Grace abounds

I am sometimes amazed with grace. Phillip Yancey, one of my favourite writers, wrote a book entitled "what is so amazing about grace?"
The fact is that we breath, that we have our being is evidence of God's grace to us.

One of the huge reasons that I reject patriarchy is because I believe in grace. To me the legalistic hurdles, the questions about what women are "allowed" to do become completely ridiculous. People disagree with one another. A "rule" is imposed where there is none. It is very ironic, that Paul, the proporter of human freedom is bound up into a bunch of legalism. The question does become "are women human?" Are they allowed to express their full humanity and giftings within a patriarchal structure? no, they are not. I like using this as an example "people should stay at home after having kids" many people would be like "what? that is a silly statement." okay than why is this one okay: "women should stay at home after having kids". when do women get the fortune of being considered human beings and not just chattel to bear and raise children and maintain the house?
I do say all of this as a SAHM and its not my point that women staying at home is bad. I obviously don't think its bad. I just think its incredibly legalistic to make such a blanket statement that takes nothing into account about in individual person.
In my world those that promote a punitive, legalistic type parenting are, no surprise here, also patriarchal. Elizabeth Elliot is one person that comes to mind. Her incredible self righteousness that bleeds from her every pore, her "forced" marriage to Jim Elliot who died and yet whose name she never dropped. I find her hypocrisy most disgusting and distasteful. She also has a very low regard for children as her parenting advice is manipulative and full of gracelessness.

I don't fully understand grace. I think if I did I would be able to more fully implement it in my own life and extend it to others. I do find it interesting that the people I most identify with, many of their beliefs I embrace, like Phillip Yancey for instance. but John Piper I feel I can learn nothing from. I feel his view of God is incredibly punitive and he also is a female subordinationist as well. I doubt we could find common ground as the man seems to miss what the meaning of Christianity is in the first place.