A Reflection on Parenting (Part 1)
I have found responses to this to be very frustrating. Ever since the Time article came out, there have been a lot of media sources jumping on it and railing about the horrors of teen pregnancy. Most of the topics that have cropped up in response to the initial article have been centered around access to birth control and better sex-ed. Both of which are missing the mark as usual.
In the initial article, the principal of GHS stated that the apparent reason for the increase in pregnancies is a combination of the economic depression in Gloucester and the glamorization of teen pregnancy in films. Another explaination for the increase came from Amanda Ireland, recent grad of GHS and current teen mom, as she asserted that most of the girls who got pregant are “so excited to finally have someone to love them unconditionally.” (I would like to state as a sort of aside that I find this argument to be a common and extremely selfish reason for having children among non-Christians and an expectation that a mom should never have for her kids. Being a mom is one of the highest callings in a woman’s life and it should not be pursued as a quick way to have a loving relationship. Besides, anyone who has had a baby knows that it is the mom who is the sacrificial lover not the child.)
While these reasons may be related to an increase in teen pregnancy, they seem to me to be secondary as opposed to a primary reason. I’ve been kicking around another possible reason for teen pregnancies in general that my fellow MCH and public health associates would frown upon. I’m becoming convinced that the current ‘problem’ is our society’s over-glamorization and fanticization of the all-glorious and almost completely fictictional concept of childhood.
Now I’m not talking about the actual time frame in which infants grow into reproducing adults. I referring to the concept of a time of life that is completely devoid of responsibility and full of self-centered and self-seeking pleasure and play. In an attempt to give our kids ‘all the best things in life,’ we’ve perpetuated a sin problem. In the process of taking away their worries, we’ve glorified a lifestyle that is so self-centered it’s unsustainable in real life (and it honestly should not be sustained).
I think what it boils down to is not an issue of ‘babies having babies’ but of parents not training their children. And a fix for that is neither more access to birth control nor better sex-ed.
Obscure for those outside the nerd world:
I say hyphenation is cheating
Kyle, this is incredible! I am blown away. Very profound and thought provoking. I wish you the best and I know you will serve our country well. God bless you and your family.
All I can say is what the Lord once said to me — I know that’s very subjective.
But I once spent a great deal of time repenting of my feelings. I considered my feelings the TRUE expression of me. Once in the midst of such a repentence, The Lord broke in and said. That’s not who you are — it’s just how you feel
Similiar thing happened when we first moved to Tulsa. I was simply contemplating my last few months working with children in Lawton; ruminating on the adage that you can’t fool a child. Thinking, yes, you can. I fooled them every week. I didn’t love them but they thought I did. Again, I was interrupted when the Lord said, that was love. Love isn’t a warm fuzzy feeling — it’s what you do and you LOVED those children for me.
One of the most powerful teachings I have hung onto through the years came from a converted Jewish woman whose name I have forgotten. She was the speaker at a retreat I went to when we first moved to Lawton. The series of messages was Obedience: Squeals, Squawks and the deluxe combo. Squealing obedience was when what we’re given to do is exactly what we want to do and we squeal with joy. Squawking obedience is the opposite. And the dexlue combo are those situations that begin either squeaking or squawking and then the experiences reverses itself. The point she made over and over again was that if we obeyed regardless of our feelings [squawking] The Lord would write in His book _________obeyed me, one more time.
I think feelings matter but I don’t find evidence God is judging us by them. He is moved by the feelings of our infirmities.
Side bar — but we all have ways we used to “fix” ourselves when our feelings begin to overwhelm us – my pesonal favorite is worship. Which anyone can do driving down the road. Lenghty devotions are not the only solution. Kerry uses worship and also has a wonderful testimony of using just giving thanks.
How in the world are you having time to listen to so many messages and post reviews in the afternoon? Are you leading a double life? I am jealous, I never have that kind of time with my work…
I think the poem is spot-on, having lived on an anvil of late. Thanks for transcribing it! Hope I get a semi-noble part.
I don’t have time to read any more. But I have plenty of time to listen. In due deference though, I didn’t transcribe it. The lovely folks at Dave Harvey’s church sent me a copy when they wrote back to me.
I did put in the proper line breaks, tho’.
It seems there were only the two entrants. So who won?
Hope everything’s ok. Our prayers are with you guys.
When is his appointment with a neuro?
Dang! What would a person do with nearly 9 gallons of mince meat?!
I do happen to like mince meat pie, though my tastes are probably off since I’m used to the store bought stuff. Still, 9 gallons…
Blegh. I remember what happened the last time mincemeat was consumed in our family.
MMM, that does sound good. Next time you cook up a batch send me a couple of cans
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