Series: Women of Valor~Keitha Parton

I have known Keitha Parton all my life, but there were many years that we did not see each other. When I saw her again, her son pictured in the middle was about two months old. I greatly admire both her and her husband for the Godly work that they do.  

PPM: How did God move you (and Scott) to become foster parents in the beginning?

My body and pregnancy just didn’t go together. I stayed morbidly sick with each pregnancy and spent more time in the hospital, hooked up to IV fluids, than I did at home. So, when our youngest daughter was born, we made the decision for me to have a tubal ligation, which was a procedure that would render me infertile. Scott and I had always wanted more children, but just couldn’t have them. Then, in the early 2000’s I found out I was pregnant, and we were ecstatic!! What a blessing and a miracle at the same time. Then, several days later I miscarried and we were devastated. After grieving for our loss, we decided that we would like to pursue adopting a child. We checked into international adoption and the cost was way beyond anything we could ever afford. We checked into domestic adoption and were afraid that we would get a child, become attached, then the birth family would change their mind. So we started to pray that God would either take the burden for more children away, or let me conceive again. That didn’t happen.

At the same time, my sister-in-law was a foster parent in a neighboring county. She would often tell me about the children they had living in their home, and the circumstances out of which each was taken was horrific. My heart went out to the children and I wanted to do something. So I called my local DSS to inquire about becoming a foster parent…then got scared and backed away. This went on for about three to four years. In the meantime God started working on us in His subtle, yet obvious, way.

Everywhere we would go, we would see billboards advertising for foster parents. We would hear commercials on the radio and see them on the television. We would hear stories of children who were taken into custody on the news and then we got a flyer in the mail. How many people can say that…in the mail?

I went to my pastor’s wife and said, “I really think God wants us to be foster parents.” She said to me, “If God wants you to do it, you take the first step and He will take care of the rest.”

I once again inquired, we went to MAPP (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) Classes, the required curriculum for the state to be licensed, and the rest, as they say, is history. Out of the whole class of about 10 to 15 couples…Scott and I were the only ones who got licensed, that I know of.

PPM: What has been the biggest thing you have learned from being a foster mom?

The biggest thing that Scott and I have both said that we have learned is but, for the Grace of God, it could have been us involved in the system, and have our children taken away. Throughout our journey, we went from a mentality of “how could anyone treat their child this way,” to thinking, “no wonder they made the choices they did that got their children taken away.” Most of the children that lived with us came from broken homes, where the parents were themselves raised in neglectful, abusive, and addiction-filled homes. You hear the phrase all the time the apple doesn’t fall that far from the tree and, unfortunately, we learned firsthand how correct that statement is. Sometimes, we got to see a light go off in the parents’ head, and they actually took the steps required to change the patterns of abuse that they had been subjected to all their lives. They would work their case plan, and get their children back, thus the cycle of abuse stopped with them. In other instances, the parents were never able to pull it together and change what they had always known, so the children would then be placed in adoptive homes. God thought enough of Scott and I to make sure we were raised in good homes where we were loved, taught what is right and wrong, and led by example of how we are supposed to live. Not everyone is so fortunate, and the cycle continues on with the next generation, and the next, and so forth and so on, until someone takes the steps needed to change it.

PPM: What advice would you give anyone else thinking of going into foster care, especially from the Christian perspective?

The main thing I would tell someone is to pray about it and make sure that God is leading them in this direction, because it is challenging and a blessing at the same time. When anyone  becomes  a foster parent,  they  have  the  potential  to change someone’s life forever.  They will

open their heart and their home to children and birth parents, who will come in and out of their lives, and often get their heart broken by circumstances beyond their control.

A person must have the ability to love each child like their own, but be able to keep in the back of their mind that they are not their children at all. More often than not they will love them and lose them as they watch them move to another location or go back home. A person must have a strong relationship with their spouse, birth children, parents, friends, and neighbors as open communication crucial.  Each child placed in their home will bring challenges, issues, and different outlooks that they are not used to. And, developing a working relationship with their social worker is crucial.  

The second thing I would say is there is a huge need for loving foster homes in this country, and it is a beautiful journey that I would do all over again. But, only with God at my side and the support of my amazing family, church, and community.

Series: Women of Valor~Diane Earley

                              

Diane Earley loves the beach. When she and her husband go on vacation, along with fishing and other beach activities, she loves to walk the shore line, praying and meditating on God’s word. It gives her a sense of peace, with the sound of the waves rolling in, and the warm sand beneath her feet.The scenery and the tranquility sets the tone for her to commune with God in a quiet, intimate environment. In essence, the beach is her prayer closet.

But, since she lives in the mountains, those beach visits are confined to a few days a year. So, Diane brings a little beach back home with her every time she goes. Seashells, a little sand, pictures and large helping of rejuvenation from those walks along the beach.

But, Diane has another love. It’s a love for people, but her heart is especially directed toward young women. In the last several years, God has opened the doors for her to minister to women in various homeless shelter, as well as several jails, and she has seen fruit from her labors. 

Her heart is for the hurting~to help undo the damage done to them from others, and from themselves. The Lord has now moved her and her husband into an orphanage as house parents, where she ministers to young girls from all kinds of backgrounds, with all kinds of issues. Here is a little of her story, in her words, that explains how she got here.

PPM: How did your burden for women, and in particular young women, begin? Did it stem from experiences from your own childhood?

Diane: Yes. It came from not being understood. I know the Lord had my heart from a young age, but from not being fed through the church body, I chose to go to the world. I see now that it was a path that God let me take. And I spent many years there, but I can see where God had His hand on me all the way through it. By man’s standards, I should have been dead, or in jail. 

The people that I hurt should not have been in my life, but God used it to teach me forgiveness by having them forgive me. Through the whole thing, God was teaching me perseverance. It was a lesson in persevering to the end goal.

It was at a young age that I made a “deal” with God. I had always heard of people making deals with the devil, but I made mine with God. If you let me do more than sit on a church pew, when I hit my 30’s, I’ll come back. God kept me to my word, and brought me back. But, He allowed me to go and do what I thought was fun, yet I always knew that He was there. That’s why I kept pouring in the drugs and the alcohol, to create a separation between Him and me, and through all that, trying to fill the void that was His place in my heart. 

I see the same thing in the women in the jails, the homeless shelters, and the girls in the children’s home. Whether it is unhealthy relationships, food, cutting, drugs, or alcohol, they all are trying to fill that void. I look back now, and know that I missed a lot of blessings, and I hurt a lot of people but, I hurt Him most of all. 

PPM: How old were you when God had you honor your end of the deal?

Diane: I was 33. And I hear a lot of people say that when they begin their new walk with Christ, that everything from the old was gone. It wasn’t that way with me; it was step, by step, by step. And that process helps me recognize the different traits in the girls at the home. Because I didn’t get what was needed in my little home church as a young woman, I am sensitive to those young women that seem to “have it” but don’t. They still need guidance. And my past definitely helps me to bear what the kids at the children’s home dish out.

I’ve always said that God has a great sense of humor, with me wanting kids. In never having children of my own, and then Him blessing us so much with *Angelice~with me being in my early 50’s~and being house parents in the children’s home, I something that could not happen naturally.

Even when my mother got Alzheimer’s, I never questioned God as to why. As hard as it was to see her like that, He gave me a child in her. He knew that I could not have handled a sudden separation from her; He knows that those kinds of things has to come in little chunks for me.

I see an element of myself in the kids; I know what they thinking, feeling, and doing. I want to spare them from any of the pain that I walked through, and to encourage them to think about the choices that they make, and what the outcome of that will be. And that helps me to understand that it’s tiny, baby steps that they have to make.

*Angelice is a bubbly 20 month old that the Earley’s have had from birth, and are in the process of adopting.

Series: Women of Valor~Katrinka Webb

The Ministry of

Shear Glory Hair Design

I first met Katrinka Webb in the late spring of 2011, when we came through Haywood County (NC) for the first time. Within minutes, she had shown such a genuine compassion for us, that we were amazed at her concern and generosity. We had come to realize then, and have experienced it since, that not all are as genuine as they would want others to believe. But, this lady: she is the real deal! So, here is her story, in her own words.

PPM:

How did you come to have Shear Glory?

Katrinka:

After 20 years in the business, and working at several different places~some good, and some not so good~I had started praying about it. A lot of the young girls, because they did not have a large clientele, a lot of the salons did not want to help them. So, I really got a burden to help the young ladies get on their feet and build their business, while giving them a safe environment. Some of the environments I had gone into were not so great. I wanted to give them an environment where they could grow and learn, and be all that God wanted them to be.

So, I had prayed long and hard over it, and came across the first building in Hazelwood. We were there five years, and then the owners put it up for sale. At that point, we had grown. God had blessed it; then we moved to Waynesville. When we came in there, there were a lot more people coming through, and we were able to reach out a lot more. The ministry had started out with nine widows, and we would take them baskets on holidays, and visit with them if they were in the hospital. We tried to look after them as best we could. And, sometimes, we were the only people they got to see.

PPM:

And you do this as part of the Shear Glory ministry?

Katrinka:

Yes. That is part of the ministry. I tell the girls when I hire them, “This is not mine; it belongs to God. And this is His ministry. And, that is what it’s all about.” And I really think that’s why God has blessed it so much.

We have come here to this new building, because the building we were in is in the process of being sold--again! God gave us this building, in the best location, and the nicest building that we had found. God has worked everything out, so that we could set everything up, and it has taken us a month to get the floors down and the walls up, and set in motion!

I can see God’s hand in it. We have a range of ages now; we don’t just have young girls working here. We have Sandra, Tera, and myself, as well as a complete age-range of customers. Our goal is to be an outreach, and that is why I picked out the painting!

It is my mission statement. Because I do believe when you go into ministry, and you put Christ first, He blesses it, and that way, you can reach out to people. Then it is not just a salon; it becomes a ministry. And, that is my goal!

Autumn Jones,  Rayna Conard,  Katrinka Webb,  Sandra Justus,    Tera Presnell

Into the Hands of a Woman

This post begins a short series on women leaders in Scripture. Anyone raised up under certain denominations will have been told that "God doesn't do things like He used to" concerning women in leadership, the title of "disciple" or "apostle", or the performance of miracles. But, in the same breath, they will be quick to paraphrase the Scripture, and say "God is the same yesterday, today, and forever." So, which is it? 

For me personally, I would rather believe the examples given to us in Scripture~the same Scripture that teaches, counsels, and reproves us~than a man-made doctrine in which the male members feel their manhood is threatened by women in leadership. Let's take a look at Deborah, and see why God chose her.

The first thing we see about Deborah is her name. It is a common, every day name in our present time. But what does it mean? In previous Scripture, we read how God changed Abram to Abraham, and Sarai to Sarah, when He was about to make a major change in their lives. So how was Deborah's name important, given her God-given position?

The name Deborah means "bee" and comes from the Hebrew word dabar. This word means a sense of orderly motion, and in reference to the bee, means from its systematic instincts. Dabar comes from a primitive root word that means to arrange, and figuratively, means to speak, to answer, to appoint, to name, to declare, to pronounce, to rehearse, to be a spokesman, to talk, to teach, to tell, to utter and to say. So, from her name alone, we can see why God would have chosen her, based on the character presence of her name.

Second, Deborah was both a prophetess and a judge. As a prophetess, she heard from God, and relayed messages to the people. As a judge, she settled their disputes, and led the nation as a whole. The people didn't have to see two different people in order hear messages from God.

Third, she judged from under a *palm tree. Why a palm tree? In Scripture, they are associated with an oasis in the desert (Jericho was know as the "City of Palms"), and compared to the righteous who flourish. (Ps. 92:12) Palm trees symbolize "uprightness" and their images were carved in to walls of the temple. The branches were (are) used during the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, to adorn the temporary shelters in memorial to when the children of Israel were in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. Also, every part of the palm tree was used in Hebrew culture~from food (dates), to the wood, to the branches, which means that, symbolically, they sustained life.

Deborah, both prophetess and judge, was not afraid of Israel's enemies, even though the male leader of Israel's army was. (see Judges 4:8) She stood on God's promise, regardless of what threat the enemy posed. After Barak gave her the ultimatum~that he would not go to war unless she accompanied him~tells us two things: how much confidence was put into her leadership from the military leader, and that, when he failed to believe God's promise of victory, she was ready, willing and able to stand in the gap. And she made sure he knew that his lack of faith was a flaw in his character, and told him that the glory he would have received for winning the victory would now be given to a woman.

I wonder how many men are in leadership positions throughout God's army, but won't go against the enemy because of fear, so that a woman has to step in and do the work he has been called to do? Hmmm. Just a thought.

 She said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. (Judges 4:9)

*(I will be beginning a series on the significance of various trees in Scripture in The Theophilus Account, another one of the 6 blogs I write, in the very near future, so I will not go into the full aspect of it here.)     

The Virtuous Woman Revealed

This is a short look into the keywords from chapter 31:10-31, discovering the deeper meanings of what the author of Proverbs was conveying. The words in this study are taken from the original Hebrew text and, therefore, may vary from English translations. Each of the verses from the Hebrew text are in bold type, and words inside { } are added for syntax in modern translations.

Verse 10

A woman able, who can find? And her value is far above gems.

value: merchandise

from a root word: to sell, to surrender

gems: pearls or naturally formed faceted precious stones

What does the word able mean?

A force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength. The word is rendered as able, activity, army, band of men or soldiers, company, great forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, valiant, valor, virtuous, war, worthy throughout the Scriptures. So, a woman who is able is held in high esteem in the physical world, but especially so in the eyes of God. (see Luke 1:28-30)

Verse 11

Her husband’s heart trusts in her, so that {of} gain he has no lack.

heart: literally, the heart; figuratively, the feelings, the will, the intellect, the center of anything

from a root word: the heart; the most interior organ; to be courageous, to be tenderhearted, to have understanding

husband: a married man; master, lord, man, a man sworn

trusts: to be confident, to be sure, to be bold, to hope

gain: booty; prey

Verse 12

She deals to him good and not evil, all the days of her life.

good: beautiful, best, better, cheerful, joyful, loving

evil: adversity, affliction calamity, grief, harm

Verse 13

She seeks wool and flax. And she works {with} delight {with} her palms.

wool: literal wool
from an unused root word: to be shaggy

flax: linen

delight: to be pleased with; specifically, to satisfy a debt

palms: the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole of the foot, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power
from a primitive root word: to curve

What is the significance of the palm?

A palm is used to hold something.

An open palm can give and/or receive, whereas a closed palm, i.e. a fist, can neither give nor receive. Also, a fist is symbolic of violence. Hence, the road to Jerusalem being laden with palm leaves upon Jesus’ entry on the colt were meant to convey that he was bringing peace to the city.

Verse 14

She is like the ships merchant. From afar she brings in her food.

ships: a ship; a floating vessel

merchants: a buckler, one who laid borders

from a primitive root word: to travel round (specifically as a peddler)

This verse seems to throw out the 1950’s model, having us believe that the man had to be the sole breadwinner for the family. June Cleaver never left the house, but the virtuous woman is free to go about to sell her wares to the merchants.

Verse 15

She also rises while {it is} still night, and gives game to her household, and a decree to her maidens.

game: the chase; (generally) lunch (especially for a journey); to lie alongside (i.e. in wait); to catch an animal (figuratively, men)

household: family, daughter, home, palace, place
from a root word: to build, to obtain children

decree: an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)

from a primitive root word: to hack, i.e. engrave (Judg.5v14, to be a scribe simply); by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (generally) prescribe

maidens: damsel, a young woman, a girl from infancy to adolescence

What is a decree?

The secular definition is: an order with the power of legislation issued by a ruler or other person or group with authority. Also, in Christian belief: the will or purpose of God, interpreted through events considered to be God's doing.

Synonyms include: ruling, verdict, announcement, pronouncement, declaration, judgment, diktat, order, law, command, proclamation, statute.

This means she makes sure that her family eats well, and lays out a plan for her household to follow, particularly those not old enough to go to school/job. (This verse could easily be used to describe home school moms!)

Verse 16
She has examined a field and takes it. From the fruit of her palms she plants a vineyard.

examined: to plan, imagine, purpose (in the heart), to think

field: country, ground, land, soil
from a root word: to spread out

fruit: a bough or branch
from a root word: to bring forth fruit, to grow, to increase

vineyard: a garden, vines

What does it mean for her to take it?

The word is rendered as: accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, enfold, many, mingle, place, receive, reserve, seize, send for, take (away, up), use, and win, in other verses throughout Scripture. (The phrase from the fruit of her palms symbolizes the work she pursued in the planting of the physical garden, as well as any monies she received from the selling of her goods.)

There is no mention, or implication, that she has to have her husband’s permission to contemplate the purchase, or the permission to actually acquire it. This verse says that a woman that is acting in the best interest of her family, and already has the trust of her husband, does not have to seek his approval, because her wisdom in such matters are already established. 

Verse 17

She has girded with strength her loins, and has strengthened her arms.

girded: to put on, as in a belt or armor; to be appointed, to restrain on every side

loins: the waist or small of the back
from an unused root word: to be slender

strengthened: boldness, might, power, strong; to apply force, security, majesty, praise
from a primitive root word: to be stout, to prevail, to be strong

This verse says that she has an exercise regimen that she follows to stay in shape.

Verse 18
She tastes whether {is} good her gain. Not does go out by night her lamp.

tastes: to perceive

gain: profit from trade, to sell at market

night: to twist (away from the light), adversity
from an unused root word: to fold back or a spiral, as in a staircase; winding

lamp: light
from a primitive root word: to glisten; a lamp (i.e. the burner) or light (literally or figuratively)

This verse says that she contemplates her business ventures, but they do not keep her up at night with worry or anxiety over losses or gains.

Verse 19

She has sent forth her hands on the distaff and her palms have held the spindle.

distaff: deliverance, remnant
from a root word: refugee, fugitive

spindle: literally, a director; the shank of the distaff
from a primitive root word: to be straight or right, to be acceptable, to succeed or prosper

What is a distaff?

A rod on which wool or flax is wound for somebody to use when spinning by hand, or the corresponding rod on a spinning wheel.

What is a spindle?

A handheld rod with a notched end through which strands of natural fibers are drawn, then twisted into thread and wound around the rod.

The virtuous women of biblical times made their own cloth, which they then dyed and sold. (see Acts 16:14) Today’s equivalent is not the making of the cloth, but it could be considered the making of one’s own clothes, and/or for the family.

Verse 20

She spreads her palms to the poor. And {with} her hands she reaches to the needy.

poor: depressed, lowly, needy, afflicted

needy: in a sense of want, destitute, beggar

Spreads her palms is a very important phrase. It implies that she not only has her hands open, but has them open wide, to be able to hold more to give away. And the fact that she reaches to the needy, means she makes a concerted effort to help those less fortunate.

Verse 21

She is not afraid for her household of the snow. For all her household are clothed {with} scarlet.

snow: whiteness
from a primitive root word: to be white, to be white with linen clothing of the slain

scarlet: crimson; literally, the insect or its color, also what is dyed with it

What is the meaning behind the fear of snow?

Looking at the root word meaning of snow, we see that it is the linen clothing of the slain, which means death. And, not just death itself, but of intentional death, which is to kill or murder. So, she has no fear of death, or of being killed or murdered.

What is scarlet?

All throughout Scripture, scarlet is used to represent the blood of Jesus, and his sacrifice for us. So, her whole household was under the blood.

Verse 22

She makes coverings to herself. Fine linen and purple her clothing {is}.

coverings: a coverlet; a covering of tapestry
from a primitive root word: to spread

purple: the color, or what is dyed in it

The word purple comes from a pre-12th century alteration of the Latin purpura, handed down from the Greek porphura or, "shellfish yielding purple dye"

Verse 23

Her husband is known in the gates when he sits with the elders of the land.

gates: an opening, city door, port
from a primitive root word: to split or open, to act as a gatekeeper

elders: an aged, old, or ancient man or woman, senator
from a primitive root word: to be old, wax old, to be aged

Only men who were upstanding and respected in the community were allowed to sit at the gates.

Verse 24

She makes linen garments and sells. And belts she gives to the merchant.

girdles: belts
from a primitive root word: to put on, as in a belt; armor; to be able to put on, to be appointed, to restrain on every side (see verse 14)

Verse 25

Strength and dignity {are} her clothing. And she laughs at the day to come.

strength: a force, security, majesty, praise, boldness, might, power
from a primitive root word: to be stout, to harden, to prevail, to strengthen, to be strong

dignity: figuratively, elation or cheerfulness; exaltation in rank or character
from a primitive root word: to lift (literal or figurative)

laughs: to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to play

How can she be clothed by strength and dignity?

Clothing is symbolic way of saying she is covered by, or possesses, strength and dignity.

Why does she laugh at the day to come?

The wicked plots against the righteous, and gnashes at him {with} his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.

The fact that she can look at the wicked, and laugh at their coming calamity means she sees the evil in this world as God sees it. These verse are not directed at people, but the Adversary, the Accuser of the brethren, the Devil, all other named aspects of the evil one.　

Verse 26

She opens her mouth in wisdom and the law of kindness {is} on her tongue.

wisdom: to have skills, to be wise, to have wit
from a primitive root word: to be wise in mind, word, or act; to teach wisdom; to show oneself wise

law: a precept or statute, specifically, the Torah
from a primitive root word: to teach, to inform, to instruct, to show

kindness: favor, good deeds, mercy, pity

This verse, by the use of the word law in the original Scripture, and the fact that law specifically references the Torah (the first five books of the Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses) gives the impression that a virtuous woman was expected to learn, and teach, God’s word. Certain denominations use their interpretations of Paul’s writings in Corinthians and Timothy to say that women cannot preach or teach, yet here is another example of how God intended women to take part in spreading His word.

Verse 27

She watches {the} ways of her household and the food of idleness not she does eat.

food: bread, or grain (for making it)
from a primitive root word: to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle

idleness: indolence
from a primitive root word: to be slack, to be slothful

She makes sure that no one in her household, including herself, becomes lazy, either physically, or spiritually. (see previous verse)

Verse 28

Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband for he praises her.

blessed: to be straight; to be level, right or happy; to go forward; to be honest; to prosper; to guide, lead, or relieve

praises: to be clear (originally of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; to rave; to celebrate

She is shown respect and honor from all her family, for they see that she is indeed virtuous, in every sense of the word.

Verse 29

Many {are} the daughters who work ably, but you rise over all of them.

daughters: this is a gender-inclusive word that means a son, a builder of the family, any family relationship, one born, a child, a people, a whelp, a young one, a youth

ably: a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength
from a primitive root word: to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to dance; figuratively, to wait

rise: to ascend up, to carry up, to climb, to cause to come up, to increase, to mount up, to raise, to recover, to restore, to set up, to spring up, to spring forth

In this verse, the narrator goes from speaking in the 3^rd person, to the 2^nd person, indicating that whoever was being spoken to was present for this lesson about the virtuous woman. The speaker wanted to make sure that the hearer realized that she was well-favored compared to any others that might have been present.

Verse 30

Charm deceitful {is} and vain beauty {is}, a woman who reveres Yahweh, she will be praised.

charm: of the resting-places
from a root word: the half or middle
from a primitive root word: to cut or split in two; to halve

deceitful: pertaining to an untruth or a sham, to act without a cause, to lie, to be vain, to act wrongfully

beauty: pertaining to beauty
from a primitive root word: to be bright, to make beautiful, to bedeck

reveres: respectful fear
from a primitive root word: to fear; morally, to revere; to frighten

This verse explains that to look upon any physical aspects of a person will lead someone to the wrong conclusion. Only a woman who truly worships God will have a clear, sound mind, without emotional baggage attached.

Verse 31

Give to her from the fruit of her hands, and let praise her in the gates her works.

fruit: literally, a fig; a reward (see v. 16)
from a primitive root word: to bear fruit, to bring forth, to be fruitful, to grow, to increase

works: an action (good or bad); a transaction, a product or prosperity, a business, an occupation, a thing offered, a possession
from a primitive root word: to accomplish, to appoint, to become, to bear, to bestow, to yield, to use

This verse takes away the double standard that has been pushed upon women for centuries, both in the secular world and the religious. It says that we should look upon women as a whole with respect, not only in the places that is typically the woman’s~the fruit of her hands, but also in the place that is considered the mans~in the gates.