A study on "the Philippians 4:8 woman"

Lately I have been meditating on the often quoted verse in Philippians 4:8 which runs "whatsover things are true..etc. think on these." Contemplating these words has caused me to take a serious look at how I may apply this biblical advice to myself as a daughter of God. Do I think about the positive side of things first and primarily, or do I see everything as a bleak negative to whinge about? Do I criticise and complain about others and life in general or do I try to be content and generous in my attitudes. Paul, through the Holy Spirit, has given me a little guideline for keeping my mind centred on whatever is good and uplifting about life.. and recently, I've found myself using it to examine my soul, my behaviour and my attitude in general. I find it can easily be applied to how I think about other people too. And as I think of others I am provoked to ponder on what they would make of me. What am I giving others to be thinking about me ? Is it something of substance-something useful-something edifying and which glorifies my Lord ? People do think about us, it's true, whether we like it or not. And as Paul also said , we are living epistles being read by men. Being a reader, there's little I like more than to curl up with a good book and lose myself in the flow of the words as they paint their myriad images on the panels of my mind. So..what kind of images am I creating for my own personal story right now ? I wonder what the words are that spring to mind when others think of me - read me. How can I use this scripture to grow in christian maturity and grace ? By using the scripture as my frame and changing just a few words to apply it personally, I arrive at this interpretive picture of the kind of godly woman I see in the above verse..the kind I would like to be:

"..whatsoever woman is true, whatsoever woman is honest, whatsoever woman is just, whatsoever woman is pure, whatsoever woman is lovely, whatsoever woman is of good report, if she has any virtue, and if she has anything praiseworthy, think on these things."

True.. honest.. just.. pure.. lovely.. good reputation.. virtuous.. praiseworthy
To become such a woman would surely bring honour to my husband and glory to my God !

I see so much written about the Proverbs 31 woman, and rightly so, for she is amazing. I have long admired her and grown fond of her as a godly ideal of a good wife and mother. But I am also warming to the picture of loveliness I see here in Paul's admonition to the church. And as a woman I find it quite easy to relate to words like 'lovely' because I am very fond of lovely things, especially in my surroundings, and really enjoy finding pretty objects to decorate my home. But more and more, I find myself looking inward to see if any of these beautiful ideals of Paul's epistle may be found in me !
Paul also, urges us to be 'transformed by the renewing of our minds and not to be conformed to the image of the world.' We are admonished elsewhere that 'as a man thinketh -so is he'. It all begins with a thought...

"sow a thought and reap an act;
sow an act and reap a habit;
sow a habit and reap a character".

Only through the transforming grace of God can I be made to conform inwardly and outwardly, to the sweet character of godliness that I've discovered hidden in this part of God's word. That is my sure hope on which to place my trust and so, standing on God's word as my foundation and trusting His grace to be the wind beneath my wings, I have embarked upon the pilgrimage to become a "Philippians 4:8 woman."

Trish