Proverbs 31:15

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

I'm typically up early to do a little of my work around the apartment building and then get my daughter up and off to school.  But today was a rarity - I also got dinner going in the crock pot and cleaned up the kitchen.  If I was more organized I think I would do that more often.  It feels good to have all that taken care of by 9:00. Getting work done first thing in the morning leaves the rest of the day free for other things.  I guess that's my goal then - to be organized enough to do that. 

One interesting thing to point out in this verse - we think the Proverbs 31 wife was Superwoman.  She sets an impossibly high standard.  But here we see she had servants.  How fair is that?

I think the lesson here is that we don't have to do it all. It's okay to delegate.  Share some tasks with your husband.  Assign chores to your kids.  Accept help when it's offered.  Work together with other women, perhaps in some sort of co-op. 

Work diligently.  Stretch yourself.  Set high goals for yourself.  But realize that it's okay to say no once in awhile.  You don't have to overdo.  The floor can be vacuumed tomorrow if your child wants you to play hopscotch today.  The dishes can wait in the sink while your husband tells you about his day.  Use your time wisely.

Genesis 24:20

So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.

Rebekah's offer of water for the camels was not a small one.  Eliezer had ten camels (v. 10) - that's a lot of water.  I've heard that the well was probably underground, and each time she filled her jar she had to go down a long flight of steps, fill the heavy clay jar, and carry it back up all those steps.  She had to repeat this many times.  Even if there weren't all those stairs involved, it still was not a quick task.

Serving others is not always easy.  Keeping up a home can be tiring work.  I tend to fall so short in this area.  I'd rather curl up with a book than dust the furniture.  But I also know how much better it feels to curl up with that book after the laundry is done, the floor is vacuumed, and dinner is in the oven.  Rebekah didn't quit until her job was done, and neither should I.