Arkansas newborn is sweet 16
The Duggar family of Arkansas is going long and strong. They have garnered plenty of attention from the local and national media because Mrs. Duggar just gave birth Tuesday to Johannah Faith, otherwise known as number 16. Jim Bob, a former state representative, and Michelle both say they aren't done yet, quoted here in the AP:
Their oldest child, Joshua, is only 17-years-old.
"We both just love children and we consider each a blessing from the Lord. I have asked Michelle if she wants more and she said yes, if the Lord wants to give us some she will accept them." -Jim Bob Duggar
Their oldest child, Joshua, is only 17-years-old.
posted by Mark at 11:33 AM
Woah! That is totally awesome!
Yeah! No kidding, Joshua! "Sweet" 16, is right.
That is some amazing woman! I would probably be tearing my hair out with two--but I hope I wouldn't. If Mom could do seven, I can do...eight. But that is neither here nor there--three cheers for Mrs Duggar!!
Hip-hip...Horray! Hip-hip... Horray!! Hip-hip...HORRAY!!!
And all God's people said, "Aayymen!"
That is absolutely amazing!
Wow!! They have definitely been blessed by God.....That's wonderful:)
Did y'all see the picture of Mrs. Duggar? It shows her holding her newest baby with all 15 other children surrounding the bedside.
I LOVE that picture. You have to see it! It's awesome.
(Hmmmm...I wonder if I'm a spammer...those word verifications are hard to read)
Ok so I hate to be difficult but I seriously don't think this is so awesome. I have been trying to have an open mind. I went and read their family website and all but I still have my doubts. I would like to know what the children think. Do they think it's so awesome? Their family life sounds a lot more like a boarding school than a family and I wonder if the parents really have time to give the children? And what if one of them has special interests or things they would like to study outside of math, english, spelling, typing and music? do they have that option or is there not time in the family daily routine? What about friends? Do the kids get to have outside friends? The schedule didn't seem to leave much time for that and everyone wearing the same color clothes on the same day and all the girls having to wear white socks? What if one of them likes colors? Sorry honny you have to wait till you move out before you can wear colored socks. I don't know maybe its just so far from anything I can imagine living that I am being negative. I have always wanted a big family, lots of kids, I think I would love being a mother, but there are so many kids out there that need familys I am just not sure I am so thrilled with people who keep having lots of children when there are so many needy ones already born. I guess if they had adopted all these kids it wouldn't bother me so much for some reason...not sure why.
I was impressed that they are debt free and not living on social assistance because I know a family here in Everson who have 20+ children and they are not nearly so self-sufficient. They are doing what they think is right and it's really beteen them and God I guess so I will stop my negativity. The kids could be being born into much worse conditions so I wish them the best.
Finally some one like me! Maybe I don't need that many kids but hey if God chooses to bless with that many then 16 it will be. People at work now that I have seven brothers and sisters so they are always asking me how many children I want. And when I tell them as many as God choose to give me they always look at me like I'm nuts. I don't find kids to be all that much of a burden but then again I don't have 16 of them...
Crystal, I'm glad you were honest about your feeling. These are just some thoughts that come to mind in response to what you said.
The Duggars bio talks about the prayer and meditation that occured before the decision to stop using birth control. They gave that whole area over to the Lord, they entrusted "numbers" to Him. Theirs hearts were filled with a God given desire to raise a family that would love and serve God.
These sorts of families, more than any others, make me rejoice when there is such an abundant blessing of the womb.
Mr. and Mrs. Dugger are going to be training their children in the ways of God, to go out and serve, train, and minister. In the end, it just may be that even more needy and unwanted ones of this world will be reached through the generations of a family commited to God, than would be if Mr. and Mrs. Dugger had alone chosen to adopt and spend themselves on the less fortunate.
I know where your coming from Crystal, I too have seen some sad social situations and issues with large families. I don't know all the answers to them either.
But God does incredible things through yielded families. It won't be easy, they will come under attack I'm sure. All the more reason for us to pray for them.
And adoption IS such a wonderful thing. We have a couple of families in our church who have been called to adopt many children (one family has 10 adopted I believe!)
God calls people to different things.
Kristi,
Thank you for your comments and your kind tone to my rather negative opinion of this.
I know what their website says...I have read both of them a few times but unfortunatly it hasn't helped to change my mind. Two main issues:
1. I am not sure it's fair to the kids to have that many, that close together
2. It's not good for the mother's health.
Mrs. Duggar's comment that she was either always nursing or pregnant or both really said it all. Yes in the old days that was the norm because of lack of birth control. But life expectancies were much shorter, many babies died early, many woman died because of this very fact, they were too drained to go through yet another pregnancy and or woman miscarried when their body needed a break. Of course also lots of children were needed to run the farms. Things are slightly different today. The drain that it puts on the womans body to be always pregnant or nursing is tremendous and not necessary. Ultimatly the children suffer because as the mothers vitality is drained she has less to pass along to the babies. Honestly as I looked at all their family photos the younger babies do not look as healthy as the older ones did at the same age.
Children are a blessing from God but God also expects that we use intelligence in planing our families. How much time we can give and how much drain is really healthy to put on the mother. But I know this is getting into the realm of birth control which is touchy for some so I will not continue about this...
"Yielded families"? I haven't ever heard that phrase but I can tell you that I don't find it to thrilling. All families should be "yielded families", yielded to God and using their families, no matter what size, in service for God. Somehow the idea that unless you have a huge family you are not fullfiling God's purpose for families and yielding to God rubs me wrong. One child trained for the Lord is better than 10 if you sacrifice health and real attention to the children for the sake of having lots of them. Big families are fine and can be wonderful but they should be entered into judiciously and with due consideration to both the needs of the children and the mother. But they are not a requirement to be yielded to God's will with regards to your family.
I suspect that my opinion on this issue has made some of you upset and I appologize for that. Please know that I am not trying to offend anyone and ultimately our opinions here won't change their family in the least so I wonder why I even cared to get on a soap box about this...sorry!
I agree with Crystal and with her reasons for having her opinion. I have very strong convictions about this. I firmly believe that parents should not have more children than they can feed, clothe, shelter, nurture, train, and educate. While I don't necessarily condemn those who choose to leave their family planning up to God, I do think that those who do this without regard for the welfare of the children or the health of the mother are wrong. Some people can have quite large families without endangering the mother's health or the children's welfare, of course. Sixteen children in seventeen years (or even sixteen children in any number of years) could not allow the parents to raise their children in the manner that I believe the LORD has instructed His people to raise their children. But apparently this family is raising their children in the manner that THEY believe the LORD has instructed His people to raise their children, so as long as they are not seriously neglecting their children (which obviously they are not) it's nobody's business but theirs. My convictions, however, (which are very pro-children--and actually, anti "the pill" as well) shall remain. ;-)
I hope I have not offended anyone by the frank expression of my beliefs.
I have a little soap box of my own (in addition to the above!): it makes my blood boil when people ask these families (or anyone else) questions like "don't you know what causes that?" and "don't you know what birth control is?" Such questions are rude and reveal the questioner's ignorance. Like anyone who has more than two children (or is it still 2.5 children?) is either insane, ignorant, or careless (or another poor victim of biology). Paleeeeeease! *rolling eyes impatiently* LOL I figured it was safe enough to vent about that in this environment! ;-)
lol...yeah, I suppose it is a safe environment for the such.
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