It's not all bad. I learnt from the one next to it that 'joy' used to be a verb. A verb that's been nouned! Very exciting to see something bucking the trend.
There have been times when I've thought that I'm God's gift, and I was being quite childish. Perhaps that's what they meant.
I like that you take the time to take offence at stuff like this, Simone. If I had seen it, I would have felt a little squeamish, without really stopping to think exactly why, and without voicing it,because I know lots of people would think such things were great.
But I like that you did, and could put it in to words.
Come to think of it, most photos with a verse affect me in a pretty unispirational way. Call me cynical and callous, but for me a stock photo of dawn on a mountain with a psalm under it is only a shade better than a poster of a rockclimber with the word 'perseverance' under it, or a kitten hanging from something with the words 'hang in there' under it.
I was cruising some girl blogs yesterday. The ps127 pic was the final straw. Enough with endless talk on the glory of stay-at-home motherness! Enough with sunsets, kittens and christian tackiness!
Dreadful, yes! But I'm not sure the liberals are to blame! This kind of kitsch (and the idolatry of motherhood) has a powerful tradition in evangelical history. In 19th century England you couldn't throw a brick without hitting an evangelical writing a sentimental novel about the glory of wife- and motherhood. Do you feel up to having a 'drat the evangelicals'label? I think it would be useful!
By the way, did you see the one about not sinning - which had the girl looking pensively at an apple? Is that a conscious Eve reference? Anyway, it made me laugh!
Good point. I wrote a comment about this on 168hrs recently (Nicole S's blog) about how I and I think many women in church do struggle with the idolatry of motherhood. She said she might do a series of posts on this, which I look forward to. I have even noticed in my Bible study group, membership is about being young mums before about being Christian!
Having said all that, I do think that the common link of motherhood is a great way of making non-Christian contacts and for some women coming to church-based play-groups and mother's groups is a less threatening link than hearing and responding to the Gospel straight up.
By the way, I was thinking about what the male equivalent would be.
I'm not sure if this is directly corresponding, but I think i get a similar feeling (of outsiderishness) around those kinds of male Christian blogs that are all hardcore theology and big words.
Having not been to a bible college I feel way to daunted to chime in there, it feels like too much of a boys club, where the criteria of respect are criteria I don't have.
I wonder whether single Christian women get this similar vibe around a lot of motherhood-orientated blogs.
I know they don't have to read those blogs, just as I don't have to read the manblog, but maybe something for Christian groups to aspire to are less specific clubs.
You know, if I thought that and looked at my kids behaviour, I'd make a very bad conclusion about God. And that is NOT because I am a bad Mum who doesn't have perfect kids...
I'm reminded of the archetypal put down of all such kitsch posters: for many many years, Barneys on Broadway had a poster of a cute peroxided 70s-era little boy touching noses with a rabbit. Some wit had obscured the actual verse quoted, and replaced it with the simple slogan 'Smell ye rabbits'.
You'd be surprised how many people would get those three words as a punchline. In fact, perhaps this is the correct tag to use ;-)
The best Christian art/verse combo I ever saw was one of those little old-fashioned Sunday School stickers (remember those ones you had to paste in?) - it had a sweet picture of a dog, and the verse was "Be sure your sins will find you out". Classic. And handy(from a teacher's perspective!)
Simone, I'd like to hear your thoughts on baby showers. Namely, is there a way of doing them in a way that encourages motherhood idolatory? And on the flipside, how do you celebrate the coming birth of baby in a way that glorifies God, especially when a mix of christians/non christians will be there?
I ask because my friends are about to throw me one, and I've been thinking about how - if done thoughtlessly - they can encourage the wrong things (such as the picture). And I'm too chicken to put this on my blog ;P
On a personal note, I'm looking forward to having a child, but I'm not clucky by nature and I'm actually quite awkward around babies. I would rather stick a fork in my eye than shop at Babies Galore or play games at a baby shower. That's not meant to be insulting as I know lots of people love showers and babies and good on them. That's just my personality.
Onlinesoph - you should read "Babymoon" it is very funny and about a lady's journey through, somewhat like yourself, who is pregnant, but not terribly clucky and even awkward with babies. Quite fictional and not at all Christian, but fun.
Regards baby showers, I really cannot stand the usual variety. Especially when you all sit around and watch while the lady in question opens each present and makes inane comments on each parcel. I just find it so false and very self-centred!
I think that if you are asking the question, then you are probably not going to be guilty of motherhood idolatry.
Children are a great blessing from God. We should eagerly anticipate their births, we should celebrate new life. So go for it!
Personally, I hate baby showers. To me, they feel like a double-dipping present grab. The same people will probably give gifts when the baby is born. I never had one (so maybe I'm just bitter!). I'd rather go out for coffee with my friends - it might be a while before I can do it unencumbered again. But people who show love through gift giving do love these things. Each to their own.
I think we all have a tendency to think that the stage of life that we are in now is what it's all about. Like the preschool years, babydom, young marriage, retirement. If we keep our eyes outward and realise that what we are currently experiencing is a stage of life that we will move on from, we'll be much more bearable as human beings. When my kids were very young, I remember looking down on a mum with primary aged kids because she was working a few days a week. I wondered how she could even think of working. Her kids needed her! I'm thankful I didn't actually say anything. I think I was so obsessed with my current stage, I had forgotten that others were not in it. I think you should say to your friends (xn or nonxn) what you are feeling - you are so thankful to God for this baby, amazed at how he's made our bodies so that birth happens, feel overwhelmed at the task of looking after this little person... Let them hold the baby if they want to, then ask them how their day has been. What have they been up to?
Motherhood is so absorbing. But if you are someone who has learnt to see the world from God's point of view and care about his kingdom, you'll keep things in perspective. You won't run a website called 'more than rubies' and try to spread the good news of mumdom.
Who cares if you have a hormonal/emotional reaction to every infant you see? There's only one that you'll need to look after (at this stage) and my guess is that after about 2 days (or 2 minutes) you'll have lost any awkwardness you might normally feel around babies.
From what I've read of you online, I think you will make a fantastic mum. Look forward to seeing some pictures.
Sorry this is so long. I started writing before I had any idea what I wanted to say.
It's not all bad. I learnt from the one next to it that 'joy' used to be a verb. A verb that's been nouned! Very exciting to see something bucking the trend.
ReplyDeleteThere have been times when I've thought that I'm God's gift, and I was being quite childish. Perhaps that's what they meant.
I like that you take the time to take offence at stuff like this, Simone. If I had seen it, I would have felt a little squeamish, without really stopping to think exactly why, and without voicing it,because I know lots of people would think such things were great.
ReplyDeleteBut I like that you did, and could put it in to words.
Come to think of it, most photos with a verse affect me in a pretty unispirational way. Call me cynical and callous, but for me a stock photo of dawn on a mountain with a psalm under it is only a shade better than a poster of a rockclimber with the word 'perseverance' under it, or a kitten hanging from something with the words 'hang in there' under it.
Inspiration doesn't come cheap.
I was cruising some girl blogs yesterday. The ps127 pic was the final straw. Enough with endless talk on the glory of stay-at-home motherness! Enough with sunsets, kittens and christian tackiness!
ReplyDeleteDreadful, yes! But I'm not sure the liberals are to blame! This kind of kitsch (and the idolatry of motherhood) has a powerful tradition in evangelical history. In 19th century England you couldn't throw a brick without hitting an evangelical writing a sentimental novel about the glory of wife- and motherhood. Do you feel up to having a 'drat the evangelicals'label? I think it would be useful!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, did you see the one about not sinning - which had the girl looking pensively at an apple? Is that a conscious Eve reference? Anyway, it made me laugh!
Good point. I wrote a comment about this on 168hrs recently (Nicole S's blog) about how I and I think many women in church do struggle with the idolatry of motherhood. She said she might do a series of posts on this, which I look forward to. I have even noticed in my Bible study group, membership is about being young mums before about being Christian!
ReplyDeleteHaving said all that, I do think that the common link of motherhood is a great way of making non-Christian contacts and for some women coming to church-based play-groups and mother's groups is a less threatening link than hearing and responding to the Gospel straight up.
But that picture...NO WAY!
wow, I just went and looked at the actual site the pic came from. I feel like I now need to go out and do some kind of dangerous extreme sport.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I was thinking about what the male equivalent would be.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this is directly corresponding, but I think i get a similar feeling (of outsiderishness) around those kinds of male Christian blogs that are all hardcore theology and big words.
Having not been to a bible college I feel way to daunted to chime in there, it feels like too much of a boys club, where the criteria of respect are criteria I don't have.
I wonder whether single Christian women get this similar vibe around a lot of motherhood-orientated blogs.
I know they don't have to read those blogs, just as I don't have to read the manblog, but maybe something for Christian groups to aspire to are less specific clubs.
You know, if I thought that and looked at my kids behaviour, I'd make a very bad conclusion about God. And that is NOT because I am a bad Mum who doesn't have perfect kids...
ReplyDeleteSorry Jo - wrong tag! I don't blame liberals for this! [But I do blame them for plenty of other things at the moment!]
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded of the archetypal put down of all such kitsch posters: for many many years, Barneys on Broadway had a poster of a cute peroxided 70s-era little boy touching noses with a rabbit. Some wit had obscured the actual verse quoted, and replaced it with the simple slogan 'Smell ye rabbits'.
ReplyDeleteYou'd be surprised how many people would get those three words as a punchline. In fact, perhaps this is the correct tag to use ;-)
The best Christian art/verse combo I ever saw was one of those little old-fashioned Sunday School stickers (remember those ones you had to paste in?) - it had a sweet picture of a dog, and the verse was "Be sure your sins will find you out". Classic. And handy(from a teacher's perspective!)
ReplyDeleteSimone, I'd like to hear your thoughts on baby showers. Namely, is there a way of doing them in a way that encourages motherhood idolatory? And on the flipside, how do you celebrate the coming birth of baby in a way that glorifies God, especially when a mix of christians/non christians will be there?
ReplyDeleteI ask because my friends are about to throw me one, and I've been thinking about how - if done thoughtlessly - they can encourage the wrong things (such as the picture). And I'm too chicken to put this on my blog ;P
On a personal note, I'm looking forward to having a child, but I'm not clucky by nature and I'm actually quite awkward around babies. I would rather stick a fork in my eye than shop at Babies Galore or play games at a baby shower. That's not meant to be insulting as I know lots of people love showers and babies and good on them. That's just my personality.
-onlinesoph
Onlinesoph - you should read "Babymoon" it is very funny and about a lady's journey through, somewhat like yourself, who is pregnant, but not terribly clucky and even awkward with babies. Quite fictional and not at all Christian, but fun.
ReplyDeleteRegards baby showers, I really cannot stand the usual variety. Especially when you all sit around and watch while the lady in question opens each present and makes inane comments on each parcel. I just find it so false and very self-centred!
Hi Soph.
ReplyDeleteI think that if you are asking the question, then you are probably not going to be guilty of motherhood idolatry.
Children are a great blessing from God. We should eagerly anticipate their births, we should celebrate new life. So go for it!
Personally, I hate baby showers. To me, they feel like a double-dipping present grab. The same people will probably give gifts when the baby is born. I never had one (so maybe I'm just bitter!). I'd rather go out for coffee with my friends - it might be a while before I can do it unencumbered again. But people who show love through gift giving do love these things. Each to their own.
I think we all have a tendency to think that the stage of life that we are in now is what it's all about. Like the preschool years, babydom, young marriage, retirement. If we keep our eyes outward and realise that what we are currently experiencing is a stage of life that we will move on from, we'll be much more bearable as human beings. When my kids were very young, I remember looking down on a mum with primary aged kids because she was working a few days a week. I wondered how she could even think of working. Her kids needed her! I'm thankful I didn't actually say anything. I think I was so obsessed with my current stage, I had forgotten that others were not in it. I think you should say to your friends (xn or nonxn) what you are feeling - you are so thankful to God for this baby, amazed at how he's made our bodies so that birth happens, feel overwhelmed at the task of looking after this little person... Let them hold the baby if they want to, then ask them how their day has been. What have they been up to?
Motherhood is so absorbing. But if you are someone who has learnt to see the world from God's point of view and care about his kingdom, you'll keep things in perspective. You won't run a website called 'more than rubies' and try to spread the good news of mumdom.
Who cares if you have a hormonal/emotional reaction to every infant you see? There's only one that you'll need to look after (at this stage) and my guess is that after about 2 days (or 2 minutes) you'll have lost any awkwardness you might normally feel around babies.
From what I've read of you online, I think you will make a fantastic mum. Look forward to seeing some pictures.
Sorry this is so long. I started writing before I had any idea what I wanted to say.
s