Pro-life Action List

My 20yodd and I were talking the other day about some friends of ours who have a young baby and are also foster parents. We love watching them with their little foster boy and their baby girl.  The boy has a lot of struggles, because early on he missed out on some experiences important to development, but oh, the love showered on that little boy, and he is a treat and a half to be around.  Such bright eyes and so much life.

What our friends are doing is the work Christians should do if they care about the life of unborn children.  In that vein, here is my action list for pro-lifers who want to take the long, arduous road of compassionate love:

1. Stop vilifying women and girls who have babies out of wedlock.  I've seen the disgusted looks, heard the condemning comments. Yes, from Christians. Yes, in church. This has got to stop.  Abortion is blood on the hands of us as Christ-followers. The shame we heap on women who get pregnant outside of marriage often leads them to take the lives of their children. Yes, fornication is a sin. A haughty attitude is also a sin. Which does Jesus dislike more?  He hates both sins equally.  He died for people who commit both sins.  He loves them both. 
2. Teach your sons to take responsibility for their actions. Our sons' bodies and reputations will not be sacrificed for a child the way our daughters' will be.  This is a huge reason to teach young men not only to respect young women, but to honor them the way Christ honors the church.  I understand guys are wild at heart, but please. Teach your sons to honor women and take responsibility for their actions and not act like girls are overreacting when they try to protect themselves.  The conversation about rape culture has arisen because we do not teach our sons properly and well on this point.  
3. Welcome and serve single moms in your community without demonizing or "other-izing" them.
4. Volunteer for a reputable crisis pregnancy organization.
5. Work in foster care.
6. Adopt.

These are Christian responses to the abortion debate. The culture will do whatever.  We as Christ-followers have an obligation to respond with humility and compassion as well as truth.

Commonplace Book: A Working Philosophy of Education

"We want an education which shall nourish the mind while not neglecting either physical or vocational training. 

"...the mind of a child takes or rejects according to its needs... the mind, in fact, requires sustenance––as does the body, in order that it increase and be strong; but because the mind is not to be measured or weighed but is spiritual, so its sustenance must be spiritual too, must, in fact, be ideas (in the Platonic sense of images).

"...education is of the spirit and is not to be taken in by the eye or effected by the hand; mind appeals to mind and thought begets thought and that is how we become educated. For this reason we owe it to every child to put him in communication with great minds that he may get at great thoughts; with the minds, that is, of those who have left us great works; and the only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books, many worthy books.

"...The teacher affords direction, sympathy in studies, a vivifying word here and there, help in the making of experiments, etc., as well as the usual teaching in languages, experimental science and mathematics."

--Charlotte Mason, Volume 6, Towards a Philosophy of Education

Blog Title Change

This is indeed the blog formerly known as "CM, Children, and Lots of Grace".  I've changed the title to "Lots of Grace" for several reasons:

1. The "CM" in the title may indicate more Charlotte Mason following than I actually do in real life. While I feel like I follow Charlotte Mason method in spirit, I'd rather not hold myself or my family up as ideal.   
2. My youngest child is fourteen.  The "Children" in my title seems to me to imply younger kids. They will always be my children, but at this point they are truly practicing adults-- or practicing-to-be-adults.
3. I want my blog title to reflect a broader focus than home schooling or a particular educational philosophy.  When I've posted lately, which hasn't been often, it's been mostly about us living and loving each other and trying to follow Jesus and making mistakes and trying again.  
4. I am keeping "Lots of Grace". I need lots of grace! I think all of us do. So the grace part remains.

Also, you may notice that I've rearranged the sidebar and added a list of links explaining our religious beliefs. I've been circumspect about sharing those beliefs in the past, as I think religion is something personal.  Also, a wise man once said the only statement of faith that matters is the one you live. But it seems to me time to put it out there. So there it is.

Thank you very much for reading this blog. I don't get many comments, but Blogger tells me I have followers and get page views.  I appreciate you, readers. As you look around, please comment if you feel led.