Guest Author - Diana Pederson

Nancy K. Kennedy. When Perfect Isn’t Enough: How I Conquered My Fear of the Proverbs 31 Woman. Waterbrook Press. 2003.

Today’s woman is expected to be a “super mom”, a superior employee, and a superb wife to her husband. How is she to accomplish all of this? Are YOU caught in the trap of always trying to be like everyone you know combined into one person? If so, this book will be an eye opener for you.

Each chapter deals with some aspect of Kennedy’s progress towards being that Proverbs 31 perfect woman. Personal note: Please remember that the Proverbs 31 woman didn’t have huge houses, loads of clothes, lots of activities to chauffer her children to, and lots of appliances to use and take care of. Her life was definitely simpler compared to today.

I thought the funniest chapter was about her efforts to become a “perfect gardener” after overhearing a conversation about the benefit of mulch for strawberries in her local supermarket. Let me share just a bit from “The Accidental Gardener”:

The next day I poured over Burpee seed catalogs and lusted after fifteen different varieties of zucchini. I studied how to maintain exprit de corps among the rows by companion planting. Having bought myself a spade, rake, hoe, and shovel, I set out to plow the back forty. …

Self-satisfied and dirty-fingernailed, I forsook everyone and everything else and devoted my whole existence to nurturing my teen green tomatoes, miniature zucchinis, and wee little eggplants.

I’ll leave you guessing about the midnight marauders and her ultimate harvest of dozens of eggplants!

Other chapters in this delightful book discuss her endeavors to mimic a friend in the kitchen, volunteer work, public speaking, and many other rather eventful undertakings. If you are caught in the trap of trying to be the perfect woman, I heartily recommend this book to you. You’ll find it easy and fun reading. Just maybe it will save you from the same misadventures.