Society VS. Children

I am actually not sure where I want to begin with this topic, or what one point I want to make with it either. In the past few weeks and even months, my eyes have been opened to how much "society" is not child friendly.

Why is pregnancy furiously avoided, even among the happily married and the highly religious? Why are large families the subject of jokes? Why do so many mothers sigh with relief and delight when they send their children off to school? Why do parents count down the days until summer vacation ends? Why do people think that couples who have 3+ children have lost their minds?

When I told people that I was having our third child, do you want to know what the majority of the responses were?

"Your going to have three kids at age twenty one...?" -This person actually sounded rather disgusted when they said this.

"When I told my grandma, she asked me if your church believed in birth control"

"Aren't you scared?" (me-scared of what?) " I dont know, having a third kid to keep from dying or something"

"Another, I hope it's a boy. It'd suck if you had another girl"

And most recently, I was told that I am a screw up for "having a "farm" of children at twenty one. "

Obviously, the most recent comment struck up this topic for me. Since when was there a standard age bracket that everyone goes by when they decide to have children? Since when was having three children a "farm"? What is wrong with having three girls? We tried for this baby, and we are very happy to be having her and making our family a family of....(hold your breath)....FIVE! We don't look at having children as "another kid to keep from dying" or getting hurt, or another kid to feed or cloth, or another mess, or another space in our home. We believe that every single child we have and will have, is NOTHING but a blessing from God. If God gives us a child, we have faith that he is going to give us what we need to provide a good life for that child as well. He's not going to give us a child, and no way to take care of or raise that child.

Matthew 6 25-34

²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life.

²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Reading this verse makes me want to cry with gratefulness! If I am doing God's will, I have nothing to worry about. My children are happy, they are fed, they are clothed, we have health insurance, we have a nice home, a dependable vehicle that fits us all, we have money to go on vacation, we have money to do fun things with them, to provide for all their needs and for extra's. Their dad has a good job, their mom is able to stay at home all day long and take care of them and teach them and love them. Not just my family, but any family that is following God. God take's care of his children.

It's really hard to explain myself or why we do what we do or why we believe what we believe to non-believers. Three kids is not the most you will see from us, and I am really happy to not just say that, but to believe it. I have to constantly remind myself all the time to not look to society for approval (it's allot harder than it sounds!)

Romans 12 1-2

²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Big families make me smile. I grew up with 6 brothers and sister, and even though there are many (many many many many....many..many many many) things that I would do differently if I were my parents, I loved it. No, we were not rich. But like I said before, my parent's love God, and we were always taken care of and other's approval was never needed or wanted.

Psalm 127 3-5

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.