Mrs Perpetual Motion

My Great Uncle Fred was a lovely man who was very proud of his family, particularly his wife, his daughter, his nieces, his grand nieces and any other relative who was female. He would constantly tell us when we were children that little girls grow up to be mothers and that’s the most important role in the world.

I could tell by the way he talked that he had loved his mother very much and also his dear departed wife. He held them in high esteem and was one of the most wonderful gentlemen I’ve ever known.

As I grew up, got married and had my own family he would always make sure he rang on birthdays to say hello and give us birthday wishes over the phone. And as my own daughters grew up he took delight in getting to know them too – his great, grand nieces. He always had wonderful stories to tell and was a keen gardener as well. I learnt a lot from my great uncle, not the least being how a man should treat his wife.

One day long ago I received a letter from him. He was always interested in my activities – I’ve always been someone doing something and rarely get bored. Anyway, I had to laugh when I read the opening line of the letter. It was addressed to “Dear Mrs Perpetual Motion”.

That was many years ago, the letter has turned yellow now and I’ve kept it as a keepsake of my adorable uncle. I never did get to talk to him about my faith and my belief but if he were alive today I do believe that the Proverbs 31 Woman is one he would have been very interested in and I can’t help thinking that perhaps my great aunt may have been a P31 woman. He was definitely a man very proud of his wife and showed the confidence in her that we read about in verse 11 and he always praised her as in verse 28. It is good to have examples like that in our childhood as it helps shape our values and belief in ourselves.

Twelve years have passed since I received that letter and I’m still in perpetual motion but I do try spending some quiet time regularly so I can read, write, think and just relax. It is important that we’re not ‘on the go’ all the time and should allow time to read God’s Word, to hear Him speak to us and most of all, for us to hear. A time for rest and reflection allows us to get refreshed and regain our strength to continue on with our daily activities as wives, mothers, and business women. These quiet times should not be mistaken for the ‘bread of idleness’. KMT