Counter-counter cultural

Got quite a link fest here. Patrick at CMR found out he is Counter-Cultural, Who Knew? Now, I can relate, but I say it is counter-counter cultural. I have commented often in the past about how bizarre and uncivil that people feel free to comment on such intimate details of their life to complete strangers.

Patrick's column leads to
Danielle Bean on being open to life. As both say, trust is probably the biggest reason we keep having more. Danielle links to a veritable meme going around the feminine side of the blogosphere 40 Reasons to Have Kids My favorite is

26. Do something to change the world. Have a child. Raise a saint.

Amen to that. I will do my best to add forty from a father's perspective, but reserve the right to stop before I reach forty. After all I am of the less creative gender.

1. My answer to those intrusive commentors, I enjoy making them.
2. Better than sex cake? I don't think so. (and I am a chocolate freak)
3. Sleep better.
4. (okay, enough about making them)
5. Kids make you a better man.
6. The first taught me to value the weak.
7. The second taught me the value of prayer (remind me to post his miracle story)
8. The third teaches me the value of Guardian Angels (notice the present tense)
9. Number 4 finally brought me out of my selfishness.
10. The fifth, well lets say my fifth is a good reason for a good fifth. A spitting image of me, but how different they can be.
11. #6 is the beauty following the beast. As collicy and feisty as #5 was, #6 is sweet and mellow.
12. The seventh (on the way) brought home the value of trusting God. Put away the charts and enjoy the married life. (thank you St. Joseph)
13. The one that died before getting here taught us the fragility of life.
14. Kids teach a guy he doesn't know everything (even before they become teenagers.)
15. I don't have to leave the house to clothe the naked
16. Comfort the sorrowing,
17. Feed the hungry. (at all hours of the day)
18. Kids teach men how to delegate, you fill the bottle, you get some diapers, you get in the car, I'll grab the baby and perhaps we can get to Mass before the 1st reading.
19. Baby nap time, what better excuse to spend a Sunday afternoon watching football that to have a sleeping baby on your chest.
20. Halfway there
21. (okay I am cheating a bit)
22. (remember the bit about the being less creative)
23. (that doesn't pertain to excuses)
24. Kids help us understand why our parents would laugh at something that wasn't funny.
25. Like a knife tempered in the fire and sharpened on a steel, kids provide both for a man's character.
26. We learn discipline starts with ourselves.
27. The family is like a small church, and what is a church without members?
28. Or a church that doesn't grow?
29. Being a man means passing on important traits to your children. Like which football team to root for (Vikings of course) and which green and gold team from cheeseland to despise.
30. Wrestling time. When can getting beat be so much fun. Some day they will be able to beat me for real. I will have to give it up a year before that.
31. Games on a winter afternoon.
32. Having more than 2 really irks the liberals.
33. Large families have much more influence on a community.
34. Listening to Theology from the back seat. I just love listening to kids talking about religion and "getting it." or even when they don't quite grasp it yet.
35. Watching young men emerge from the boys you once held.
36. Pondering which gun to clean the first time a young man comes courting.
37. Never having to wonder what lessons God couldn't teach me through my children.
38. Siblings.
39. Knowing your kids will learn by example that eternal souls are worth more than things.
40. Having kids teaches a man to be just that, a man. Me? I am a slow learner.

Whew! Got through it. Number 25 and 40 about sum it up. Kids are a blessing that sometimes don't feel like a blessing. But when you stop to count, (blessing not kids) a man realizes how much he has grown. How much God has instructed him while he was instructing the children.