GK Chesterton and Feminism

GK Chesterton

“It [feminism] is mixed up with a muddled idea that women are free when they serve their employers but slaves when they help their husbands.”

This is kind of an interesting quote I ran across.  GK Chesterton, what an interesting character and prolific author.  If you haven't read any of his work, really, you should look into it.  "Mere Christianity" and the "Screwtape Letters".   

Check out: chesterton.org to learn more, or search through his writings for yourself.

Should you have the time, they are thought provoking.  (As a slight digression, I enrolled my son in a reading program at the library and as I log his books into the computer I realize he "reads" more books in a day than I do in a year... I'm trying to work on that...  I do love Bookbub and moneysaving mom.com where I am notified of free e-books.)

It is interesting how in the stay at home mom/ full-time mom debate, his quote does seem to be relevant.  Not to get a big argument going here.  I definitely see both sides as a part-time mom.  I also think both sides need to worry less about judging each other (and I think the debate is getting to a less-judgemental point).  But it is interesting when people assume that an employer is freedom and the family can be slavery.  

I fairly recently had a change in circumstances that makes me appreciate the above.  I am a veterinarian and without getting into too many details, had a job change fairly recently.  I had previously been employed by a great mentor and veterinarian.  Things change, and I could tell that change was coming.  Sometimes, living in fear of change is worse than the change itself.  My husband and I prayed and we took a big risk and I began my own "business".  I say it in quotes because I'm really more of an independent contractor than a "business".  I work independently at many different clinics, I'm a "substitute" veterinarian so to speak.  I love it!  It gives me flexibility, a better income and allows me to order and prioritize my family.  It was a HUGE risk, as I was definitely not guaranteed any work.  It has called on my skills in marketing, sales, customer relations and more.  It has been wonderful as it has exposed me to many great clinics and clinicians who do things differently and so even after 8 years of being a veterinarian I continue to learn.

My husband and I prayed together before we made this choice.  It was really an act of faith on both of our parts to embark on this new adventure.  Right before we were ready to leave one job and I started my business, our church made a plea for more money as they were operating in the red.  My husband and I had been wanting to donate more money to the Church for a while, but the uncertainty of our situation had made us cautious.  That weekend, of course, the homily was about the widow woman who gave all she had.  We spoke about putting trust in the Lord, increasing what we gave (not a lot, just a little, God also calls us to be good stewards and make sure our families are cared for).  This was a physical act of faith to follow what had been more philosophical.  While things at the beginning were a little stressful, and for a small amount of time, I questioned whether this adventure was wise, things went extremely well.  There was an opportunity I had hoped for that did not pan out, but 6 months later, I realized, sometimes God says "No" for the right reasons.  It's nice to have that hindsight sometimes.  We are so much happier now and while life as an independent contractor is unpredictable and has difficulties (and requires an accountant), this was the right decision for my family... which also ended up being the right decision for my career.  So hopefully sharing this with you is a testimony that putting family first can bring freedom.


The following prayer/poem I wrote over 14 years ago is still relevant to me and hopefully you as well..

March 14, 2001

Lord

Why do things seem so tough sometimes?

Why do we get thrown such curve balls?

Why when we are looking for answers do we get nothing but more questions?

Why when things seem like they are going to clear up

A cloud of fog descends

Why do we get thrown everything at once?

Why do you choose the time you choose for everything to get confusing?

Lord

I will not know these answers for a while,

If I ever know them but perhaps…..

Things seem so tough because we are looking at it from our point of view, our view that easy is always best

Perhaps…

Our curve balls are our gifts

Perhaps….

We are looking for the wrong answers

Perhaps…

The fog is for reflection

Perhaps….

You only give us what we can handle

Perhaps….

It is not the timing of our challenges that matter, but our journey to address those challenges

Perhaps…..

Lord you are so magnificent in your ways that humans can not even fathom your wonders

Your grace is so encompassing that instead of feeling frustration

All we need to feel is your love

That is also all-encompassing

Thank you, Lord, 

For those gifts that I appreciate

And most importantly

For those gifts I do not know how to recognize……