Perspective

It is funny how our perspective changes through the years.  Awhile back my small group was discussing persecution and  I just didn't see how people in the US were being persecuted for religion.  Now that my children are older, I see it differently.  It is difficult to have different standards than other families- even in small things.  There are so many television shows, movies, music, that are just not good choices for adolescents.  It is a lot of work to research it all.  Jim and I fail miserably at being as thorough as we should.  However, we are apparently much more strict than our children would like us to be.  Many times I feel like an island in a raging storm.  I have become the Funsucker.  I just don't want my children to be forced into growing up before they should.  Once the images are in the brain, they cannot leave.  There will be plenty of time for the content of PG-13 movies- I don't see the need for the children to start seeing them at young ages.  I do feel like I am standing up to amazing pressure to just let the children do what they want and not check out any of the shows they are watching, movies they are seeing, music they are listening to, games they are playing.  We gave in and allowed wii to enter our house this Christmas.  I am still not sure it was a good idea.  It was nice not having any video games in the house.  The positive is that the girls play the games together and we control what games we have in the house.  I know the persecution is nothing compared to worrying about losing your life for your faith, but I have changed my mind about persecution.  It is just a different kind of pressure.  I tell my girls all the time that life is about choices, and that sometimes it is not always good and bad choices.  Sometimes it is about good and better choices, and we need to think about what choice is the best choice for us, and what choice is the choice that glorifies God.  What choice draws us closer to our Savior.  We always want to be walking closer to God.  I want them to think about everything that happens in their day in that context.  I want God to be the center of their day, not the afterthought.  Unfortunately, I don't think that is happening in the majority of the daily lives.  I think that is the issue with the world today (but that is another post).  I want them to get comfortable with that so they can handle the pressure that comes with it- people aren't used to a God first perspective.  It catches them off guard.  It changes the way things happen.  It is a good thing, but it isn't easy.  It isn't supposed to be easy.  I am thankful that God has  provided the strength for us to be able to stand by our decisions on some very difficult things.  Hopefully we are making a difference.  We don't know yet, and we may not know, but we feel we are doing the right thing.  We'll just keep asking for wisdom and discernment and keep believing that God will provide them!