Crisis of Faith

Maybe you watched Lost, maybe you didn't but I think there is something in this video for everyone.  I think this was one of the best few minutes in television history.  I think there is a deep spiritual moment in this ABC drama that maybe a few people overlooked.

What happened to Richard in this scene was that he had a crisis of faith.  He had basically been giving immortality and witnessed supernatural things that would make anyone a believer, but even he had a crisis of faith deep enough that he doubted his purpose and wanted to die.  The thing that energizes me about this scene is what Jack did.  He could have left Richard to work it out on his own but he didn't.  He went onto a boat full of dynamite and lit a stick.  In that moment, Richard needed someone with a faith stronger than his to get down and dirty in his fear and disbelief and see him through it.  

How does this apply to Biblical parenting?  First, we all need to have lighthouse moments like Jack had.  We can't testify to our kids about how God works miracles and how our anchor of hope is lodged in something real and tangible if we haven't experienced it for ourselves.  Second, we have to be willing to light the stick of dynamite.  We have to be there when they can't see God's plan and ride it out with them.  Tonight my daughter asked me if God was real.   I was so glad that I could give her a list a mile long of how I know He is real. Because I believe this verse:

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15

applies to our kids as well.  

Have you been to the lighthouse lately?  Have you seen miracles?  Have you stepped back to see how God has been working out an infinite number of miracles in your life for His glory?  He wants to reveal himself to you.  And He wants you to be there for others (including your children) when their pain is so deep that they can't see out.  Get in the boat and light the stick and see what God does.  Okay, you don't really need to set anything on fire.  But be there and tell them that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  


Because He was, He is and He will be.

What to do at the Drop-off

I was watching Finding Nemo with my girls the other day realizing that I was getting a parenting seminar while they were enjoying a movie.  It made me think about "permissive parenting" and when it is okay to say yes.  You might not think of me as a permissive parent if you read this blog but I think there are times when I would describe myself as such.

Finding Nemo would have been a much different movie if Marlin had known when to let go, right?  If he had trusted his son on his fishy field trip and not let his fear rule his parenting, there would have been no "finding" involved in the movie.  But we can't say yes all the time, right?  The trick is knowing the when to let them swim with the big fish and when to keep them in the anemone.

There are a lot of things that as a mom, I let my kids try because I don't want them to rebel and think I never let them experience new things.  Make-up is one example.  When my daughters come in my bathroom while I'm applying make-up, they will often ask to wear some.  I always sweep on a little blush or dab on a touch of lip gloss so they feel like I'm saying "yes" while not sending them out like a painted lady.  They have never gotten into my make-up bag because they know it is not off-limits and if they ask, I will oblige.  I'm probably crazy for letting them crack eggs for every dessert recipe, but they love it and worse case scenario, I have a little clean up and one less egg.

There are things that are totally off the table for my kids to try but we talk about those things and why we, as their parents, feel that way.  Parenting is a fine balance and I'm trying to walk it out every day.  I'm just trying to keep them from swimming straight for the boat.

A Luau for my big girl

I love all things Hawaiian so we had a beautiful luau to celebrate my oldest daughter's 7th birthday.   It was just a little party at home but she loved it.  We had kalua pork, macaroni salad, raspberry pineapple lemonade and a little pitcher of mai tais for the grown ups.

I don't think God cares

I hear this in regards to many topics like:

I don't think God cares about football (while watching players thank God in post-game interviews)

I don't think God cares about tattoos (in regards to whether or not Christians should get them)

I don't think God cares about _________(fill in the blank with any topic less important than thermo-nuclear war).

And I guess that is true.  If they are talking about a distant God who is basically just a cosmic referee deciding which issues are really important enough for Him to take a break from all the awesome harp music and come down and intervene.  That is just not who I worship.  I worship a God who knows how many hairs I have on my head and how many electrons I have going around each atom in my body.  I believe He cares (meaning that it is part of his ultimate plan of redemption) about everyone on a cellular level.  He cares about that new purse I might buy because it has really deep pockets and 7 months from now I will drop my keys down in there, search the whole house for 20 minutes, just to find them in those deep pockets.  He cares because if I had left the house 20 minutes earlier, the 15 car pileup on the interstate would have been a 16 car pileup.  So even though picking out a new purse may seem like a minor choice, it might be a huge choice in the scheme of eternity.  I think He could conceivably put me in front of the new purse display on purpose.  We may never know all the things that seem like small potatoes to us, but turn out to be life or death.  High school graduation could have been held at Joplin High School at 6pm and the entire class and their families could have been killed or seriously injured.  We don't know why somethings happen the way they do but I know that my God cares and I know He has a plan.
Either He is the omnipotent God of the universe or He isn't.  Either He is a loving Father who knows every detail of His children's lives and cares about them because He knows them all the way down to their soul, or He isn't.  Who is He to you?