I found an interesting article here on our culture that seems to be becoming more “purposely ‘child-free'”.
I especially like this quote toward the end:
Given the nature of real life and real children, this perfect parenthood experience eludes even the most prepared among us. Yet the expectation endures, alongside our cultural assumption that fulfillment lies in maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. The result is a growing number of adults for whom the perfect time to have children never arrives.
Childless adults miss the drudgery of parenting: the 3 a.m. wake-up calls, the terrible twos, the tantrums in stores, diaper disasters and teenage angst. They also miss those breathtaking moments that sneak up on parents amid the daily grind: the surprise of that first smile, the thrill of those first steps, the wonder of realizing that this little person has captured your heart in a way that will leave you forever changed, and that despite the trail of chaos he has cut through your once-orderly existence, you cannot fathom life without him.
Those moments sound trite to skeptics and count for little in a cost-benefit analysis. But for those who trade their fantasies of perfect parenthood for the messy reality of life with little people, the mystery unveiled in those moments — that genuine joy springs from sacrifice — makes it all worthwhile.
Very well said! Tis very true, little people are not easy to raise but is it worth it? Yes. Does it please God? Yes. Yes, there are days when I don’t know how I’m gonna make it through. When everything is a fight with Lily and at times even Clara. Days when bed time can’t come soon enough. When I feel like (ok, know that) my brain and body have turned to mush and all I know how to do now is wash diapers, dishes and spaghetti faces and suddenly one of my babies will melt my heart, make me so proud or give me such a laugh and I realize that those are the things that matter.
Those are moments God has given just to me by giving me these particular children to raise and I would never have known these moments if I had “decided” not to carry them, bare them and raise them. How could I have ever said “No” to all this? And truly even if these wonderful moments don’t occur God still gives children to parents and because He does it is still good, meaningful and worthwhile to bring them into the world and raise them.
