HIGHCOST
Eo«^uUJatte)u “Working five days a week makes my homemaking a frantic, part-time job,” continued Ethel. “ I can only give it the frazzled end o f myself rather than my best.” “You’ve been doing very well,” replied Duane, “and that boat is almost in sight. We’re living in a different world from the one for which that was written.” Ethel went to bed with a heavy heart, but committed the matter to the Lord, asking for His def inite guidance. She didn’t have to wait long. In the morning, Tammy was much worse and the doctor had to be called. Ethel couldn’t go to work and leave Tammy. Since the illness proved to be a prolonged one, another buyer was hired in Ethel’s place. The boat would have to wait, or be forgotten. If you are one o f the ten mil lion working mothers, you under stand some of the difficulties and pressures which must be faced. There is a high cost involved. Over 150 major research projects have been conducted on the effect of working mothers on children, and many other studies on the effect of the mother’s job on her husband, her community and her home. One-third of all career women are mothers, and the per centage is increasing at an alarm ing rate. As enlightening as re search may be, we have but to look around us to see examples of the consequences of working mothers. Bill walked leisurely home from school, not anxious to reach his destination. The house would be empty anyway. Hostility smoth ered him as he thought of his
A t five o ’ clock , Ethel locked her office door and dashed to her car. Through traffic and fog, she rushed to the comer grocery store, then to the day nursery for Tammy. As she drove almost recklessly to reach home before her husband Duane, she felt strange forebodings. An hour later, Tammy, looking flushed and feverish, refused her dinner. Duane showed annoyance and said, “ That’s all we’d need is to have Tammy get sick so you couldn’t work. Our plans for the boat would go up in smoke.” “ The way I feel tonight, I won der if it is worth it,” replied Ethel. “ I can’t work all week, keep house, and shoulder the re sponsibilities of wife, mother and ready-to-wear buyer.” Later that evening, Ethel spoke to her husband alone about a por tion of Scripture which had trou bled her all day. Paul, writing to Titus, instructs him to “Teach what is fitting and becoming to sound (wholesome) doctrine—the character and right living that identify true Christians . . . wise ly train the young women to be sane and sober-minded, temper ate, disciplined . . . HOMEMAK ERS . . .” (Amplified Bible).
friend, Jim, who was cheerfully greeted by his mother and served cookies and milk. He thought of the new davenport and drapes his mother had purchased recently. Cold comfort they were. He felt tempted to destroy them. Something had to give or Bill felt he would explode. “ I’ll walk it off,” he thought and headed down toward the docks. As he watched a mother and son board a sight-seeing boat, his resent ment rose to a fever pitch. “My mother is too busy to ever do anything like that with me,” he whispered to himself. Just then he saw Joe walking toward him. “ Hello,” said Joe in his gut tural voice, “watchya doin here?” “ Just thinking,” replied Bill. “Wanna come with me? I’m gonna have some kicks,” said Joe. “Like what?” querried Bill, torn between apprehension and excitement. “Just come along and see for yourself,” answered Joe, “ I need some money and I know how to get it.” Bill followed him, feeling al ternately guilty and revengeful, and before an hour had passed, found himself in trouble. An offi-
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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