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Road trip

Greetings from the road. More specifically, from Oregon. My new bride and I are moving across the country to start life as a separate, new unit. As we have been driving, we have been getting to know each other more. For example, if she could grow only one plant what would it be? She says an apple tree. I chose potatoes. If the Irish survived off that stomach filling, hearty crop it seems like a good way to go. We in our relationships grow daily whether we know it or not. If there is no communication or a sense of ‘dating your spouse’ we will change right before each other’s eyes and not even know it. Twenty years later we wonder where the person we married went to. I encourage you to get to know your spouse again if you haven’t been able to lately. The children need to see the husband and wife relationship as a solid one built on Christ as a foundation.

Next week, I will cover how to deal with male chauvinists.

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Why Does Society Hate Women?

I read this article today about trends that are occurring in modernized societies. Women are waiting to have kids. They want to focus on their careers and ‘enjoy life’ before they are tied down. They are finding though that it is more difficult to have kids later in life (especially if there were no children born when the mother was younger). The numbers of babies being born around the world have dropped drastically. Japan is getting very concerned because their society won’t last long unless the women start having kids. But the women don’t want to. They don’t even want to get married. I read this quote from the CIA World Factbook regarding the world’s population,

A rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above two children indicate populations growing in size and whose median age is declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties for families, in some situations, to feed and educate their children and for women to enter the labor force. Rates below two children indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Global fertility rates are in general decline and this trend is most pronounced in industrialized countries, especially Western Europe, where populations are projected to decline dramatically over the next 50 years.

We in the US are ranked at having an average of 2.06 kids. Now with the childless couples becoming a hit I can expect that this will decrease even more throughout the years to come. Why is it that societies are having less kids? Can we be so consumed with money that we look at how much it costs to raise a kid we shirk at having more than two or three kids? Could it be that we are so enamored with ourselves that we can’t and don’t see how much a blessing children are? Are we calling God a liar?? Psalm 127:3, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” KJV.

Male chauvinism is not what we think it is. Male chauvinism in a sense is thinking men are superior to women. When men and women think and believe that woman’s place in the home is meaningless and nothing is male chauvinism. When people think that to be successful for a woman means to have a career, that is male chauvinism. Men’s place being the protector and provider and leader is for men…to think that women should be right up there with them is misogyny (hatred of women). It is because of this, I believe, that birth rates are so low in modern societies. There is no room for children when women are busy conquering the world and being heroes. There is no room, patience, and selflessness because people now a days are about themselves.

I choose to stay in the home. I don’t care if I have kids or not. I will be labeled as a stay at home wife/homemaker/helper to my husband–because that is where God has called me (and all women) to be. I care more about what God says than what society says. God says children are a blessing so I will believe it and try to boost the 2.06 average (if the Lord blesses me with children). I pray that you too will examine your life and see where you can be a better wife to your husband, husband to your wife, and parent to your children. This life is but a passing moment. “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14. Let’s focus on what matters and what will last for eternity.

Article about Trends: http://www.mercatornet.com/demography/view/13613

World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2127rank.html

Freedom, Oppression, and Equality

By: Lilyofthevalley2014

For the most part, we in America do not have a correct view on freedom, oppression, and equality. I would put myself in part of that bunch. I don’t know what it means to have my freedom stripped away or be oppressed by a tyrannical dictator. But I have been in the boxing ring with equality. Fighting hand to hand with it. I was confused why every punch I threw did nothing to my opponent and every blow I got to the face was a wake up call: “What am I doing here.” “Why do I want to be equal with my opponent?” Every hard blow nudged me to the edge of the mat. The wood floor was calling out my name to step off and be done. When I finally crawled weakly out of the ring I realized that I was being oppressed and my freedom was being taken from me. Who was doing this? Who was oppressing me? Could you believe that it was culture? The Media? People in my church? My family?

We have this idea that freedom only means you are trapped, unable to get loose. No freedom or rights to do what you want to do. And oppression is when someone is telling you and forcing you to do something you don’t like. When I was younger, I shook my fist at God and demanded an explanation on why He made me a girl. Boys get to have all the fun. Boys get the cool toys. Boys get to do this and do that. I gave no value to women and their role. I was a male chauvinist. I valued men’s role more than woman’s. Why? It’s not like I was taught this concept so explicitly from my parents. Nothing I learned about men’s and women’s role was overt or so profound to me. I downplayed women’s role because of the silent undercurrent of the information that I was processing.  I believed the lies. The lies that I would be ‘oppressed’ if I stayed at home. The lies that being a mother and caring for children would take my ‘freedom’ away. I wanted to be independent. I wanted to be selfish and have my dreams come true. When the Lord started opening my eyes to what He had for me as a woman my whole entire world came crashing down. TKO-Technical Knock-Out. I was down for the count and I did not get up. I stayed down and I crawled off the mat…never to step into that arena again.

Viewing women as a failure for ‘simply’ taking care of children and their husbands is a lie straight from the devil. How many women today are looked down upon for being homemakers? “Why don’t you actually help your husband and get a job?” (Paul Washer’s wife was told this–Sidebar: If you have never heard this man preach you are missing out! http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/ ) Where does our true source of freedom come from? There will always be oppression and the fight for equality, but there is one freedom–only one freedom that no one can take from you. Freedom in Christ.

There are still some those who cry out, like I did, “That’s not fair! It’s my Christian Liberty to do what I want to do. If it is not explicitly in the Bible then its Christian Liberty.” When Christ transforms our lives and our eyes are opened to pride, arrogance, selfishness, and not fulfilling the responsibilities He has placed on our shoulders, we will quickly see how far we have to go. And without Christ, we cannot get to the end. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13” Let me know if I took that verse out of context…it is taken out of context so many times.

Those blows that I got were not metaphorical. I even bragged out the bruised eyes and bruised shins. I placed myself in man’s arena and strived for ‘equality.’ I could never match up to a man. Blood, sweat, nor tears could get me there. I am a woman. I was not made a man. Did God make a mistake? Of course not. What creation can tell the creator He messed up? Women thinking they can be men (Not physically, but in essence with man’s responsibility and purpose) is a distortion of God’s intended purpose. Freedom is a privilege, not a right. Let’s start trying to focus on not being self entitled and having the world revolve around us…you…me.

Although I know that I have wasted most of my life so far, trying to become one that I simply will never even come close to, I am wrestling through how to view my life right now. Even though I have found my liberation in Christ first and a true woman second, I still have my past I have to live with. Is God sovereign? Of course. Is it His will that I sin? Of course not. Did God place me where He wanted me? Of course. Is where He placed me where He wanted me to be? Of course not. Do you see the struggle? I despise my life. I grew up training how to be a man. I have either sold, thrown away, or given all my past away almost. All the awards, accolades, pictures, things….garbage. It is all rubbish. I don’t have much left. I know where God wants me to be. I know that it was His will to create me a woman so there I have my destination. I have my map (the Bible). I have my guide (Jesus). It only goes up from here!  ^“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14. God is good. I praise Him for saving my spiritual and physical life–for I am a distortion.

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