Comment by Laura Scattergood on 6th mo. 27, 2014 at 2:50pm

Hi Joan,  all this sounds so lovely. And the porch swing!  I promise thee, thee has chosen rightly! I have many friends who also were able to do this, and it is what I wanted. How odd that instead I had to go back to school and work.  The day I went back to school I cried and cried. I was in my mid-twenties, my children were in preschool and kindergarten. Even so,  I majored in Early Childhood Education and the job the school gave me was in the class that my children were in, and their teacher was a Friend!  So, our Holy Friend helps us in ways not expected  I later moved my children out to a farm and tried to do some of the things thee talks about, but I always had to work.  Obviously, I had no man to help me, and I always turned to God, father of the fatherless and defender of widows. (although I was not quite a widow, perhaps widow-ed by the way men treat women and the expectations that women manage all by themselves in our modern culture,) I have ended up with a Master's degree after all this and children well on their way to middle age themselves.  It seems the majority of women I met in the working world were thrilled to be back at work once the children were old enough (in their judgment) to be at least part-time in childcare.  Lots of women say they feel being at home to be boring.  I don't find raising children, and home-making tasks boring at all.  I remember when I was hired for my last job and someone in the family asked me if I felt good about it and I said, "No.  I feel like I am in jail."    Retirement is not far off and I look forward to being utterly free of the burden of pretending to be a "career woman".  Perhaps I will learn some of the homemaking skills that I sacrificed for all that book-learnin'  at that thar college!   Also, this may make some people upset with me too.  I am not saying that those who feel satisfied with having careers while being mothers are in the wrong,  I am just expressing my own feelings and experiences that yes, often evoke surprise and sort of a horrified silence from women who feel differently.   Nevertheless,  if this is the course that God has lead me through, I can only be grateful that the way was made for me!  Right from the start, when sobbing I registered for college, and found that actually, it was just fine  to work in the children's school with a Quaker for my children's teacher.  And leaving them to play  at the school for an hour or two while I went off to study Child Development on the same campus,  all fit together nicely.  But I do hear thee and am happy for the choices that thee made!

Comment by James C Schultz on 6th mo. 28, 2014 at 11:46am

When I had my spiritual awakening I spoke to God about all the things I was doing and which I felt were good for our new relationship (at least on my end) and which were not.  Of course part of it involved not doing certain income producing and career building things.  I asked him how I was supposed to provide for my children and I heard that He would provide for them better than I ever could.  He reminded me that they were His first.  Today, 36 years later I think He did a great job of providing for my three children.  Like the song says:  You gotta talk with Jesus, have a little talk with Jesus, You gotta talk with Jesus all the time"

George Washington warned us not to get entangled with Foreign Nations.  I think the same goes for governmental based activities.  Pray for those in power but don't join them.  Power corrupts.  Watch over your heart with all diligence.  The word "all" means ALL.

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