30 October 2006
Phoenix Vacation
Tomorrow morning we are leaving for Phoenix, Arizona. The snow here is beautiful, but we are not quite ready for winter. The warmth and sunshine will be a welcome treat. We are gratefully anticipating this much needed rest (especially for Clint.)
Check out the place where we're staying here. The condo belongs to my aunt and uncle who attend Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Edmonton.
If you're interested in a warm vacation this winter, consider booking this condo for yourself!.
// posted by Christel Humfrey @ 30.10.06
29 October 2006
And What Do YOU Do?
Of all the questions commonly heard in our polite North American society, this is undoubtedly the question I hate the most.
I can see the scene unfolding in my mind. With each and every new acquaintance we go through the same charade. First, they are speaking to Clint about his profession as a Greek Professor, or his pursuit of PhD studies, or his 'cowboying.' All of which receive the customary "That's wonderful!" or "How interesting!" and of course, "Good for you!" Finally, their heads swivel toward me, eyebrows raised, and they ask in that very proper tone, "And what to you do?"
Does anyone actually think about what they are saying when they ask a woman this question? I know it's the only thing people can seem to think of to say, and it is arguably the polite way to make introductions in our culture. But we all know that what they are really asking is, "What do you do to make money?" It's not quite as polite to put it this way, but it's a little more honest.
Let's face it, women are defined by what they do. Their response to this little question of introduction will not only be the primary definer of their identity, but also of their quality of person. Women who have made the home their primary focus are left with only two possible answers, both require an answer of humiliation, namely, "Oh, I don't work." or "I'm just a homemaker." Even a woman who finds time to do a little work for pay outside the home, must respond to this question with "the little" they do outside the home. And, most likely, they would believe that it is the least important thing that they do with their time, and they would certainly not wish to be defined by it.
My frustration comes not with unbelievers, but with Christians. Where in the bible does it speak of a woman's role being primarily to make money? It doesn't. So why are Christian women made to feel like less because their primary energies are focused on running a household, ministry to their husband and/or children, and ministry in their local church and community?
I cannot tell you the number of times that Christian men and women have encouraged me to pursue a career in singing, but I have never once had anyone ask me how it would effect my marriage to be away from home for months at a time touring.
The Proverbs 31 woman "considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard." She is entrepreneurial. She is good with money and investments. All women should strive to achieve this, but this is only one verse of the 21 verses that paint a picture of her excellence. She is certainly not neglecting her home in order to make money. Why are the other 20 verses so often disregarded or treated as irrelevant among Christians?
Admittedly, there are some lazy women out there that give homemakers a bad name. But I can guarantee that not all homemakers sit around watching Oprah all day. They're much too busy with their duties of nutritionist, personal chef, accountant, investment researcher/analyst, secretary and cleaning lady. They are also spending time finding ways to minister to their husband and/or children, family, church and community.
Contrary to popular belief, I've never heard of a woman that had a full time career whose home did not suffer for it in some capacity. However, in truth, I am glad that we live in a country were women have freedom to work. Sometimes it is really necessary for a season, and in other seasons a woman has the time and finds enjoyment doing it. A paid job can truly be a blessing at certain times in a woman's life. But we must guard against feminism replacing scripture as our measuring stick for a woman's worth.
So please, don't define a woman by her paid job (or absence of one.) Don't assume that if she doesn't have a paid job, she's watching Oprah. And if you can be a little creative and counter-cultural, don't ask a woman a question that requires a humiliating answer.
I can see the scene unfolding in my mind. With each and every new acquaintance we go through the same charade. First, they are speaking to Clint about his profession as a Greek Professor, or his pursuit of PhD studies, or his 'cowboying.' All of which receive the customary "That's wonderful!" or "How interesting!" and of course, "Good for you!" Finally, their heads swivel toward me, eyebrows raised, and they ask in that very proper tone, "And what to you do?"
Does anyone actually think about what they are saying when they ask a woman this question? I know it's the only thing people can seem to think of to say, and it is arguably the polite way to make introductions in our culture. But we all know that what they are really asking is, "What do you do to make money?" It's not quite as polite to put it this way, but it's a little more honest.
Let's face it, women are defined by what they do. Their response to this little question of introduction will not only be the primary definer of their identity, but also of their quality of person. Women who have made the home their primary focus are left with only two possible answers, both require an answer of humiliation, namely, "Oh, I don't work." or "I'm just a homemaker." Even a woman who finds time to do a little work for pay outside the home, must respond to this question with "the little" they do outside the home. And, most likely, they would believe that it is the least important thing that they do with their time, and they would certainly not wish to be defined by it.
My frustration comes not with unbelievers, but with Christians. Where in the bible does it speak of a woman's role being primarily to make money? It doesn't. So why are Christian women made to feel like less because their primary energies are focused on running a household, ministry to their husband and/or children, and ministry in their local church and community?
I cannot tell you the number of times that Christian men and women have encouraged me to pursue a career in singing, but I have never once had anyone ask me how it would effect my marriage to be away from home for months at a time touring.
The Proverbs 31 woman "considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard." She is entrepreneurial. She is good with money and investments. All women should strive to achieve this, but this is only one verse of the 21 verses that paint a picture of her excellence. She is certainly not neglecting her home in order to make money. Why are the other 20 verses so often disregarded or treated as irrelevant among Christians?
Admittedly, there are some lazy women out there that give homemakers a bad name. But I can guarantee that not all homemakers sit around watching Oprah all day. They're much too busy with their duties of nutritionist, personal chef, accountant, investment researcher/analyst, secretary and cleaning lady. They are also spending time finding ways to minister to their husband and/or children, family, church and community.
Contrary to popular belief, I've never heard of a woman that had a full time career whose home did not suffer for it in some capacity. However, in truth, I am glad that we live in a country were women have freedom to work. Sometimes it is really necessary for a season, and in other seasons a woman has the time and finds enjoyment doing it. A paid job can truly be a blessing at certain times in a woman's life. But we must guard against feminism replacing scripture as our measuring stick for a woman's worth.
So please, don't define a woman by her paid job (or absence of one.) Don't assume that if she doesn't have a paid job, she's watching Oprah. And if you can be a little creative and counter-cultural, don't ask a woman a question that requires a humiliating answer.
// posted by Christel Humfrey @ 29.10.06
23 October 2006
Humfrey News
Christel and I have been quite neglectful of this blog to the point that there may not be anybody left who reads it. Nevertheless here are a few items by way of update:
- Christel has been feeling nauseous and fatigued lately but we are hoping that she is coming out of the early morning sickness phase.
- Our baby is still pretty tiny but we saw her/him bouncing up and down with her/his arms and legs flailing. (Either a ballet dancer or bronc rider to my way of thinking).
- Harvest is over along with its gruelling schedule (75-80 hrs per week). Now at least I can come home in the evening for supper and not be on the combine into the late hours of the night. (The crop yields were okay but a bit disappointing considering the vast amount of rain that we had in the spring, but there is much to be thankful for).
- Christel and I sang together in public for only the second time yesterday at church in Blackie (the first was at TBS friends- Justin and Elisha Galotti's wedding). We filled in leading the singing. It was fun worshipful and sounded pretty good I think (at least Christel did!).
- We are looking forward to seeing some visitors to Calgary next week. Pierre Constant, Professor of New Testament at TBS, and his wife Lise are taking a cross-Canada trip by train and will be in Calgary for a stopover. We hope to have them down to our ranchero. A few days later, Crawford Gribben, a professor at the University of Manchester, will be in Calgary to deliver lectures on 'Rapture Fiction' and Millenialism in North American Evangelicalism. The lectures are under the rubric of the Chair of Christian Thought at the University of Calgary. Crawford is a good friend of Dr. Haykin and Ian Clary and it is through them that I have been able to correspond with Crawford over the past year.
- I've been doing some horse-trading with our automobiles lately. I installed a new transmission into my old black Ford truck and am trying to sell it since we bought an SUV at an auction for Christel to drive this winter. I tried to sell our car at auction but I brought it home. I'm in discussions with a buyer, and it might be gone by the end of the week.
- I will be involved in the Fall Round-Up of our cattle at the northern summer pasture located south-west of Edmonton. I was working cattle there last week and still feel sore in my knees from all of the trees that had to squeeze my horse through!
- Yesterday after church we had a great time of fellowship with Steve& Julia, Peter& Anna, Pastor Todd & Bev. I had corresponded with Steve a bit regarding his efforts to see a Calvinistic Baptist church plant get started in Calgary. Peter introduced himself to me at church but I was confused about where I had met him. It seems that Peter was at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto (Pastored by Paul Martin-Kerux Noemata) on the evening when I preached there (an over-long sermon which can be agonized through here). All of us had a wonderful time of discussion and laughter, filled as we were from Pastor Todd's excellent sermon from 1 Peter 2:1-2.
- Lord willing we are going to Phoenix on October 31st for a much needed vacation. It will be a cheap holiday matching Air Miles with a free use of a relative's condo. When we return I will be teaching on some 'Heroes' of the Christian Faith at Okotoks E-Free (Dan& Marlene Sudfeld).
- Finally, I am developing some classes to be taught at local churches. My hope is that I can have enough financial support from teaching as I currently do from my farm-wage. If this could happen I would stop working on the farm (or cut back drastically) and concentrate on prep and teaching. Please pray for this option, especially that there would be sufficient interest in some of the classes I hope to offer.
// posted by Unknown @ 23.10.06
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]