It Takes a Faith-Based Village

Here in my "to do for Andrea" pile are.....

- A permission slip for a three-day spring-break neighborhood missions project; it seems to involve giving a t-shirt away and some fasting.

- Two mothers pleading for volunteers for the 8th grade promotion party, and for cans of refried beans for a Open House fundraiser;

- A 5-page student/parent information packet about Orange County History Day which is on....I see it....March 19. T-shirt and pizza lunch order forms, a map to the Orange County Dep't of Education. I better read this one. Looks like an all-day event. She's representing her school with her essay on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. I printed the latest edited version this morning for her.

- 3-on-3 basketball after-school practice and tournament schedule.

- Bible Quiz schedule. All -day tournament on March 12, and three practices between now and then.

Seriously. There might be more here on my desk, too. We have one child left at home, and I work for myself mainly at home. And she's a good student who requires little homework guidance. How in the world do families hold down two jobs and keep up with two or three(or more) kids?

A stay-at-home, work-at-home, or at least flexibly-scheduled parent is not a luxury. It's a necessity for a healthy, balanced family life.

And it does take a village to raise a child. A faith-based village.