Show & Tell: Men, Women, and Children

This time around, I've got a little somethin' for everyone...

FOR MEN (or curious women):

• I just came across this great website, ChurchForMen.com, that has put together a lot of research and articles examining why 61% of church attenders are women. Click on over there and poke around; there's interesting stuff to be found.

FOR WOMEN:

• MommyLife offers ten great reasons to have another child. This mother of twelve speaks from experience!
• This article discusses the biblical qualifications for a female mentor. It's a lengthy but insightful look at Titus 2 and the role that Christian women can play in the lives of other women..
• Revealing the absurdity of our day-care-culture, Tim Bayly has posted a letter written by a young mom named Leslie. She offers a sad commentary on the state of motherhood today. An excerpt:

When I was sitting in the OB waiting room a couple of weeks ago, there was a mother with a two-year old. The mother called her daughter to come, as her name had just been called, and--miracle of miracles--the little girl quickly started throwing the toys into a basket before coming. The mother was amazed: "It's this new thing they're teaching her at daycare (she used the word school which I refuse to use). Now all of the sudden she's all about cleaning up her toys. I can't believe it!"

I got the idea that what was going through most people's minds in the waiting room was: isn't day-care such a great thing! What was going through my mind was: what a pity that mothers are so clueless about child training these days that they are in awe of a two-year-old who can pick up her toys and that childcare centers are the only ones who are doing any child training. [Continue reading here.]

• A Lutheran mom challenges us in the spiritual elements of child-rearing, to not cave into a society that tells us we are inept and unable to accurately assess our own children in every other area of life. This article is an excellent word about having confidence as we raise and educate our children.

FOR ANYONE:

• TIME Magazine featured Mike Huckabee, the REAL Republican running for President in 2008, in this article last week. Calling him a "Second-Commandment Christian", the article focuses on his desire to serve people and extend grace, rather than to judge and condemn. Joe Klein, political journalist and author of Primary Colors had this to say about Mike Huckabee:

Huckabee is a political inconvenience, a destroyer of stereotypes. He is probably best known as the fellow who lost 100 lbs. in a year, and made living well through exercise and good nutrition one of his signature issues as Governor. But the real significance of Huckabee... is that he represents the introduction of a new constituency into the political process: "Second Commandment" Christians, those more interested in salvation than damnation. [Read the full article here.]

HAPPY READING!