Tag: motherhood

I Don’t Want My Kids To Be a Rock Star

Rock Star

Please excuse me, while I interrupt my normal writing and step on top of this soap box for a few minutes…

I keep noticing shirts, books, music, television shows, highlight the “glamor” of a rock star lifestyle to my children. As a Christian mother, I have to say, I don’t want my kids to be a rock star. Seriously, I thought this rock star phase would be over by now, but scrolling in search of books I spied a toddler level book about teaching your children to be Bible rock stars. Toddlers being rock stars? and Bible rock stars at that!?

Why does this just seem so wrong? Because it is…I understand the phrase is popular, but the idea, to me is just not Bible-centered. The Bible does not have anything to do with being a rock star. There will be no Bible rock stars at my house.

You do not have to accept the world’s philosophy as it seems crammed down your throat in every store in the clothing and toy section. It isn’t enough that they target young and older adults to find acceptance through singing  songs that appeal to the “old” man (Romans 6:6). But little kids!? It is just another way for Satan to begin grooming children for his desires for their future.

Frankly it all boils down to parents in my generation and what they like. Whatever they like they give to their kids. It doesn’t matter whether it is Biblical, it matters whether it’s cool, popular, and most importantly nostalgic.

Children many times do not know any better. They are young and innocent and will accept things without knowing the meaning behind them. Many parents will guffaw at the thought of me writing about this, but honestly, if our children were to leave home and pursue a lifestyle that embraced the world and threw their “Christian upbringing” behind, then they would hit their knees in prayer pleading for their return. Or maybe like many people I’ve seen, they would applaud their efforts for using the talent God had given them in almost every other venue and not for the Lord in their own church.

My Concern

Minimizing the subtle tactics of Satan, may be maximizing your child’s potential for not loving God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Yes, I realize, we can make mountains out of mole hills and mole hills out of mountains, but what will it take for many of us to stand up and protect our children from society’s pressure of making them the product opposite of God’s plans for their lives?

A toddler will not necessarily understand the board book they are reading says “Baby Rock Star,” but it’s the next step of buying the rock star shirt, doll or Lego set, or the fast paced guitar strumming video game. Are kids viewing these things as acceptable because we allow it little by little? It takes simple choices of seeing the rock star mentality creeping in and eliminating the influences. It may be that you have to redirect your child at the shopping rack, toy department, or video game area or replace things you already have at home that are promoting  things contrary to God’s Word. The Holy Spirit will lead and guide you if you will allow Him to.

Changing Our “Inside” Influence

Most of us do not have to make huge changes in our lives to ensure the safety of our children when it comes to outside influences… but when it comes to the inside influence of ourselves we make exceptions. We need to be reading the Bible and applying its principles of protecting and guiding our children AND ourselves. We are the guardians of our children, the fences of protection and shields of their hearts, minds, and bodies. But how can we protect them to the fullest sense if we are allowing those things into our own lives by the music we listen to, places we go, and things we watch, and items we buy?

But That’s Not All

It really isn’t all about society’s rock star exaltation, there are all types of lures that Satan is using to entice our children. You may not battle Guitar Hero but you may battle the exaltation of sports, fashion, extremely popular children’s movies or books, you fill in the blank. The enticements are not just coming from outside sources though. C’mon, too often they are originating from us, as parents, and our indulgences instead of our holiness.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” I don’t want my kids to be a rock star because I don’t want them to be adult rock stars. Their hearts require my diligence, because out of those little hearts come the issues of life. God forbid that my negligence in allowing something that was even borderline between righteousness and unrighteousness would be where the lure of their downfall began.
Consider the Biblical example of Abraham and Lot. Where did Lot get a taste for Sodom? In Egypt where Abraham took him in one of his flights in fear.

Many people would roll their eyes and say, “It’s all about balance, letting kids be kids and do the things that kids do.” We need to be making the deposit of Biblical influences greater in our children’s lives greater than the weight of the world’s influences. You’re right, it’s about the type of balance. Our child’s balance should contain so much of God that the world’s influences will never outweigh the amount of love they have for the Lord.

The Christian Life is Best because of Christ

I want my kids to know that the Christian life is more exciting than a rock star’s life!

A rock star’s music speaks to the flesh, God’s music speaks to the heart.

A rock star lives a life in front of people lonely for true friendships. A child of God serves people and always has God to walk beside them and good Christian friendships too.

A rock star seeks to please others through their fashion and music. A child of God seeks to please God through their obedience.

A rock star uses money for indulgences. A child of God earns money to take care of their responsibilities and minister to others.

A rock star loves the roar of the crowd at a concert. A child of God can feel content with serving God even when they are alone. They can feel satisfaction from hearing the still small voice of God throughout their lifetime and someday, Lord willing, will hear “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.”

A rock star lives in pursuit of personal gain. A child of God lives in pursuit of God. Period.

A rock star uses his talents to woo people to buy albums so they can get money in their bank to fulfill their heart’s desires. A child of God uses his talents to woo people to Jesus Christ and minister to the hearts of those who are already saved. God then fulfills their heart’s desires.

My Final Thoughts

We are not superior to any type of people who choose to live a rock star lifestyle. But for the grace of God, I could be in that situation doing that very thing. Righteousness is not even obtained through what we do or do not do. It is given to us at salvation in exchange for our sinfulness. Our children do not know the perils that lie ahead of them in this life or the tactics Satan will try to maneuver against them. Please guard your own heart so that you can be wise enough to guard the hearts of your child(ren).

I will get off my soap box now and walk quietly down the sidewalk of life again… until I see another Bible rock star book for toddlers. (wink, wink)

 

Dear Children: Love Letters From Mama Vol. 4

Love Letters Vol 4

Children,

Apologies are a part of life. Never get so high in life that you stop apologizing for mistakes and asking for forgiveness when you wrong or offend others.

I hurt someone, an acquaintance this week, and had to ask for forgiveness when I realized I had caused hurt, pain, and stress to this lady. Thankfully she has forgiven me, although I had never meant to hurt her.

It is hard sometimes to approach people or to lower ourselves. Pride is usually the root cause for fighting among people. It takes humility, lowering yourself, to do it in the right spirit and attitude. The Bible says God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

An apology (with the much added “will you forgive me?” included) can mend a broken relationship and give hope to the future.

I love you all!

Love,
Mama

Children,

Some days I remind myself to serve you with a happy heart.

Parenthood and marriage both require more service than any other thing in the life of a dedicated mother and wife. It can be hard to maintain a servant spirit when moments of the days and weeks try every ounce of your patience. Sometimes I am also selfish, which causes me to not always serve you with loving and right actions.

When I comb your hair after you’ve taken a bath I hope someday when I am old you will help me and comb my hair after my bath. Some day I may be the one needing my face washed and my clothes picked out. Papa and I may need to live with you and have you give us medicine and drive us all over town.

We don’t know our future together with the way our country is going. This may be the good old days and the best memories of your life. I hope I can serve and help you like Christ has done for us all.

I hope if persecution arises and we are forced to live and work in worldly places that you will serve like Joseph and Daniel. That as the world gets darker, Christ’s servitude in us will shine through us illuminating all who need to see.

I love you and pray you will be faithful servants of God today and every day of your life!

Mama

Dear Children,

I wish I could heal all of your hurts and remedy all of your misunderstandings. Fixing things seems to become a way of life for moms but sometimes there are matters of the heart that are impossible for me to fix… but God can fix hurts I cannot. He can always help you through His Word with any problem that you may have.

Love, Mama

Dear Children,

Do you remember us praying for rain together? You all acted as if I was weird for praying with you that rain would come. We could see large bluish purple clouds filled with rain that was not falling on our town or neighborhood.

As I went to bed I looked out to see rain falling beneath the orange street light. I am so thankful God heard our prayers. It is a good full rain that should, Lord willing, help our land not be so dusty.

It’s amazing that God heard us, a little mother with little children, and answered our prayers! He’s wonderful!

Love, Mama

You’re welcome to read more from the Dear Children Series, letters that I’ve written to my children in:

Love Letters From Mama Volume 1

Love Letters From Mama Volume 2

Love Letters From Mama Volume 3

Dear Children Series: Love Letters from Mama

Love Letters From Mama

Have you ever loved someone so much that you want to scream from mountain tops and in the streets and tell everyone you meet, friends and strangers alike how much you love them!? I love my husband, he is wonderful, he is who God made me to be one with, I LOVE HIM! And I love my children!

Some nights before bed I write in a journal, that my mother gave me. It is blue with yellow and orange sunshines with smiling faces on the cover. It is rather cheesy looking but it was the empty book I needed to begin writing my memories to the kids. I write to each child individually and then sometimes when I want to share a life lesson I begin the letter with “Dear Children.” That has inspired the Dear Children Series that I am sharing with you today.

These letters are my outward screams into the world of how much I love them, how I want them to learn from my life’s successes and failures. It is a venue in which I can share lessons about life I want to teach them. The children are young and do not understand everything I want to teach them just yet but some day I hope they grow to read the letters and appreciate them.

I am a little morbid at times and I think, “If something ever happens to me how will my children know that I love them?” If they have a journal they can read and learn about funny things they did as children and stories about our every day life then they will know because I wrote it down for them that it was valuable to me. Then they never have to worry or doubt my love. I can speak to them from the pages. They will be love letters from Mama.

Here are a couple of letters to start off the series.

Children~
My hope for you all is that you love one another your whole life. That you will not fight or hate one another, but rather fight FOR each other. The relationship you have is given to you by God. I hope your childhood and Christian upbringing will unite you and keep you glued together.

So many families are broken to pieces and siblings hurt each other through angry and jealous words. I hope and pray that for generations God will speak and move you to do His work. I never want you to violate each other’s relationship because you take each other for granted and are unthankful.

Love one another and do good.

Love you,
Mama

Kids~
God has been working in my heart about my joyfulness, that it might be a light to your souls that makes you feel loved and welcome in our home. That my eye might not be so critical but loving and full of brightness as you enter the room.

God is showing me the importance of simplicity in the home so that we do not have to constantly be focused on clutter and messes. I may not always be a good example of joy because my bent is to take care of “things” and do things alone.

The Bible makes a comment that the barren woman becomes the joyful mother of children. This was pointed out in a book I was reading by Elizabeth George called A Woman After God’s Own Heart. May the Lord help me to learn to be full of the joy of my salvation that I might minister to you in the right spirit.

Writing for my children has helped me at the end of some days write down the great moments when it may feel like chaos has reigned supreme for 12 hours straight.

I encourage you to write things down for your children on a regular basis. It will bring your heart great delight because you can see how God is working in your family and how your children are growing. I even write little notes to my husband in this book. I figure some time I will share what is inside to surprise him… but not yet!

I hope that you will follow us thorough the Dear Children Series: Love Letters from Mama and that it will give you ideas on how to bless your children through the gift of writing.

Smiles,

The Ministry Mama