Sing along....

So, I am a momma to a small herd of kiddos. That means a lot of excitement. A lot of noise. A lot of stories. And a lot of questions. As the kids get older, I have developed a new sense of anticipating questions, and heading them off at the pass, so speak. Avoiding things that they aren't quite ready for, and encouraging the questions about all the wonders and mysteries around us. Big J and I used to be country music fans. Until the day that Jackson asked about some questionable lyrics. See, I assumed because he was still young, that he wasn't listening to the words, just enjoying the music..... Right? But they hear. They hear it ALL. And what they hear shapes who they are. And who they will become. It is my job as a parent to help them become what the world needs today. Good citizens. Faithful spouses. Helpful neighbors. Selfless leaders. And while chick fil a and others make headlines with the "controversial" beliefs, this much is true here...... We are here on Earth to serve the Lord. To be kind, in control of ourselves, to love, to be joyful, gentle to those who need it, and faithful to those we belong to.... So, here's the problem. Serving the Lord is NOT easy. It's not cool. It's not always popular. Let me rephrase that.... It's rarely popular. Tonight I was discussing something with a sister in Christ whom I have known since junior high. And the discussion was all about music choices. See, when J and I decided about three years ago to follow the path of the Lord whole heartedly, we had already decided that the only music we would listen to as a family would be Christian music. We wanted the internal soundtrack that ran though our kiddos heads as they faced bullies, and the chance to cheat, and the opportunity to steal to be the biblical truths we wanted them to follow. But during tonights discussion, we got talking about today's music... And the songs that teens today listen to. (before you call me an old fogey, listen to some of today's hits, and some of today's Christian hits, and do a side by side comparison of musical talents and song writing....). And I said, but it's the popular stuff.... To which she replied "popular is what the world does. And the world is all kinds of messed up" Amen. So we shelter the kiddos. We do. We shelter them from sexy clothes marketed to six year olds. And suggestive lyrics sung by teen boys. And inappropriate movies. Even though the popular kids are wearing and watching and singing. The world is all kinds of messed up. But not here. But ask them what happened in the movie theater in Aurora, or why ambulances race to those in need of help, and they can readily answer you. Because we have chosen to fill their hearts with the right path, those scary realities are more manageable. God's got our back and my four kids are so well aware of that. It is not a sometimes choice to follow Jesus. It is all consuming and all encompassing. We are to follow His lead in our whole life. Our entire life. Last week during our devotion time as a family, the verse of the day was Matthew 22:37-38. "Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind..." And before we finished reading the verse, all four kids were finishing it for us... Because see, Lincoln Brewster had already done the work of teaching our kids that verse... In their song. So, instead of "call me maybe", I will be following the One who loves me always. And rocking all the way down this path!