Spiritwick

There are many days that I don't manage to squeeze in a morning Bible study and prayer time. Yesterday was one of those mornings. I woke up and remembered that we had a pool party to get to and that I hadn't set an alarm to allow for both a quiet time AND getting everyone to the party on time. We got to the pool party on time. My four year old almost died in one of the pools. We had spent hours at the party with everyone having a good time. I'd decided we needed to leave soon, but I was letting my girls enjoy it a little bit longer. My older 2 were playing in and near a pool in front of me, and my youngest was playing in a kiddie pool behind me. I don't remember exactly what the distraction was from that moment to the next. Maybe I was helping another kid with something. Maybe I was daydreaming. Maybe I was trying to determine how much longer I was going to let them stay. Maybe I was trying to figure out if we had everything ready to go. Whatever it was, when I looked...

I have spent most of my life in a southern state of the U.S.A. where women are not always valued beyond their ability to look pretty, keep house, bear children, and cook a good meal.  This is true even, and to my deep sadness, sometimes especially in the church. When women are praised here, it is usually for one or more of these acts, and although I like to hear women praised for their hard work in general, hearing over and over again how important women are because they support and raise up men, tears at me.  Here's why: This is my family.  This is a four generational image of which I am a part.  I am one of 2 daughters to my mother who had no sons, and my sister and I both have had 3 daughters each and no sons.  I love my girls, my nieces, my sister, my family to bits, but the thought that my existence could only have meaning to the extent that I influence a man behind the scenes left me begging God for an answer to the meaning of my life. Is my life reall...