How Much Is a Homemaker Worth?

The Story: A study conducted by the financial service company Investopedia found that the sum value of different homemaking duties annually amounts to almost six figures. If a homemaker's job were salaried, it would draw, on average, $96,291 per year. Tasks accounted for in the study included private chef, house cleaner, child care provider, driver, and laundry service provider.

The Background: There's no escaping the fact that contemporary society often scoffs at stay-at-home moms. "This isn't the 1950s anymore," the thinking goes. "Why in the world would someone want to be imprisoned in her own home?" The common idea, of course, is that many responsibilities on the home front should be outsourced, thus releasing moms from domestic shackles to realize their vocational dreams. While such a mindset isn't automatically wrongheaded in every case, it can frequently betray a prioritization that is biblically questionable.  Continue at Matt Smethurst

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Well, It Has Happened...The New Barbie

The newest Barbie doll to hit store shelves is sparking controversy.The doll sports several tattoos, and some parents say it’s sending the wrong message to their kids, reports CBS 2’s Kathryn Brown.

Meet “Tokidoki Barbie,” the newest addition to the iconic doll collection. She’s edgy — with pink hair, sky-high stilettos and a cactus-covered pet named “Bastardino.” But it’s her body art that has some parents on edge.

For years, Barbie has done its job of making little girls unhappy with their God-given beauty and now this…

You know, I have always wondered at why over the course of a few years, tattoos have suddenly become cool and common place in society with every day Joes. It used to be that only biker-dudes, sailors and the odd cook at a greasy spoon diner somewhere had tattoos, but now the most ordinary guy and the most plain Jane woman are getting them. What’s changed? Where was the psychological barrier broken?

Anyway, now we have this to contend with. Not only will the girls of tomorrow be facing the daunting task of achieving the “perfect body, but now it will be coming with a bunch of ugly tattoos as well. God help the women of tomorrow…will any of these who bought this Barbie be able to be a real mom? Only time will tell.

HT: Reformed Biblical Studies

Moms in Touch

Moms in Touch is a ministry I’m very, very excited about. And I want you to be excited about it too. In fact, I want to encourage you to read to the end of this post and then to take action.I first encountered Moms in Touch at the 2008 True Woman conference. I did not have a lot of time to investigate it, but was really impressed with the little I did see. Last weekend as I was in Fort Worth for the 2010 True Woman conference I spent some time meeting the ministry and Fern Nichols, its founder, and found myself moved as I heard about the organization and about how it serves communities. I just had to share some of that.
So here’s the deal. Moms in Touch is a ministry that coordinates prayer groups. They want women to be praying and they coordinate that prayer. They want women praying very specifically for children, for schools and for the educators within those schools. Continue Reading...