Guest Author Shannon Stoltzfus
Have you ever woken up on a cold, rainy morning and not a bone in your body wanted to rise out of the bed? Me too. If you’re anything like me, you then scroll through social media – all the while reminding yourself of the countless times you’ve heard that’s a bad way to start your morning. But there you are, the algorithm strikes again as you scroll… double-tap… scroll… see something you definitely want to buy… save it for later… scroll… tap….you get the point. Finally, you pull back the covers and are ready to face the day. Work. Sure, you might love your job. But those cold early mornings will always leave you with a love-hate-relationship. However, you reluctantly find things to be grateful for; heat in your cozy home, coffee waiting to be brewed, a car for your own personal convenience, HEAT in that car, and most importantly – a job that provides you with all of these modern-day luxuries. Living the dream, right? Ok maybe it’s not “the dream” quite yet but it’s still quite a lot to be thankful for!
Snapback to reality. Hi, if you don’t know me, here’s a little fun fact: I’m addicted to “the Goog”. To clarify, that means I do a lot of Google searching to find groundbreaking inventions and discoveries – which I bet you didn’t even realize I’ve referenced a few already. If you had to guess, how many things in that morning routine would you say were invented, inspired, or a right won by women?
I’ll wait…
Do you have your guess? Great. Let’s walk through it together (feel free to google the names I’m listing, or reference the links below). First things first, the morning scroll – I’d like to give a special thanks to the first-ever computer algorithm created by Ada Lovelace. Yep bet you weren’t ready for that one! Now in our scrolling, we found that thing we wanted to buy – thanks to our phones that hold our precious bank accounts it’s only a few clicks away. Did you know that for women, having your own bank account was rare and difficult to acquire until 1974?! Yes, that’s only 47 years ago. Go ahead, add to cart baby. Next? Central heat. Praise the good Lord himself for inspiring Alice Parker to create that sweet blessing. Of course, we need coffee for our morning boost. Thanks to your coffee filter, and Melitta Bentz, you won’t be spitting coffee grounds into the bottom of your cup. After coffee, I usually get ready for the day. Whether you the iron your clothes or you’re a strong anti-ironer (hi, anti-iron club, let’s be friends) you have two amazing women to thank for that; Sarah Boone inventor of the Ironing board, and Ruth Rogan Benerito inventor of Wrinkle Free Cotton. Ok I’ll be quick so you’re not late for work – ahem, shoutout to the women of the 1840’s who revolutionized what women in the workforce look like. Does your car have windshield wipers? Mary Anderson. Maybe even heat? Margaret Wilcox. You guessed it, add both of those to the list of luxuries we have women to thank for. Lastly, a podcast for your commute. In honor of International Women’s day, I have a list of Women in Ministry that I will be choosing from. Thank God we’ve come so far to empower these amazing women to have a voice in the church.
Whew. You made it. Did you get the count? TEN. Ten things you probably use in your daily life, all thanks to women. Honestly, there are probably so many more. With all these luxuries provided by and for women, I am reminded of how far we’ve come in the advancement of women’s rights. As a woman myself, I am thankful for all the women who have paved the way for us to be where we are today.
Without women, how else would you be on this earth? Don’t get me wrong, men, we love ya. But let’s give a shoutout to the women who brought us into this world. May you always be grateful for the woman who carried you nine months in her womb and a lifetime in her heart. From the moment she knew about you, your life and wellbeing have consumed nearly every one of her thoughts. As someone who does not have children of my own, I can only imagine the exhausting love that comes with motherhood. I consider it an honor to share the likeness of womanhood with these superhumans known as mom.
*pauses to send a text: I LOVE YOU MOM*
And to those who may have never known the love of a mother, I pray God gives you a “spiritual mother” to advise you or give you hope in your faith journey.
We all know Proverbs 31 as the typical standard for a Godly wife. But I believe that every human deserves to have this kind of woman in their life – regardless of relationship!
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.
Proverbs 31:25-26
Today is a day to celebrate women of all kinds, from all backgrounds and nations. It’s a day to recognize all we can be – and be grateful because of these women. A day to thank the good Lord in heaven for looking down on earth and saying; “Ya know what, my work here is not done. I need to add one more creation to this earth. A resilient body that will hold within her the future of mankind. An ever-seeking mind that will not rest until a solution is found. A soul so tenders that it will heal those she loves. And a spirit so strong to fight every enemy that spews the lies of inequality” – ok maybe that’s not a direct quote from God but you get the point!
Take a moment today to show love to the women in your life. Send them coffee money. Buy them flowers. Maybe even a text just to remind them of the worth this world has tried to strip them of.
And to my women reading this. Yes, you boo. You are worthy. You are beautiful. You are loved. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t believe the lies. You’re incredible. You’re going to crush it today. And if nobody treats you, treat your own dang self, honey!
Credits:
Ada Lovelace: Ada Lovelace | Biography, Computer, & Facts | Britannica
1974: Forty Years Ago, Women Had a Hard Time Getting Credit Cards | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine
Alice Parker: Meet Inventor Alice Parker: The Woman Behind Central Heating | BlackDoctor.org – Where Wellness & Culture Connect
Sarah Boone: Sarah Boone – Invention, Ironing Board & Facts – Biography
Ruth Benerito: NIHF Inductee Ruth Benerito Invented Wrinkle Free Cotton Fabric
Mary Anderson: Biography of Mary Anderson, Windshield Wiper Inventor (thoughtco.com)
Margaret Wilcox: You’ll Never Believe Who Invented the Car Heater | HGregoire
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