I sure hope you are enjoying this read through of Too Small to Ignore. This week, I have three guests who will be discussing their thoughts with us on Chapters 3, 4, and 5. I would love to have others step forward to write about Chapters 6, 7, 8 and 9. If you are interested, email me at fiddlejill(at)yahoo(dot)com or let me know in the comments.
Now on to Chapter 3.....
IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE
Hi, I'm Gin! I read Too Small To Ignore the year it came out and am excited to participate in reading it again.
As a new mom, I can certainly relate to the message Wess shares in Chapter 3, 'It really does take a village.' My sweet boy will be six months old in just a couple days and as he grows and is able to comprehend what is going on, my husband and I are finding ourselves analyzing our environment more and more. We are working on defining the line between allowing him to know and play around society, yet also sheltering him from things we deem toxic and unhealthy. We have strong feelings on many things that our friends could care less about. Does that mean we don't allow him to play with their children? Of course not... but at what point and what cost? This chapter brought a lot of discussion for us as I re-read the book, this time as a mother.
Growing up in Africa, Wess was surrounded by a culture different from what his parents and their missionary friends grew up knowing. I think we often try to teach our children things and struggle with keeping the message when society doesn't always see it our way (which is the right way of course! :)) My favorite example is on page 57 when Wess walks up on a missionary wife as she nurses her baby. She scolds him for seeing her and tells him to run along. He comments that he didn't know anything different because African mothers nurse their babies in front of anyone and everyone. What I find most interesting about this situation is that typically, missionaries try to do as much as they can to blend in with the people with whom they live so they will be respected and are better able to share the Gospel and teach. Why then, would a mother who is in the company of many women who nurse openly, decide she should hide? Wess said that there were a different set of rules for white mothers. I would love to ask him more about how this worked. How did the children know which rules applied to which group? How did the children know that there were different rules?
Wrapping up chapter 3, on page 65 Wess discussed children being in church and how he loved that it exposed them to their parents deep in prayer. What a beautiful way to teach children about serving and worshiping the Lord? To see their parents in church on Sunday, on their knees, deep in prayer with the One who loves them most... with an almost six month old, I loved that he also mentions a child's piercing cry. Thankfully that hasn't happened to us yet, but I don't plan to put Oliver in the nursery. Partly because we've not been to a single church long enough for comfort in leaving him, and partly because I want him to be with us as we hear the Word and be part of Christian fellowship.
What are your thoughts on Chapter 3?
BOOK GIVEAWAY....
**Are you missing out on this discussion because you don't have a copy of Too Small to Ignore? Gin has a copy to give away. If you'd like it, simply leave a comment here telling me you'd like the book and I'll draw one name for it on Wednesday at noon EST. Be sure to come back and see if you've won. Thanks Gin!
Logging you in...
fiddlejill 88p · 717 weeks ago
I struggle with this concept of letting a village raise my child. Perhaps it's because in our culture, we don't have as much control over societal influences. If I were living in a remote African village or even an Amish community....where I knew everyone around us shared similar values, then it would be a different story. I don't even have extended family members that share the same values as us...
I love the concept of including children in church. Although I do usher my kids to age appropriate classrooms, I wish it wasn't so. Our church brings the kids into the service every once in awhile - for special presentations and baptisms. I wish it was more regular - even having them worship and pray with us weekly before sending them off for an age appropriate lesson. I've suggested our children's ministry leaders read this book - I'll have to encourage them again!
Nicole · 717 weeks ago
Nicole · 717 weeks ago
fiddlejill 88p · 717 weeks ago
Definitely something to pray about.
Others....what do you think?
Rondatchr · 717 weeks ago
fiddlejill 88p · 717 weeks ago
fiddlejill 88p · 717 weeks ago
"But in so doing, we forfeit the chance for children to see their dads and moms engaged in earnest prayer. They miss the classic hymns of the faith. They fail to catch the rhythms of a well-delivered sermon, which carry a message of their own even if the child cannot yet grasp the theological specifics. They are excluded from the spiritual family gathering in the presence of God."
What are we teaching our children by excluding them from the worship experience? If they are not incorporated in at a young age, how will we keep them coming when they've outgrown the more entertainment focused children's ministry?
I don't have answers to these, but it sure gets me thinking.
Finally, I love the last sentence of the chapter found on p. 66...
"To welcome the young into the center of our lives is to enrich not only them but ourselves as well."
Michelle Rausch · 716 weeks ago
Children cry. It is part of life. But I feel that being a part of the congregation is a part of life too........ and children and families miss out on seeing their parents and other respected adults worship God. I can still see my Grandparents' faces as they prayed during service.... and it is comforting and feels right.
Michelle Rausch · 716 weeks ago
We DID luck into living in an apartment complex when Zach turned 10 years old. It was a gated community and there were heaps of children around. The families were scattered throughout the complex, so the children never knew when a Mom or Dad would be around spying on them.......... However, for the most part, the children all behaved and worked well with one another. (a few instances like in most childhoods of issues) So right when Zach was learning to be more independent, he entered this childhood nirvana kind of place where it was like we were blasted back to the 70's. He got to play all the games like Night Time Hide-N-Seek with flashlights (my fave game when I was a kid), Red Rover, Statues, etc. ....... plus had water game battles, made up their own games with their own rules like Wall Ball, built forts, etc. It was all that I could have asked for in a neighborhood...... even down to be culturally diverse. It was a joy to me to have kids of all colors running through my apt!!!
We had to move a year and 1/2 ago........... but he spent 7 years there and I truly believe he had his childhood. He also learned to take admonishment from families from other countries and learn their customs and follow them. (India ~ take off shoes and leave outside door before entering for example)
So I believe it is possible to still raise children in a "village-like" environment.........but I believe that it is harder and harder to find......... and that makes me sad. For the adults too. I was actually jealous when I read that the women all worked together to prepare the evening meals.... and their pounding of corn or millet produces a rhythm that rocked the village and signaled a group effort. I'm used to food prep being a chore. I HATE cooking. Perhaps in a communal group it would be more enjoyable.....
pg. 66: "We are all in this together. None of us is meant to be an island."
That was my favorite line. (Although I love how Wes words things and loved many of his lines......) I so often feel like an island. Sometimes I really enjoy that. But at other times, I wish someone would float their island a bit closer.... :o)
P.S. Sorry I went M.I.A. for awhile. I got sick. Then I got sicker. Slept for days. However, even though I didn't post........... I did read. <3