The appeal of the Exotic

Today's focus for Proverbs 31 is verse 14:

¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 

So here is a woman who, with the available finance and time, will go out of her way to buy appealing quality food stuffs. I think I'm right in saying that, in the Hebrew, 'from afar' is in reference to from another country. For these good foods from afar, she would have travelled to a reputed market stocked by the well-travelled merchant ships. 

Now, I don't know about where you live, according to my blog stats you're pretty well spread out across the globe, but, here in the UK exotic food stuffs are easily accessible in most supermarkets. Also, where I live in South East London, many grocers sell the most amazing fruit and vegetables from all over the world.
To be honest, it doesn't take even too much imagination, time or money to rock on up to Sainsbury's. Instead, we seem to be living out a bizarre world where it takes more effort to buy something that is produced and sold locally.
So to spin this on its head I'm going to celebrate the woman who likes to go out of her way to buy appealing foods which end up taking her more time travelling to buy, but don't fly from across the globe with a carbon foot print to boot.
Presently, for me this could mean a short train ride to the lovely Borough market with a short and sweet visit to the Cinnamon Tree Bakery. With handmade biscuits baked in Camberwell, it's pretty local. 


Where would it be for you? 


Liz xxx

Shopping Around

Today's focus for Proverbs 31 is verse 13:

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands (NIV)

Or as translated in these other versions:

• She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing. (The Message)

• She finds wool and flax and busily spins it.(NLT)

• She looks for wool and flax and likes to work with her hands.(NCV) 

• She seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands [to develop it]. (Amplified Bible)

• She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. (King James Version)

What a sensible person. She may have compared several market stalls for prices, or even compared prices between towns? I still find myself doing that on occasion if the particular product is stocked in independent stores. However, we have our trusty web browser to help us 'go-compare', along with also bidding on auction sites. (One of my fave's to check out regularly is http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ Martin and his team give top advice.)

Well however we shop now, we can take example from the Truly Good Woman for planning ahead and being eager to accomplish her tasks. 

I have struggled to keep the steady character, described from 'Never Spiteful', on one occasion this week when I was annoyed with the Hubba. But from it I have remembered the importance of "communicate, communicate, communicate!" The Hubba and I always do better when we talk about how things are going or how something makes us feel.

Hope you're all well, Liz xxx