Married Women's ghetto RANT

This article seems to made some waves - mostly good ones in my experience - in the online SA community. Here's a link if you have no idea what I'm talking about - Married Women's ghetto RANT. Carole mentions it on her site - there's a bit of discussion there. Well, I'm very careful about debating or even discussing issues which I have no immediate interest in doing something about (sort of a 'put up or shut up' arrangement with myself). THIS issue, though, is one very close to my heart. So, I thought I'd add to my blog a response I gave on a Salvo group/mailing list yesterday.

Just a few words first, though... Danielle Strickland has a little part of my heart all to herself, because she turned up with short hair, a different surname to her husband's, a child, and a discussion on women's place in the Salvation Army, right at a time when I needed the encouragement to be me, regardless of the mutterers. I'm sure she has no idea who on earth I am, and that's fine. I don't need a place in her heart in return!

Whewwww!!! I'm not sure whether I'm more refreshed or frustrated from reading that article. Refreshed, because it's nice to hear someone speaking similar thoughts to mine. Frustrated, because I still hold in my head some idealistic thoughts about the Salvation Army and its leadership. Because _I've_ never had to deal with being 'suppressed' (not a good word, but it'll do) in my ministry because of my gender - even in the Lutheran church as a kid, or for that matter in any workplace - I guess I tend to assume that it will never be a problem for me... that the problem must lie in part with the women of the Salvation Army for willingly taking the backseat roles whatever their giftings.

Deep down, I've always assumed that if I became an officer, I had as good a chance as any man to become General. Hmmmm... maybe I should apply for officership and find out!