Count the cost...

As most of you know my daughter is pregnant.  With my youngest 10 years old, its been awhile since I've given much thought to pregnancy and childbirth.  But my daughter approaches new things just like her mom, researching every possibility, and then excitedly sharing that information with everyone in close proximity.  It is good, it has been good for me.  I hadn't realized how radically the landscape of childbirth had changed in the last 10 years.  And not for the better!  So I could take pages to lecture and inform you about needless intervention versus the beauty and impact of a natural birth.  But I've found others have done that well, there is alot of really good information out there if you just look for it.

What concerns me more is that we as a society have allowed this to happen.  How did we get to this place?  I think there are alot of factors including fear, apathy and isolation.  In an attempt to be politically correct or open minded we have stopped speaking truth.  We have decided its easier to not get involved, not speak out.  We have forgotten that we are part of a family, a community, that is responsible for each other.  We are too caught up in our own little kingdoms.  We have bought the lie that we can do it all.  I'm preaching to myself here too!

I got a great email from a friend of mine yesterday.  In the subject line was "lock down".  My first thought was "Oh no, some crazy sniper was at her kids school and then went into lock down".  But not even close.  She has put herself in "lock down".  Canceling all dates to stay at home for a week or two.  She'd been on vacation at the beach for a week and came home determined to prolong the fellowship, connection with family.  She's also compelled to order her life (including her house) so that she is freed up to spend time with friends.  These are her priorities (God first of course with out saying)  her family and her friends.  Being with them, loving them, spending time with them.  She has realized what we tend to forget, relationships are important and we cannot nurture them without a cost.

Our families, our churches, our communities are the way they are because we have allowed them to be.  They are a reflection of what we value.  They will not thrive if we are only out for our own interests.  As believers we cannot justify isolation.  Jesus  tells us to love God with our whole hearts and our neighbors as ourselves.  We are to look out for the interest of others, not our own.  We are a body, connected, interdependent.  It is our privledge and our responsibility.