How our family works

For some reason I have spent much of this weekend reading anti patriarchy blogs. Yeah. I don't know why. We do believe in biblical patriarchy. Maybe not to the extent that some do, but it's part of our family vision. We believe that God orders the home. That he brings a man and a woman together to form a family. The man is the leader, protector, and provider of that home. He gives leadership (not dictatorship) through the word of God. We believe that the wife is the helpmeet to the husband, the companion, the nurturer, the keeper of the home. We believe that children are a gift from God. Blessings to be welcomed. We decided a few years ago to let God plan our family. So far He has blessed us with five children through adoption. Though we both agree that we feel that at least one more child is in our future we also understand that God is the ultimate decider. We believe that our children are given to us to raise, nurture, disciple, and shelter. Children are to be submissive to their parents, honoring and obeying them. Our family has been led to homeschool our children and to worship together as a family. We believe it's part of our mandate to shelter and disciple our children.

I k now that those against the Partiarchy movement will in no way believe what I am about to say. From everything I have read from them, because their lives were so awful, they will think I am brainwashed. It's ok. But here's the truth. I am not abused or oppressed. My kids are happy, healthy, and showing great love for Jesus.

I don't claim to always be submissive, to always rejoice in the work God has given me for this season, or to have perfectly behaved kids. I can't. I'm imperfect. My husband is imperfect. My kids are most assuredly imperfect. But I can't argue with the Bible. It says I'm to submit so I do so as best I can. When I fail I pick up and start over. It says to keep my home so I do. I really fail here. LOL But if we don't fail sometimes how can we ever experience God's grace? The Bible says I am to train up my children. I try. I fail. God grants mercy.

I know I am blessed with a husband who lives with my failures. Who loves and encourages me anyway. If any word these women have written about their husbands is true then I can see the aversion to submission. The fact more than a few of these poor women has left the faith answers a few questions for me. Works salvation really can't work. When we get to a point where our works don't measure up or fail our salvation falls apart. Bitterness and discouragement will always seep in. They were never good enough. Not for themselves, not for their husbands, not for their kids. My heart breaks for them. I am so happy that I don't have to be good enough. Not for myself, not for my husband, not for my kids.

We are a family with a multigenerational vision. We have not whittled it down to specifics, but our vision is that ...."the number of descendants we have in heaven will equal the number we have on earth." We have a vision of every one of our children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, and however many more will join us in heaven one day. DH heard a pastor say once that you should judge your parenting based on your grandchildren. We often talk to our children about their future spouses and children. We pray for their husbands and wives. For their future families. We aren't always as consistent with this as we should be. We aren't always as consistent with our family devotions as we should be. We realize the importance of all of this. We are becoming more disciplined in this area.

I say all that to say this; we are raising our family the way we believe the Bible tells us we should. We are "weird" and I'm ok with that. My husband leads our home and God is always the center. We are building our family on purpose. I will never be convinced that it is wrong.