A Woman's work is never done!

A Modern Day version of the fire...

When I read these quotes about a Home maker from days gone by, they make me smile at the thought and care that went into writing them and also all the work a woman use to do in making food for everyone.

The Fire Tenders

Women through the years have stood
Watch above a flame,
Keeping it a glowing thing
For the ones who came
Hungry, tired, when the night
Marks a kitchen's warm, red light.

Nothing lovelier, I think,
Then a woman's face,
Calmly bent above a fire.
As with quiet grace
She moves clean, deft hands to make
Food more wholesome for love's sake.

Something great and beautiful
In her simple art -
Something to delight the eye
And make glad the heart:
Women - tending fires that man
May be strong to work again.

(Crowell., G. N., (1930). Flame in the wind. Haper & Row Publisher Inc.)

It's really amazing that some of the student's I teach believe this to be totally true.  That this is the most important role of a woman.  Then I think maybe the want it this way because they never had it.  At the same time though, these women in the past were very industrious in their care of the home. Bottling fruit and vegetables, sewing clothes and some even made the cloth in the first place.  Plus then I think of those who also killed snakes, cleared out red backs, tilled the soil to make a garden and a home in the Australian Outback.  Those women were amazing... 

A blessing on Your food

I brought a book ages ago and have only just started to read it this last term.  It's called "The Seven Pillars of Health" by Don Colbert MD.  This is the same guy that wrote the book "What did Jesus eat?" and it's sequel the recipe book.

I'm only up to day 22 as some sections are big and I only read it when I have time; even working in this field I have learnt some interesting facts about food and cooking it.  It's practical and also gives insight to new research.

He suggested the following prayer be used in blessing your food. (p. 115)

"Thank You for my wonderful food and it's healing properties. Mark 16:18 tells me that if I drink (or eat) any deadly thing it shall not harm me.  Thank You for protecting me supernaturally from any harm that may be in my food.  I ask that You bless the food to my body according to Exodus 23:25, which tells me that "He shall bless my food and my water and He will take sickness away from the midst of me."


I eat this food with thanksgiving, I receive His love and rejoice in the Lord as I eat my meal.  As I eat this food, my cells, tissues and organs are cleansed, strengthened, and renewed like the eagle. I see myself healed.  In Jesus name, amen."


It's always important to be thankful for the food we eat.  I know in some places they have very little.  If your interested in this sort of thing I've linked the following words to a website that shows how much people eat in a week around the world.

Hungry Planet

A Feast that remembers

A bowl of soup with someone you love 

Is better than steak with someone you hate

A dry crust eaten in peace

Is better than a great feast with strife.

                                                                  Proverbs 15:17 and 17:1

There is one more feast that celebrates this story out of Esther.  It is found in the last section of the book 9:20 - 32

This is where Mordecai encourages the community of Jews throughout the kingdom of Media Persia to actually remember.  I believe that is why we have meals even today to remember things such as weddings, family celebrations e.g.. birthdays etc...  Jesus even asked us to observe the last supper until he comes back again to take us to heaven.  There will be the best meal ever.

²⁰ Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, ²¹ to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar ²² as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

²⁷ the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. ²³ So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 

²⁴ For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot ) for their ruin and destruction. ²⁵ But when the plot came to the king’s attention,^[a] he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles. ²⁶ (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur. ) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 

²⁸ These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

²⁹ So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. ³⁰ And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— ³¹ to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. ³² Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

I hope you have looked at this with new light due to the verses above.

A Feast that changed history for a Nation

A bowl of soup with someone you love 

Is better than steak with someone you hate

A dry crust eaten in peace

Is better than a great feast with strife.

                                                                  Proverbs 15:17 and 17:1

The second Feast from the book of Esther came in two parts...

I think this story is most girls favourite bible story.  It once was mine but mine has changed from reading a story based on another book of the bible and the characters in it.  Plus some bible studies on this book have opened my eyes to how God works in people's lives behind the scenes.

Do you know this is the only book in the bible that doesn't really mention God that much.  It's more of a historical account of why the feast of Purim came about.

First part:

After going unannounced to the King, Esther than made this request:-

If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”⁵ “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. ⁶ As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

⁷ Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: ⁸ If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

Second part of the story:

So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, ² and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted. ”

³ Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. ⁴ For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.^[a]”

⁵ King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

⁶ Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen.


⁷ The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

⁸ Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.  The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”

An Amazing feast...

A bowl of soup with someone you love 

Is better than steak with someone you hate

A dry crust eaten in peace

Is better than a great feast with strife.

                                                                  Proverbs 15:17 and 17:1

This brings to mind another bible story which has two great feasts in it. That changed the then known world.

The first one was a feast for a nation at the start of a war (Medo-Persian/ Greek) and the other a banquet between Lovers and colleagues which will be in my next blog.

I think some of you have already worked out the story and the book by now.  When you think about it, it must have been a fantastic event.  Personally I'd hate to be in charge of this one, making sure all the food was served on time.  A big event even by today's standard.  I don't think it's been this big ever since.

The First Feast:

Esther (all bible chapters and verses are quotes from NIV)

This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,^[a] the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush^[b]: ² At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, ³ and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

⁴ For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. ⁵ When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. ⁶ The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.⁷ Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. ⁸ By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— ¹¹ to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. ¹² But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

¹³ Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times ¹⁴ and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

¹⁵ “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

¹⁶ Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. ¹⁷ For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ ¹⁸ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.

¹⁹ “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. ²⁰ Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

21 The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. ²² He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language,proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

When you look back it's not really a good idea to show off in front of all your friends.  Things do go wrong and especially when your boasting terrible things could occur.

What was terrible in one persons life, changed the course of history for a whole nation and also life for other characters when you read further into the book.  If you haven't read it for a while take the chance to glean over it again.

Breaking down barriers

I came across this quote this week while compiling a power point to encourage women in prayer and where they are in life.

Offerings of food have been breaking down barriers for centuries.

This quote brought to mind to stories in the bible where things changed with this quote.  There were quite a few but the 1 that stood out more than others is the following when a Lady used to it to stop bloodshed.

1 Samuel 25:2 - 25.  (NIV)


A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. ³ His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.


⁴ While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.
⁵ So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. ⁶ Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!


⁷ “‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. ⁸ Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’”
⁹ When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.


¹⁰ Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days.¹¹ Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”


¹² David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. ¹³ David said to his men , “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.


¹⁴ One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. ¹⁵ Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. ¹⁶ Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. ¹⁷ Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”


¹⁸ Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs^[b] of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. ¹⁹ Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.


²⁰ As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. ²¹ David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. ²² May God deal with David,^[c] be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!”


²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. ²⁴ She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. ²⁵ Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool , and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent.²⁶ And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. ²⁷ And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.


²⁸ “Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. ²⁹ Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling.³⁰ When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, ³¹ my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.”


³² David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. ³³ May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. ³⁴ Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”


³⁵ Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”

Yes food can stop blood shed and wars even for a little while.

As many stories though various wars have explained.