{For Free}

Does anyone else find this disturbing?
I saw it driving past a particular movie rental store {who will remain nameless}.
I didn't think that was right. Giving away kids.

But it got me thinking:
What exactly do they mean by Free?
Is it a rent to own program?
Do they have a No Return policy?
Is there a restocking fee if I want to exchange my free kid for a different one?
Can you exchange children you currently have for store credit?
Do they offer a lifetime warranty?

If only getting kids were that easy. No expense. No 9 month pregnancy or hours of painful labor. Just walk in the store and pick one out. Simply return them when they aren't functioning properly or if you decide it is not exactly what you expected.

Luckily that isn't the case.

“No matter what you read or hear, no matter what the differences of circumstances you observe in the lives of women about you, it is important for you Latter-day Saint women to understand that the Lord holds motherhood and mothers sacred and in the highest esteem. He has entrusted to his daughters the great responsibility of bearing and nurturing children. This is the great, irreplaceable work of women. Life cannot go on if women cease to bear children. Mortal life is a privilege and a necessary step in eternal progression. Mother Eve understood that. You must also understand it. Much is said about the drudgery and the confinement of the woman’s role in the home. In the perspective of the gospel it is not so. There is divinity in each new life. There is challenge in creating the environment in which a child can grow and develop. There is partnership between the man and woman in building a family which can last throughout the eternities” (President Spencer W. Kimball:“Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters,” Ensign, Nov. 1978).

Even on the bad days, I'm grateful they aren't free.