Links, blinks, thinks

A thoughtful piece here from Russell Moore (H/T Justin Taylor) about how much you need to know about your potential spouse's s*xual history, for those still in the world of potentials.

A very good post from Wendy Alsup about respect if you're further on.

And I'm itching to edit bits of yesterdays post, though a few comments and messages on the side make me leave it there, with all my associated angst, but here is something Carolyn McCulley writes about baby-sitting. It would actually seem to be more about nanny-ing as a paid job, involving looking after kids during the day and going on holidays with families, spending time with the parents also and so forth, but makes some good points (if you can get past the phrase "loving on"). I thought I'd clarify and say that I actually do enjoy babysitting, and I absolutely do think children are little people worth building relationship with. But my own experience of babysitting is a little different and usually involves evening work where you turn up shortly before parents leave (when they ask you to). If kids are small they might already be in bed, or if not you might help them off to bed. In the latter case you can get to read stories, pray with them etc and that is fun. If kids are older they are often allowed to stay up and watch a special TV movie or DVD. In this case they are usually pretty engrossed on the screen and don't appreciate you talking to them! :) And that's cool, because the kids are happy (and safely occupied), so I am happy. Crochet is good for kids movie moments (on one occasion I did find myself giving crochet lessons) - or I might start to clean up the kitchen or something else at this point (Hollywood Chihauhau had scary bits, so I went to do the dishes). So, yes, often I will clean the kitchen if it's not already, but I don't usually go beyond that point to house cleaning (I think an unsolicited house clean would be more appreciated by some women than others!). I also can't remember the last time I was paid for baby-sitting (I started baby-sitting at 13, and back then it was around $2 and hour, but I haven't done it as a "job" since high school) - and I wouldn't take money, because I am not doing it for money. Often the family will feed you and that's nice, but even that is unnecessary, and you'd be happy to just eat whatever the kids were having. So, mostly when I babysit there are a lot more hours when the kids are asleep than when they are awake, but the time with the kids can be valuable, and perhaps more so if you regularly look after the same kids. So, that was my perspective on baby-sitting, which I usually see as something I do more for the parents (something I am still more than happy to do), but go read the other perspective.

One hilarious five-year-old boy talks about "Private Predges" (aka Pride and Prejudice) the movie.