Because you knew I was punny, right? I’ve decided to compile blog posts, articles, humor, and such ilk, into one weekly post: the Sunday Lynx. These are the things that I might not have a chance to blog about, but which I wanted to share with my readers.
12 Reasons You Should Pray Scripture (Themelios). The title pretty much says it all. There’s also a great list of resources at the end detailing the application of the recommendation, if you finish reading it and find yourself convinced by one (or more) of those twelve reasons.
Moving on, there’s yet another excellent post from Matt Walsh, this time on motherhood and body image in today’s culture…
I don’t know why we’ve come up with this idea that women need to eradicate any hint of motherhood from their bodies after giving birth. If I inadvertently and unintentionally propagated this poisonous concept, then I’ve got my own jerkiness to atone for.
This is all part of the anti-child, anti-mother, anti-family, anti-life, anti-fertility obsession that plagues our culture like an infectious spiritual disease. The ancient pagans worshiped fertility, the modern pagans (of which there are millions in this nation) worship sterility. Mothers are pressured to look like they never had kids and never could have kids. Isn’t that why we’ve decided that women should keep up a gaunt and emaciated appearance? There’s nothing inherently beautiful about it, but it sends off a “look, I’d break in half if I tried carry a child” message. That’s what passes for “sexy” among creatures who have begun their proud march towards voluntary extinction.
…
Like the stars, like the chapel, like the mountains, motherhood is beautiful. Obviously I’m not going to pander to you and claim that every mother is physically beautiful, but I can certainly say that a woman who is a mother can often be extraordinarily beautiful, not in spite of her mother-ness, but, at least in part, because of it. You do not have to shed every hint of motherhood from your body. Why should you? It isn’t a mark of shame. It isn’t ugly. It’s beautiful.”
– You don’t have to erase every trace of childbirth from your body (The Matt Walsh Blog)
Kindness Elves: An Alternative Elf on the Shelf (The Imagination Tree) is an intriguing tradition that I would like to try next Christmas (because starting involved traditions when you’re living in someone else’s house is a bit difficult); I’ve also heard of skipping the idea of an “elf” altogether and having a “Giving Angel.”
This situation just irked me, and I don’t even know where to begin.
For those of you who have been following Doug Phillips’ resignation from Vision Forum at all, there’s this post on the rejection of legalism:
Of course, the obvious lesson here and one that I needed to learn, or at least be reminded of, is never put your faith in man. I don’t think I put my ‘faith’ in Doug or the man I know personally. My faith has always been in the Lord and Him alone. Where I went wrong was allowing other men, evil men, to influence me and my ‘convictions’ with their legalism without testing their ‘rules’ against Scripture. I took the easy way out and unconsciously told myself they were more studied than I am so I should listen to them. I shouldn’t have believed what they told me just because I liked how it sounded. I should have believed it only because Scripture convicted me so. It’s been a hard bitter lesson.
– Betrayal, reevaluation, and the rejection of legalism (Where the Kudzu Grows)
Then we have another post on motherhood (it’s not a theme in my life, really):
My faith waxes and wanes, but it is not faith I am lacking in this ongoing struggle.
We were created to live in community with one another.
What young mothers are truly lacking, is a culture centered around family. Where families are not being ripped apart from every angle of society. Where older women are there to teach and encourage the younger women in this extremely important vocation of wife and mother. Where there are actually other women around to help one another out on the home front. That follows the Biblical model of Titus 2.
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be submissive to their husbands, so that the Word of God will not be reviled.” Titus 2:3-5
But we, young mothers, are not living in that world. Most of us do not have much help from family or from church family. And it saddens me, angers me, it makes me want to scream at times. That women and children have been left on the front lines of the home front with very little support.
But screaming never really does much good when you’re angry. A gentle word is much more likely to turn away wrath. A hug works wonders as well.
Many will say that this is merely “my fault” for having so many children. This only shows the skewed mindset and love that has grown cold in man’s heart. Man says children are “my fault”. God says children are a blessing from Him (Psalm 127).
I want to hug every desperate housewife out there, and tell her that I am sorry. I am sorry that we are truly fighting an uphill battle. I am sorry that this is the way it is, that it is so hard for us. I am sorry that our culture and in many ways, our own church, has forsaken the Truth, and the value of this most needed vocation of wife and mother. May God have mercy on us all.
– Desperate Housewives: No Laughing Matter – Why Young Mothers Don’t Need God, They Need Help
Mack Hill Farm spends some time ruminating On fats, ctk blog discusses Why Switchfoot Won’t Sing Christian Songs, and for a bit of humor, we have the Crappy Mohs Scale of Crunchy Mamas (Illustrated with Crappy Pictures).
That last one had me writhing. If you’ve ever been called “crunchy,” or have friends whom you would deem “crunchy,” it’s a must-read.
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