no idea how many times she read that Bible from cover to cover.
But I know she lived by its teachings.  She sat through many hours of
worship services in her Baptist church, supported the missionaries and
had a servant's heart like no one else I've ever known.  She was happiest
when she was doing something for someone else.

This morning I was reading Psalm 1.  I believe in "likening the scriptures"
to myself.  So my passage might sound a little different from yours.
But this is what I read.

 "Blessed is the woman that walketh not in the counsel
of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But her delight is in the law of the Lord;
 and in his law doth she meditate day  and night.

And she shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
 that bringeth forth her fruit in her season;
 her leaf also shall not wither; and 

whatsoever she doeth shall prosper."

Psalm 1 1-3

I love the imagery of the tree, with deep roots,  strong from the
living waters.  Because that tree is strong, it brings forth good fruit
and it's leaves don't wither in the heat of the summer. This is the kind
of woman that I long to be.  I want to have strength that comes from the
living waters of Christ as I spend time in his word.  I want to meditate
on that word, day and night.  I want to have the strength to stand strong
and not wither when I am faced with adversity and I want my life to
bear good fruit.  

I want to be like my Nana.

*Goal #14 - Begin each day with scripture and prayer