tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361429.post679504475923627761..comments2023-11-03T00:59:06.808-07:00Comments on Common Places: Further on the parenthood of all believersRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09552221110548320109noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361429.post-23887273765354046102011-08-17T10:12:01.473-07:002011-08-17T10:12:01.473-07:00Amen.Amen.Margothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06147482220796536928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361429.post-68698880988493430212010-06-06T23:06:22.530-07:002010-06-06T23:06:22.530-07:00Word.
I think there is a split between how things...Word.<br /><br />I think there is a split between how things are and how things could be/should be. How things are is that people often are forced to choose between raising children <i>or</i> doing something meaningful. The problems with that (false) dichotomy:<br />(1) It applies almost exclusively to women.<br />(2) We need to redefine our perceptions of "meaningful," anyhow.<br />(3) Everyone could do both if everyone were committed to the greater community.<br /><br />I found that being married (before having a kid even entered the picture) actually did sap some of the I-can-do-antyhing juice out of my system, because now I had another person to compromise with (another person who didn't feel like, for instance, moving to Mongolia). That said, there's something valuable in relationship, in the "iron sharpening iron" that takes place there, and children are an extension of the same. I also feel that children are very small and very dependent for only a short time, so it's not like it has to "ruin" your whole dang life to have them. It's funny (and surprising but pleasant to me) that I've gotten more done (in terms of pursuing ambitions both ecclesiastical and professional) since having a child than I did throughout my 20s without one, for what that's worth. I think having relatively little free time has intensified the snatches I have and made me hone my efficiency.<br /><br />There certainly have been times I've been annoyed with people who take parenting as an excuse to let go of all responsibility outside the nuclear family. But I fault the larger culture that created such a concept as the nuclear family and placed such value on it that it's acceptable to further one's own self-interests at the expense of the community, even within the church. Heck, it's encouraged! (e.g., Come to our services and put your kids downstairs and don't bother volunteering except in the nursery.) I'm hoping as we raise our child(ren) to continue to bring them into our church and business and community life alongside us so that we participate together — even when that's hard, often because it <i>is</i> so unusual and unsupported.<br /><br />Anyway, I'm quoting you on my blog, because you're putting it so very well.Lauren Waynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500733577920040395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361429.post-68760121651433729742010-05-14T06:03:58.962-07:002010-05-14T06:03:58.962-07:00Rachel, you're right, it shouldn't be an e...Rachel, you're right, it shouldn't be an either-or. But the way it's too often set up, it is made to be that way. Let's hope that some of us can navigate both parenthood and prophetic witness.tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12407408868034269264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361429.post-3321844400319141422010-05-12T23:53:11.389-07:002010-05-12T23:53:11.389-07:00There is research that says (and is sited in Staff...There is research that says (and is sited in Stafford's book) that somewhere around 80% of all Christians make the commitment before the age of 18, and yet the majority of churches and missions agencies devote less than 10% of their budget towards children and children's ministries. <br /><br />So yeah, children should probably factor in to any revolution.Mike and Mindee in Africahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17642356425464089643noreply@blogger.com