31 Days: Day 31 - Happy Birthday Just Bee 'n Me!

Hurray!! We made it!!

We met the Challenge! 31 Days of reading Proverbs and posting a favorite passage each and every day! It has been such a blessing for me to do this - thank you so much for coming along for the ride!! And now, it's all culminating in Just Bee 'n Me's 4th Birthday!!!

Wow! I can't believe it was 4 years ago already that I sat down at my computer back in Colorado and typed out a message to nobody announcing that I was venturing into this thing called a blog...little did I know that I was about to meet and be inspired by some of the most wonderful, talented, warm, authentic people from all over the world! It has been an amazing journey - and I hope it goes on for many more birthdays! Thank you to all of you who have ever come here - I am so privileged to have you be a part of this journey with me! And thank you to all of you who have shared your life with me from your little corner of Blogland - I am the richer for it!

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Before I get into Proverbs 31, I want to note something personal that is extraordinary - I am venturing today with my Mom to Beaumont, my home town, to start a Beth Moore study, Believing God, with most of the women in my extended family - 2 Aunts and their 3 daughters, my cousins... This is something the Lord gave me a vision for years ago when I began facilitating Beth Moore studies and now it is finally coming to pass!! I just have to give Him praise for orchestrating something so amazing and then letting me be a part of it on top of that!! I would appreciate your prayers for our journey, and for the study, and also for my Aunt who is battling brain cancer. She is doing very well, but is not out of the woods. We are gathering at her house for this study...God is SO Good!!! Thank you for your prayers....

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I can't think of a better way to end the 31 Day Challenge, that began on Mother's Day, than with the beautiful passage in Proverbs 31 that celebrates our mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, cousins, wives, friends - Proverbs 31:10-31!
(BTW, you may also enjoy reading this passage in the Message Bible!)

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"A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

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

She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

Proverbs 31:10-31

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Verse 25 of this passage has always been a favorite of mine - so much so that I have illustrated it at least three very different ways in the past:

"She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come."
Proverbs 31:25

This goes WAY back to my days of working at Christian Enterprises...I probably did this illustration in 1980..some 29 years ago! (and it shows :o)

I think I did this next one in 2006 or 2007 when Illustration Friday had the topic "Strength". It is based on a photo I took at an outdoor praise rally in Colorado in 2004...

And for something completely different again, this is the April illustration I did for my "Cup Runneth Over" calendar in 2008...

...knowing me, I'll probably illustrate it again at some point...

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Finally, I want to share a photo that was just taken a few days back on my Mom's birthday. I am usually behind the camera, but I realized that I have precious few current photos of me and Mom together. So Dad snapped this before we left for Mom's birthday dinner - I love how we were color-coordinated by accident...we do that all the time without ever planning it...

I want to dedicate this post to my sweet Mom...I love you!!

"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
Proverbs 31:28-29

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Thank you all SO MUCH for participating with me in this journey! There is still time to leave a comment and be entered into the drawing for the Giveaway (see yesterday's post for photos) - you have until Midnight US Central Time tonight...

I love y'all!! HUGS all around!