Two Views of Pregnancy and Babies

Babies: The World's View

The Perfect LITTLE Family ( a term created by Voddie Baucham)- I thought I was over the "perfect little family stage". After I had two children, a daughter and a son, many acquaintances assumed that we were "done". I mean, after all, don't two children, one of each gender, qualify as the "perfect little family"? When we were expecting our third, we started getting fingers pointing at us, trying to count "all of those children". Jaws hit the floors when people saw that we were having our third. Expecting my fourth blessing, I was certain that I was done hearing about the perfect family, but it has resurfaced. The main reason is because four is an even number. Some who do not understand my family's conviction about having children have asked me if I am "hoping for a boy" to "even out the score". All I can say to that, is that God is Sovereign and I will be delighted with whatever He has chosen to send my husband and I. This can be frustrating to deal with, but I believe that God is trying to teach me a lot in the sanctification process. I certainly have a long way to go. Overall, though, I feel extremely blessed that our announcement of our fourth blessing has been so well received. The well wishes and kind thoughts have been such a blessing to us.

Save the Planet, Have Fewer Kids - According to the world, having too many children is bad for the environment. Accordingly, everyone is encouraged to be "responsible".

Addicted to the Bump- Women who embrace their fertility and let their bodies do what they were created to do (nurture and sustain human life), are now labeled as "being addicted to pregnancy". This article quotes a Beverly Hills psychiatrist who claims that,

"Women who are obsessed with being pregnant are literally filling an emptiness inside of them, just as alcoholics and drug addicts use substances to fill a psychological void."

Another disturbing quote from the article:

"Given all the psychological, physical, and social rewards associated with pregnancy, it's no surprise that so many women like it. But plenty of couples stop at one or two children, despite the fundamental drive to reproduce. This is because we can use our higher brain functions to keep those instincts in check, reminding ourselves that children cost money — about $950 a month until they're 18 — and require an extraordinary amount of time and energy."

Babies: A Biblical View

Is An Economic Downturn a Good Reason to Stop Having Kids? Voddie Baucham's article is saturated with Biblical wisdom; this should be a must read for all married couples.

Enjoying Your Quiverfull- Amy's post has been instrumental in my life, as a quiverfull mother. Around the time she wrote that post, my youngest was nearly one, and many of my friends with one-year olds, were pregnant again. I wanted to be pregnant so badly; I wished that it was my time too. I found that I was thinking about having another baby so much, rather than being thankful and content for the three blessings that I had already received. (I don't believe that there is anything wrong with crying out to the Lord for a precious blessing, but if His answer is no, then I need to rest in His Will.) As Amy mentioned in that post,

"If we are totally trusting the Lord with our family size, then we MUST be content with our family size at any given point in time."

I used to think that being quiverfull was about having a lot of children. Now I know that it is about resting in Him to open and close my womb, according to His Will. He is the one with plans for my children; why should I worry about when they will come? When I focused so much of my attention on wanting another child, I was sinning because I stopped waiting on Him and tried to find joy in my will. It is all about letting the Lord build your family, and contentedly resting in Him.
A godly woman, a mother of nine, mentioned to me that letting the Lord build your family is a walk of faith. At times, you may feel like the children come too fast, at other times you may feel like the children come too slowly. But it is all about receiving them joyfully, and resting in Him. I am so thankful that God used Amy's post to change my heart.

The Other Side of the Quiverfull Coin

May God abundantly bless you!