Does a "full quiver" bring blessing?

I need some "motherly" (or fatherly) wisdom.

This weekend, Kay Arthur made a solid argument about how the media distorts the truth, and even more so the truths we hold dear in our faith. (Please keep in mind that I largely agree as someone with a newspaper background and a career, in part, dealing with media relations.) I realize more and more how different the Christian's view of life is and should be from the rest of society's if we base our worldview on the Bible.

I ran across this article today that asks the question, "Who says having kids makes you happy?" It's based on surveys and studies, but it seems to go completely against Biblical principles. Whatever happened to a man being blessed when his quiver was full of children (Psalm 127:4-5)?

I've often heard that parenthood is a journey out of selfishness, if it's done right. I guess that helps me understand how our ultra-selfish generation would make miserable parents. Is life really about pleasing ourselves to the utmost or about glorifying the God who made us?

I need the opinions of some honest parents -- Do you feel as though your marital satisfaction has decreased since having children? Do you feel as though your life has been enriched, or has the life been drained out of you? What would you say to someone reading this article, wondering if children are a blessing or a curse? Do you have any regrets or things you wish you could go back and change?

Please don't think I'm bashing anyone who chooses not to have children or can't have children. I know plenty of blessed, Jesus-serving people who aren't parents. I welcome comments from them, too. I'd just like some perspective.

Words

Linda (http://mochawithlinda.blogspot.com/) posted this on her blog yesterday, and I thought it would be fun. Every question has to be answered in only one word. It's harder than it looks. So if you'd like to try it, tag! You're it!

1. Where is your cell phone? Desk
2. Your significant other? Hero
3. Your hair? Brown
4. Your mother? Fun
5. Your father? Passionate
6. Your favorite thing? Love
7. Your dream last night? Fuzzy
8. Your favorite drink? Tea
9. Your dream/goal? Heaven
10. The room you’re in? Cubicle
11. Your church? Promising
12. Your fear? Dark
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Vacation
14. Where were you last night? Andalusia
15. What you’re not? Sophisticated
16. Muffins? Pecan
17. One of your wish list items? Direction
18. Where you grew up? Elba
19. The last thing you did? Interview
20. What are you wearing? Gauchos
21. Your TV? Home
22. Your pets? Someday
23. Your computer? Used
24. Your life? Blessed
25. Your mood? Excited
26. Missing someone? Girlfriends
27. Your car? Fusion
28. Something you’re not wearing? Flipflops
29. Favorite store? Crafts
30. Your summer? Fast
31. Like(love) someone? Plenty
32. Your favorite color? Green
33. Last time you laughed? Today
34. Last time you cried? Sunday
35. Who will repost this? April

Going deeper

A cheesy joke to start off: Why couldn't the pilgrims keep their pants up? Because they wore their belt buckles on their hats! This is totally unrelated to my post, but surely, I'm not the only one who likes cheesy jokes. Gunter told it to me. We're sitting on the backyard swing waiting for some chicken to grill.


I'm going to HOTlanta this weekend with a bunch of wild and crazy women! Anybody else gonna be there?


This will be my first trip with the women from Bethany and my first in-person Beth Moore event, so I'm really looking forward to it. Mom and I both have to work on Friday, so we'll be arriving late Friday night. With that many Christian women in one place, it's sure to be an exciting weekend.

Cancer free -- way to be!

Gunter's scans were completely clear! No cancer, not even a spot! Thank you, Lord!

His hemoglobin (red blood cell count) was a little higher than normal, which the doctor thinks is a result of his bone marrow overcompensating for the chemo. So, the doctor's orders were for Gunter to donate a unit of blood this week and come back for a PET scan in 8 weeks. He doesn't think this is related to Hodgkin's and that the higher hemoglobin might be the cause of the itching he's been having for the last couple of months.

Sounds like good news to me! Thank you for your prayers! It amazes me how our BIG, merciful God listens to the earnest prayers of His people. I'm also amazed at how brothers and sisters in Christ are willing to lift each other up so faithfully.

I'm excited that the good things God is up to in our lives won't be stifled by cancer. But you know, God does great things through His people, cancer-free or not.

3-month scans

It’s time for Gunter’s first checkup since he’s been in remission. He’ll have scans on Friday, June 13th (it’s a good thing we’re not superstitious), and then we’ll meet with the oncologist on Monday, June 16. Please pray for us! Things have been going so well, I would not be surprised if the Enemy were standing in Heaven’s throne room right now asking to sift us like wheat again. I know he tries to mess up what God is doing any way he can. God’s will is best no matter what, but we’d sure like to keep living our lives cancer-free.

Antiques

Last night, we visited a cabin where some dear friends live. Mr. Milford, now in his 70s, recently built the cabin himself. The warm scent of untreated wood greeted us as we walked in the door. He and his wife decorated the inside with various antiques, some found at flea markets and some recovered from family barns. The couple pointed out several pieces of farm equipment hung on the walls that Mr. Milford had used on his family's garden when he was growing up.

But before we saw the cabin, he showed us his new black motorcycle. Go figure.

Back to talking about "old" stuff, I love history, stories and antiques (and junk most people wouldn't call "antiques"). It got me thinking... When we're in our 70s or older, what will be considered "antiques"? What will hang on the walls of our cabins and country restaurants from right now, from our time gone by? Treasured items from my childhood differ quite a bit from Mr. Milford's plow, but here are some ideas...

A plastic DuckTales lunchbox and thermos, just like I took to kindergarten

Some sort of Apple computer, on which we used to play...

...Oregon Trail!

There's no telling how many My Little Pony toys and Barbies I had.

And don't forget those stylish pink jelly shoes I HAD to wear until my toes scrunched up at the ends.

Funny how items from the 80s are now called "vintage."