America After 50 Years of the Pill

Geoff Botkin writes on the societal implications of 50 years on birth control…buckle up.

“Fifty-nine modern nations are plagued by the high-tech benefits of birth-control pills. Each of them have waged a cultural war against babies. Each of them suffer below-replacement birthrates. Each of them face potential extinction. But concerns such as national suffering, dangerous international geopolitics and the disappearance of entire nations are matters that would require mature thinking – something that was successfully bred-out of the American people when they accepted the pill as, in the words of Hugh Hefner, the greatest invention of the 20th century.”

Read How ‘The Pill’ Led to Societal Infantilism

The Church That Turns Visitors Away

A friend of mine brought up a very thought-provoking observation (thank you Mr. Schultz!):

Ask most people how they measure the success of their church and “growth” is almost always the first answer.  We generally acknowledge that a church “bursting at the seams” is doing well, while a church whose members are dwindling is looked upon as a sad, unfortunate plight.

And while there is a whole different discussion about the inaccuracy of our measurement of Kingdom growth (Jesus’ entire earthly ministry solicited less than 100 followers) as it relates to numbers, I find it entirely ironic and downright ignorant on our part that church growth is celebrated while family growth (where Christians should assume that added members will be discipled and brought up in the faith) is frowned upon and even discouraged.

Do we not ever think about our logic? Why can’t we at least be consistent?

What would you say (would you be bold enough to say anything) if when you arrived at church Sunday with a visitor, standing at the door is your pastor.

“I’m so sorry, she can’t come in.”

“Excuse me?” You ask. 

“We have too many members and quite frankly our budget won’t allow for another one.  Not only that but we’re just too busy to tell another person about the gospel.  What with all the new buildings and activities–we can barely keep up with the ones we have…are you crazy?  Do you honestly think adding another member is a wise decision?”

Go ye therefore, and ponder.

Breast Cancer Awareness: More Helpful Than Bra Color

To raise breast-cancer awareness and encourage women to get early mammograms, yesterday Facebook users posted a number of “cutesie” reminders, including the color of their bra.

So I scratch my head and wonder, again, why we don’t propagate something a little more useful and, um, sensible, something that may actually have a real effect on lessening cases of breast cancer.

And I know I have a blaring flaw when it comes to “lightening up”, but I see everything in connectedness; five seconds after hearing about the “bra-color craze” I had  traced back to the woes of how the Industrial Revolution is tied to the increase of breast cancer…I can’t help it.

But seriously, one of the main preventions of breast cancer is having babies, menstruating less (i.e. pregnant more) and breast feeding.  It’s not rocket science why we’ve seen a dramatic increase in breast cancer over the last 60 or so years.  But nobody’s saying, “if you want to reduce your risk of breast cancer, have more babies, and stay home so you can breast feed them”. (Because let’s face it, that opens the discussion to a whole lot of cause and effect that we don’t want to talk about.)  Well, I just said it.

And I know women who have had several babies, breast fed them all and sadly, still got breast cancer;  I’m not discrediting early detection.  Notice I said it would “reduce” the rate, and I believe scientific evidence proves that.  So, how cool would it be if we started some Facebook group craze about these facts?  Any ideas?  I’m game!

And for many more fabulous benefits of breast feeding, follow the link below:

“We know that breastfeeding drastically reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. For this reason alone, it is worth committing to breastfeed.” Nature’s Brilliant Plan:  Fact About Breastfeeding

Update:  You can now join “Breast Cancer:  Awareness That Makes A Difference”

A Wanted Child

“You were such a wanted child.”

Gathered around by a few, soft lights with some of our closest friends, we wished little Cooper a happy 8th birthday by speaking a short blessing over his upcoming year. It was a sweet time, and I left with his mother’s words echoing in my heart….

“You were such a wanted child.”

Cooper is the third born, and the first child Robin and Scott had after their vasectomy reversal.

A wanted child.

The words keep ringing. Have I spoken this to all my children? Do they know they are wanted? Do I live with them like they are wanted? Do those who spend any time with our family see that my children are wanted?

In an age where birth control makes it so simple, no, mandatory that we “control” the children born to us, is it any wonder why it’s so easy to arrive unwanted? In a controlled environment, any variable that changes unexpectedly is deemed “unwanted”. It’s a mistake, a plan gone awry.

We don’t even know we do this to our own children. How many times I’ve heard a child described as “an accident”. An immortal soul–a living miracle of God–an accident?

We should shudder at our evolved thinking toward life. We should read the Bible again as little children…

“It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.” Psalm 100:3

And now, I look at my children…“you are such wanted children”. Let me say it with my life.

A few snuggles before we go….

One Crazy Lady With Her Large Family

They say that I am crazy for letting you be born,
But one look at your angel face makes crazy all the scorn.

They say we can’t afford you–that you’ll need a lot of stuff,
But your pudgy cheeks remind us that our God is big enough.

They say it’s strange–eight kids so far–and ask what’s wrong with us,
How could we know that proof of married love would cause this fuss?

God’s Word tells me He made us, so when they look at you,
I’ll tell them not to ask me why, because He made you too!

Kelly Crawford

Where Do Babies Come From?

“The lady in the next line exclaimed, clearly shocked, ‘You’re PREGNANT?  Was it planned?’ I didn’t say anything, too busy getting my jaw off the floor. But the little girl thinks and says, ‘God plans everybody’.” -Mary

“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.” Genesis 4:1

That verse struck me when I read it out loud.  You don’t hear that much from a woman who has just given birth.

The thing is, we are unable, in the familiarity of technology and the ability to control almost everything, to step back, and with child-like eyes, the eyes Eve had, consider the subject of reproduction in its simplicity, and just be willing to see it for what it is.

Could I kindly steer you away from the “buts” and “what ifs”…I don’t think it matters at all about whether it’s wrong or right to use birth control, what methods are acceptable, etc. I think what matters about children and God’s gift of bearing them is that we start at the right place, longing to know and share God’s heart about His creation and embracing the revelation of that as it is written both in His Word and in our bodies.

“I have gotten a man from the Lord”.

Adam and Eve knew one another…the beautiful, holy, unaltered marriage bed where conception is only seen as a “gift from the Lord”, not something to fear or avoid.

Is that how I view my own reproduction?

Do I have child-like eyes of faith?

When once I get that the Lord gives children, my heart is changed.  I am now grateful with an unspeakable awe that He would grant such a gift.  Perhaps the barren woman has a better understanding of the miracle of an open or closed womb.  Does that require a rigid set of rules concerning my fertility?  No.  When my heart says with Eve’s…”the Lord gives life“, it is enough.