I was talking with a friend of mine last week who mentioned that she "probably loved her kids too much." I found that a fascinating statement. Can there be "too much love?"
As a homeschooler I have heard most of the negative comments and labels thrown around about homeschoolers - that I am a helicopter mom, enmeshed with my children, afraid and controlling. It is rarely offered up that I am a concerned, educated woman, providing, (like the financially wealthy), my children a private, personalized education, affording them time and solitude, excellent literature and home cooked meals, because I want the very best for them. Going off the beaten path is a threat to the norm, rather than the hope of finding an extraordinary path.
Can we "love out kids too much." True love preaches good news to the poor, heals the broken hearted, announces freedom to all captives, pardons all prisoners, announces the year of the Lord's grace, celebrates the destruction of God's enemies, comforts all who mourn, gives beauty for ashes, messages of joy instead of news of doom and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. True love heals, frees, brings forth joy.
The answer to the question rests on definitions. If I determine love to be Biblical (as in Isaiah 61, above) my answer will be 180 different than if I define love from a different source.
I read an interesting articles on "Why the World Hates the Duggar's" I love what this gal said in response to the ugliness floating around the net about them. It's all in definitions and expectations, world-view and theology.
What do you think?
As a homeschooler I have heard most of the negative comments and labels thrown around about homeschoolers - that I am a helicopter mom, enmeshed with my children, afraid and controlling. It is rarely offered up that I am a concerned, educated woman, providing, (like the financially wealthy), my children a private, personalized education, affording them time and solitude, excellent literature and home cooked meals, because I want the very best for them. Going off the beaten path is a threat to the norm, rather than the hope of finding an extraordinary path.
Can we "love out kids too much." True love preaches good news to the poor, heals the broken hearted, announces freedom to all captives, pardons all prisoners, announces the year of the Lord's grace, celebrates the destruction of God's enemies, comforts all who mourn, gives beauty for ashes, messages of joy instead of news of doom and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. True love heals, frees, brings forth joy.
The answer to the question rests on definitions. If I determine love to be Biblical (as in Isaiah 61, above) my answer will be 180 different than if I define love from a different source.
I read an interesting articles on "Why the World Hates the Duggar's" I love what this gal said in response to the ugliness floating around the net about them. It's all in definitions and expectations, world-view and theology.
What do you think?
5 comments:
I love it! Thank you for re-framing all the criticism. I find myself questioning my own motives, when really, they are pure. I appreciate this post!
You know, that's the second time in as many days that I've heard that very odd phrase "enmeshed with your children". As if that were a bad thing? Our culture seems to think that the *last* people who should truly care about the well-being of children is their own parents. Not surprising, since turning parents' hearts away from their children is very much what the gods of this world want to do. Still, strikes me as a particularly perverse phrase.
I really appreciate what you said about home schooling! My girl is in her 20's, married, finishing up her Master's and yet I still face criticism for having home schooled her. (And I only did it from the eighth grade on). Do you mind if I post your second paragraph on my FB? I have a bunch of mom's and mom's to be who need to read this.
I agree, when it is a biblical love, you cannot love too much!
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Thanks for the feed-back. I know I'm not the only one hearing comments like this, and GAHCindy- it is really the voices of the "gods of this world"- so appropriatly stated!
Lilian- have at it ; ) I didn't know you h.s. Lydia thru high school!
Yup. She was in public school through seventh grade, but the middle school was failing her miserably. It was going to be for a year, to get her where she needed to be and stronger, then she decided she liked it and so for the few years we home schooled. It was an amazing adventure!
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