My apologies to those of you who can't have children who have read the previous article. I realize it's a source of great pain and suffering to want to have children and not be able to conceive or carry a child to term. I don't mean to infer that a life without children of your own is useless or joyless. There are other options in life that can bring similar joy and fulfillment.
Adoption seems like an obvious option, and in the past it would have been. But because so many mothers choose to have their children killed through abortion, the adoption field is very small. It's not impossible to adopt, but it is usually very expensive, especially if you wish to adopt a child from another country.
If adoption is not an option for you, there may be nieces or nephews that you can help nurture. Also, the children of single parents often need adults of the same sex to help them develop into well-balanced adults. You can help nurture children through coaching, volunteering in schools, teaching religion or being a Big Brother or Big Sister. There are also children in orphanages or shelters in need of love and care.
If you choose to do none of the above, it's still important to help others in some way. A life focused on yourself or on you and your spouse causes you to become turned in on yourself, your needs, your worries. The happiest and most well-balanced people are those who do things for others.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
The Gift of Children
"Behold, children are a gift from the Lord;
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
Happy the man whose quiver is filled with them;"
Psalm 127:3-5a
It seems the people of ancient times were much wiser than those of today. They understood that having a child is a great gift and a blessing from God. So many young people today look at having children as a burden; someone who interferes with their goals for their lives--career, vacations, money, a large house, expensive new car, possessions; a beautiful body. Or they may want to have children "someday"; after they have satisfied many of their goals, but before they get too old. Then that time comes and they find that the older you get the more difficult it can be to conceive and carry a baby. They also find that they have become accustomed to their cushy lifestyle and are reluctant to change. Rather than enjoying the child and seeing the gift he or she is, they resent this intrusion into their lives.
In both cases, those who choose not to have children and those who wait too long, there will come a time, when they are old, when they will regret the choices they made. They will finally see that careers, vacations and possessions are all fleeting. They are enjoyable for the moment, but have little lasting value. The man who was a Director in a company will be just another resident in the retirement village. To his company he will be just another retiree. The woman who gave up having children for a career will be just another lonely old woman looking with envy on all the grandparents enjoying their families. Those who had one or two children late in life and then gave them to someone else to raise so they could continue their career, will bemoan the fact that their children are not close to them; they don't call or visit.
Raising children is not easy. It can be difficult and challenging at times. And sacrifices have to be made. But nothing gives as much joy as watching a child grow and develop; seeing the results of your time, effort and sacrifices. And the investment you make in a child has lasting rewards. They do not fade or end but only get better with age.
The ancient ones were very wise. Children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
Happy the man whose quiver is filled with them;"
Psalm 127:3-5a
It seems the people of ancient times were much wiser than those of today. They understood that having a child is a great gift and a blessing from God. So many young people today look at having children as a burden; someone who interferes with their goals for their lives--career, vacations, money, a large house, expensive new car, possessions; a beautiful body. Or they may want to have children "someday"; after they have satisfied many of their goals, but before they get too old. Then that time comes and they find that the older you get the more difficult it can be to conceive and carry a baby. They also find that they have become accustomed to their cushy lifestyle and are reluctant to change. Rather than enjoying the child and seeing the gift he or she is, they resent this intrusion into their lives.
In both cases, those who choose not to have children and those who wait too long, there will come a time, when they are old, when they will regret the choices they made. They will finally see that careers, vacations and possessions are all fleeting. They are enjoyable for the moment, but have little lasting value. The man who was a Director in a company will be just another resident in the retirement village. To his company he will be just another retiree. The woman who gave up having children for a career will be just another lonely old woman looking with envy on all the grandparents enjoying their families. Those who had one or two children late in life and then gave them to someone else to raise so they could continue their career, will bemoan the fact that their children are not close to them; they don't call or visit.
Raising children is not easy. It can be difficult and challenging at times. And sacrifices have to be made. But nothing gives as much joy as watching a child grow and develop; seeing the results of your time, effort and sacrifices. And the investment you make in a child has lasting rewards. They do not fade or end but only get better with age.
The ancient ones were very wise. Children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Tithing Time For Prayer
There is a similarity between determining how much of your income to give to the poor and other charities and how much time to devote to prayer. Do you give 10%, 15%, 20%? Do you pray ten minutes, 30 minutes, one hour; or more? The needs are so great in the world, both for money and for prayer.
If our desire is to be obedient to God and follow Jesus, then we have to discern how much time He wants us to spend in prayer. It's not what we feel like doing or how much time we have (there will never be enough time), but how much time does God want us to set aside for prayer.
For each person the answer will be different. Also different will be the kind of prayer: praise, thanksgiving, meditation, intercession, reading Scripture, adoration, petitions. We need to include all these in our prayer time.
God definitely wants us to pray each day. But how much and which kind of prayer? Ask the Holy Spirit. He will guide you.
If our desire is to be obedient to God and follow Jesus, then we have to discern how much time He wants us to spend in prayer. It's not what we feel like doing or how much time we have (there will never be enough time), but how much time does God want us to set aside for prayer.
For each person the answer will be different. Also different will be the kind of prayer: praise, thanksgiving, meditation, intercession, reading Scripture, adoration, petitions. We need to include all these in our prayer time.
God definitely wants us to pray each day. But how much and which kind of prayer? Ask the Holy Spirit. He will guide you.
How's Your Driving?
God requires that we obey His Commandments.
He who obeys the commandments he has from me, is the man who loves me; (John 14:21)
Part of being obedient to God is obeying the speed limit when we drive. It's important when we drive by ourselves, but even more important when we are driving our family. Driving within the speed limit is part of our responsibility to care for our family.
He who obeys the commandments he has from me, is the man who loves me; (John 14:21)
Part of being obedient to God is obeying the speed limit when we drive. It's important when we drive by ourselves, but even more important when we are driving our family. Driving within the speed limit is part of our responsibility to care for our family.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Only a Mother?
A mother is a teacher—the
first and most important teacher; teaching her children how to speak, read and
write; teaching them faith, values, morals; a good work ethic; compassion for
and service to others.
A mother is a
nurse—bandaging up wounds and broken bones; caring for her sick children;
taking them to doctors, getting up in the night to give medicine, clean up
vomit or soothe a feverish brow.
A mother is a judge—helping
siblings to sort out their disputes; refereeing arguments and disagreements
with friends; deciding what’s right and wrong.
A mother is a guardian
angel—watching over her children day and night; child-proofing their home; a
safety inspector; warning them of possible dangers; teaching them to drive
safely.
A mother is a chef and
nutritionist –planning, buying and cooking healthy meals for her children;
providing healthy snacks; watching their weight so they don’t get overweight.
A poet once wrote “The
hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”
No job has a greater effect on the world than being a mother.
Most important the time
and energy invested in raising a child is an investment that will live forever.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Sexuality
We in our country (U.S.A.) and in many places throughout the world, have a distorted understanding of sex and the relationship between a man and a woman. (I do not refer to homosexual sex here because that in itself is distorted.)
Many people mistakenly believe that sexual intercourse is a bodily need like eating, sleeping, drinking; that not having a sexual relationship makes a person deficient in some way.
Some think sex was intended for pleasure. Actually, the reason for pleasure in sex is to get people to do it! If it did not cause us to feel good, we would avoid it.
God created our sexuality. In the Bible, in the Book of Genesis, it says that everything God created was “good”. Therefore sexual intercourse is good. But the Evil One and sinful people pervert the good things God created. For instance, eating is good and we need to eat to live. But over-eating is bad and harms our bodies. Rest and recreation is good, but too much rest and recreation makes us lazy and unproductive. Exercise is good and healthy for our bodies. But some people become obsessed with exercising and bodily appearance.
There are two purposes for sexual intercourse: it is procreative and unitive. The main purpose of sexual intercourse is the creation of children. This fact is very obvious to anyone observing the animal world. Our bodies were designed to create and bear children. Sex is unitive in that it bonds a man and a woman together emotionally and psychologically. That’s one reason why it was meant to be exclusive to married couples. It causes much emotional and psychological damage to both men and women when they have sex with multiple partners.
What do we do if we have no sexual partner? We live! There are many people in this world who live happy, fulfilling and productive lives without a sexual relationship. And even some of those who do have a husband or wife will find that a time may come when they can no longer have sex due to illness, disability or old age. We would all do well to remember that although having a sexual relationship is a blessing, it's not a necessity.
Many people mistakenly believe that sexual intercourse is a bodily need like eating, sleeping, drinking; that not having a sexual relationship makes a person deficient in some way.
Some think sex was intended for pleasure. Actually, the reason for pleasure in sex is to get people to do it! If it did not cause us to feel good, we would avoid it.
God created our sexuality. In the Bible, in the Book of Genesis, it says that everything God created was “good”. Therefore sexual intercourse is good. But the Evil One and sinful people pervert the good things God created. For instance, eating is good and we need to eat to live. But over-eating is bad and harms our bodies. Rest and recreation is good, but too much rest and recreation makes us lazy and unproductive. Exercise is good and healthy for our bodies. But some people become obsessed with exercising and bodily appearance.
There are two purposes for sexual intercourse: it is procreative and unitive. The main purpose of sexual intercourse is the creation of children. This fact is very obvious to anyone observing the animal world. Our bodies were designed to create and bear children. Sex is unitive in that it bonds a man and a woman together emotionally and psychologically. That’s one reason why it was meant to be exclusive to married couples. It causes much emotional and psychological damage to both men and women when they have sex with multiple partners.
What do we do if we have no sexual partner? We live! There are many people in this world who live happy, fulfilling and productive lives without a sexual relationship. And even some of those who do have a husband or wife will find that a time may come when they can no longer have sex due to illness, disability or old age. We would all do well to remember that although having a sexual relationship is a blessing, it's not a necessity.
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