My Wife's New Job

Today, my bride of almost 5 years starts a new job. She is starting the full-time job of being a stay at home mom. She actually asked me when I got up for work this morning if she could pack me lunch. I have never heard those words before, so I said, "Most definetly." With a 16 month old already running around and another gift from God due in October, we were led to make a decision (amidst several factors) for Shannon not to renew her contract through the Christian school where she had taught the previous 3 years.

Some may say that we have finally come to our senses and made the right choice with having my wife stay at home with the kids. Some may say that in today's world with the price of living (gas, food, etc.) that a wife needs to work to help support the family. I believe in allowing a person's conscience to lead them in discerning how God wants them to make decisions on this issue. This means that I am for whatever God leads, directs, and calls a family to do depending on their situation. I am for my wife working (she will probably go back to work when all our kids are in school). I am for my wife staying at home.

Theologically I have been challenged to think about this differently over the past 4 months. I was challenged by Pastor Mark Driscoll in February on this issue. Mark brought up the idea of do I, the husband think it is fair to carry only one curse while my wife carries two? My wife carries a curse through bearing children, while in Genesis I, the man must work and that is my curse. Why do I have to carry only one curse, while my wife bears children + works full-time on top of that. So if at all possible financially, which we believe now it is, we think it be better to have Shannon stay at home. Hopefully that can cut down on habits like this developing