3:19 - weaving character

She lays her hands to the spindle (spinning threads of which character is made), and her hands hold the distaff (making yarn to weave into lives pleasing to God).

Ah, a summary of mothers and teachers!
I love the visual of spinning and weaving into lives.
(picture of woman with both a spindle and a distaff)
I find my thoughts continue to go to God weaving in our lives, yet this verse talks about the woman laying her hands on the spindle and taking hold of the distaff. Spinning and weaving takes time, patience, faith that its worth the work and that it will be useful when you are finished. So does raising and teaching children. Sometimes all we see is the seemingly tangle of fibers, or the back side of an elaborate tapestry that just looks a mess. Yet if we hold fast and work diligently we will 'taste and see that our work with and for God is good'!