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She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. Proverbs 31: 16

While the Proverbs woman did work mainly at home, here is where the bible actually shows her making money. She planted a vineyard. This would have taken her outside the home for a period of time. We all know that if you are working out in the garden it is very hard to spend time on your normal chores. She was wise in the fact that she chose a field and planted it in a vineyard. Once the vineyard was established her work would have been lighter and for a season every year. It didn't take her totally away from home.

I have said before that when my children were little I did stay home with them. Now that they are grown and on their own, I work away from home. I must confess that I long to be home. But for this season, I will work away from my home. When the bills are all paid off and my retirement is set I will stay home again.

I believe that this verse shows us that even if you are a stay at home mom, you should find ways to make extra money. There are lots for ways you can make a little extra. I am always searching for ways to make extra money. Last year I designed and layed out a show bill for a local theater company, I do surveys on-line, I do rebates, and clip coupons, I sell eggs from our chickens. There are so many ways that you can make a little extra, or save money on things that you have to buy. (A penny saved is a penny earned.) If you can't think of ways to earn money, think of ways to save money.

I have started keeping track this year of the things I get for free. I have only been doing it for a couple of weeks but the list is getting impressive.
So far:
2 gallons milk
Oreos
Oreo Cakesters
Gum
14 servings of instant coffee
4 full size Olay products
1 Olay sample
Puffs tissues
Toothpaste

These are things that I got for free with very little time or effort put in. I have also gotten $60.00 from rebates and surveys. I know that is not a lot, but it is enough for a little treat or to throw on a bill or put in savings (my number one choice). I am trying to put all of my survey and rebate money in savings this year just to see how much I make doing those two things.

I hope you have a great day!
Mae

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household,and a portion to her maidens. Proverbs 31:15

Once again I am reminded of my mother in this verse. I believe that every morning of the 18 years I lived in her home, she got up early and made a hot breakfast. There were homemade biscuits at least 2 meals a day. We always had biscuits or cornbread for every meal. She had to cook for 9 of us so that meant a lot of biscuit making. She also, feed any friends we happen to bring home, and with 7 kids that was sometimes 7 additional people. We would often have family members who were less fortunate than we were over for dinner. We lived on a busy road and I can't count the number of times people would "break down" in front of our house and she would feed them. One family in particular broke down in our driveway at least 3 times that I remember and they were fed every time they broke down.

We were not a rich family by any means, I would not have even considered us middle class. Mama and Daddy grew most of what we ate. They worked really hard to keep us fed. Mama spent most of the summer canning and freezing. We would usually butcher a hog and chickens every year. So even in hard times we had food to eat. I never remember being hungry or not knowing where my next meal was coming from.

We didn't have a lot of snacks and very few desserts. She would by one bunch of bananas a week and that usually meant one banana each. There would be a cake or cupcakes occasionally, but not very often.

This verse could be a description of my mother. Now days lots of women are too hurried to cook a meal, kids eat more fast food than I could have ever imagined. A hot breakfast is a thing of the past unless they get it at school. I work outside the home now, but I didn't when my children were little, and I must confess they only got a hot breakfast on Saturdays. But I have changed that. I usually make a hot breakfast for my husband. I cook dinner most nights and make our lunches every day. But, the portion to my maidens, I must work on. I really don't have any maidens but there are people I could be more generous with, Food banks I could donate to. I will be working on this for sure.

Mae