Choosing Children

I have a lot of children. More than normal, to be exact. (I assume that makes me abnormal, but hopefully in a good way.) Despite my large posterity, I’ve recently had some new insights about the value of children. Ideas I likely should have understood earlier, but nonetheless, just occurred to me. Call me a slow learner…

Of course, bearing and raising children is a highly personal choice, made by each soul (or souls) in their own sphere. Without standing on a soapbox, or attempting to push my life philosophies on anyone else, I want to share three significant things I’ve recently concluded – principles I have learned from choosing children.

Christmas Changes

During December of this year we read “A Christmas Carol,” for our early-morning family scripture study. Don’t worry, we’re not apostatizing. We continued to study from the Bible; but my husband also wanted to share Dickens’ touching tale with our children.

I loved hearing the story as I made breakfast each day. The old English terms and phrases were delightful and filled with humor and meaning. In fact, as Dickens wished in his original preface, the tale haunted our house “pleasantly” during the month.