"Many a woman, forced to prepare for herself or her children the stylish costumes demanded by fashion, is doomed to ceaseless drudgery. Many a mother with throbbing nerves and trembling fingers toils far into the night to add to her children's clothing ornamentation that contributes nothing to healthfulness, comfort, or real beauty. For the sake of fashion she sacrifices health and that calmness of spirit so essential to the right guidance of her children. The culture of mind and heart is neglected. The soul is dwarfed. MH 290.2"
"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
The EGW passage echoes the sentiment in Luke 10:41-42, where Jesus emphasizes the importance of spiritual priorities over being overly concerned with worldly tasks. Both passages highlight the danger of neglecting spiritual and mental well-being in favor of excessive focus on material concerns (in Luke, Martha's busyness with serving, and in EGW, the mother's obsession with fashionable clothing).