The Default is Off

Michelle from Mormon Women cued me into Having another child: Questions couples can consider by the Eyres.  I really liked what they said about the function of the family:  ". . .family is the core rather than the periphery. Children are part of the purpose rather than the sidelight. Work supports family rather than the other way around."

Then they gave the "default" analogy:

Most electronics have "default positions" that control the device's operation unless we override it. In terms of having children, should our default switch be OFF (assume you should not get pregnant until you receive inspiration that you should), or ON (assume that we should have a child in a reasonable amount of time unless, as we pray, we feel that we should wait). . . .  In light of the gospel and the restoration and the plan, would it not be a better idea to generally have the default switch on ON — to assume that God wants you to have children (or another child) reasonably soon until you feel, in your prayers, that he wants you to wait, or to be finished?

We live in a culture where the default to have families is generally OFF; we wait and wait to have children, but we need to remember that God intended married people to have families.  We are a part of His plan.