Monday, January 12, 2009

Why So Many Children?: Part 2

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See Why So Many Children?: Part 1

We became friends with a few large families in our new church home, but I still felt like only The Very Patient or Those With Money To Burn were actually capable of pulling off more than an average number of children.

As time passed, though, I began to see that they were constantly working to grow in patience and gentleness and love. Bad days came to their houses, too, and each mother found her way through those trials, hopefully coming out a little stronger in the virtues I was beginning to realize must be cultivated.

You see, I used to stare off into space and longingly wish I had been one of those lucky people who had been blessed with the gift of patience. Slowly, I was beginning to realize that patience can actually be practiced. And we can even grow in patience.

I was learning all of this from my friends as I watched them deal with their seven or eight children. I could see that, at times, it was difficult for them to remain patient (or gentle or kind), but they put effort into it and they succeeded by sheer determination.

They also spoke often about relying on strength from God to make it through each day.

It was dawning on me that they were being refined through the trials of motherhood.

So this new understanding meant that I didn't need to be perfectly patient or even perfect in any way to mother a large family.

Hmmmm... interesting, but having more children would never work for us because it just so happened that we were so broke we couldn't even afford to pay attention.

We lived, with our three children, in a very small house of 1040 square feet. We could barely fit into the kitchen together at meal times and my husband was working a job that narrowly covered our daily expenses.

That was about the time I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant with number four.

To be continued.

See Why So Many Children: Part 3

5 comments:

Lafianza.doula said...

can I just tell you how much I have been loving this little series of posts you've been doing!? I think God told you to write it just for me (ok.. well maybe not... but you know. it feels like it)

Anonymous said...

No, I think she's writing it just for me!?!?!!...

I'm loving this series too...

:) Thank you for writing it

-Kathi@6Arrows

Homeschoolin' hot-rodders said...

I am loving this series! God has not yet blessed us with a full term pregnancy, but we would have a houseful if we could! I so admire you and your family!

Anonymous said...

This is a great series! We hear these comments too daily - even from our own family.

My girls love our big family and would love to have it even bigger. Well, ok, except for when everyone has to use the bathroom at the same time!
Blessings,
Michelle

Kimberly @ Raising Olives said...

Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I was raised knowing that I wanted a large family. Not that we didn't have our struggles when the children started coming very quickly, but we knew where we were going. It's been wonderful to read how the Lord brought you to realize that you don't have to have it all together to have a larger than average family.

I just love how you've put it and has helped me to think differently about it.

Blessings,
Kimberly

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