Today is October 1. In my cruise around the internet this morning, I realized it is the day Rachel Held Evans gets her hair cut and that the curtain has come down on the farce that was her "biblical womanhood" project.
In the meantime, in homes all over this country -- thankfully, homes that are far, far too numerous to name -- women who will never get the recognition that Mrs. Evans is getting, women who will never be interviewed on BBC, NPR or mentioned on Oprah's blog, women who will ever get an advanced book contract or be featured as the "New Voice" at a Soularize conference, women that you will never hear about from a blog post or a tweet, are wiping poopy bottoms and washing diapers, cleaning spit-up from their Sunday best, making dinner for nine (and that's just her own household) and doing the fifteenth load of laundry for the week while also ironing their husband's work shirts and creating a home for him to come home to that is more than a house and much more than a place where they all lay their heads down at night.
These anonymous women are doing kingdom-building work. These are the mothers whose children will rise up and call her blessed. These are the wives whose husbands will praise them, saying they surpass all other women.
The childless Evans has no one who will rise up and call her blessed. Even as a "mother in Israel" or a spiritual mother, she has led those who follow her into rebellion and not repentance.
Here endeth the year of the farce.
How is a Christian (a believer for 4 yrs), 40-something, childless woman supposed to feel?
ReplyDeleteFeel? Probably left out, if she's wondering about her feelings. But as for what to do about it? My advice to her would be the same I give myself (a 51-year-old childless woman) on my better days:
ReplyDeleteBecome a spiritual mother, a mother in Israel. That women will surely have children who rise up and call her blessed and sisters who praise her.
Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog and your advice.
Your Sister In Christ.
My husband has done his share of wiping poopy bottoms, doing laundry, keeping our home clean, and having dinner ready when I came home from work, as I did after he lost his job.
ReplyDeleteI guess his children will rise up and call him blessed. I certainly praise him, saying he surpasses all other men.
My husband and I have taken turns working at "work" and working at home. As a result, we're in a better position to take care of one another and to understand one another's needs and pressures.
This isn't about women trying to serve men or men trying to serve women. It's about both men and women who are trying to do their best for their children and for each other. It's about making sacrifices and taking opportunities that will help one's children.
A good friend of mine is a physician. She helps others every day, and her salary pays her children's private school fees and college fees. Her children love and respect her enormously.
There is not a "one size fits all" solution for holiness.
Anonymous the last,
ReplyDeleteI think you've missed the point. Deliberately.
Kamilla