We love big families. Love seems like such a lame word to use to describe our joy in being parents to a quiverfull. And yet I’ve noticed a terrible, terrible trend since becoming a mother of more than two.
Big families are treated like a burden on society. Let me make this clear – I don’t know one family that has four or more and is living off the government. Yet we are asked to support a woman’s choice to end life but nobody respects a large families choice to give life. The comments we receive can be harsh. And they’re said right in front of our children. Cruel words to heap upon a child’s listening ears.
Recently we’ve had the enormous blessing of reading Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham. We also went to the Teach Them Diligently homeschool convention. For the first time in our parental lives my husband and I felt normal. There were families all around that were just like us. No rude comments were made. There were children everywhere! And might I add – the most well behaved children. Yes there were occasional outbursts but the manners would have knocked you over.
Why is it so difficult for Americans to appreciate life? Why do we stop congratulating after child number three? Why do we think we have any say in what happens between a man, woman and God? I can not even begin to count the amount of women I’ve come across that, once they find out their pregnant with their third, fourth, fifth, sixth or more how completely terrified they are to tell their families. Namely parents or in laws. These poor women should be celebrating that God is blessing them and instead they try to hide this blessing from the inevitable persecution.
Here is a sermon I am praying you’ll listen to. Maybe you’re naive to all of this. Take a listen and learn about the struggles of rejection that large families deal with on a daily basis and how we need to change our mindsets.
So maybe you’re single. Maybe you have one or two children. Maybe you have no idea what I’m talking about. Here is a list of comments my husband and I have either received or our friends have. You parents of big families, I imagine you will be nodding in agreement to all of these. I’m so sorry that you are. I hope peoples hearts will be more open to accepting our decision to follow God’s command. But even if they’re not I know that you, my loves, are gathering treasures in Heaven and obey our Father and not societies shaking head.
Blessings!
