I'm parked out in some neighborhood street, watching the sun fight it out with the rain clouds, and checking my email and a few blogs while I wait for my daughter do tryouts for Color Guard at the high school. Every several minutes or so I have to either close or open my windows, depending on which element is winning at the moment, the rain or the sun. There is something comforting about sitting in your car and listening to the rain fall. It's better when you're in a tent while camping, assuming that it doesn't last for long and your tent stays dry inside, and even more so if your lying in bed with the one you love.
It was a little strange dropping my daughter off at the high school. In just a few rapidly passing months she will be heading there as a student. It's hard to see your children grow up and struggle their way through adolescence into adult hood, even harder if they are your daughter. You want so much to protect them, protect them from the heartaches, the bumps and grinds of adolescence, the people who will try to manipulate and use them. You want them to be independent but still you worry about the choices they make, will they stand true to their upbringing and faith or how far will they wander from "our"path we've tried to steer them in order to discover their own path. These are wondrous, joyous, frustrating, confrontational times. I hadn't talked to her all day, except for two short text messages and yet, as soon as she got into the car, I was blamed for a friend not being able to ride with us to the tryouts, all because I said that I needed the girl's mother to call me and give me and the school permission to allow her to ride with me. It reminded me of something Anne Lamott (click here to learn more about her), one of my favorite authors, writes in her book Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith about her son and dealing with his adolescence, and I can relate to her frustration. Talking to a friend of hers she asked what Jesus would do with thirteen-year-olds. This was his reply:
On another front, but still dealing with teenagers, there has been some interesting news about Miley Cyrus and some recent photos, first on the net and then soon to appear in a Vanity Fair mag. First, if my daughter had pictures posted on the net like she did, I'd be pretty upset and there would be a lot of grounding going on, including those that took and posted some of those photos. But as for the Vanity Fair photos, what were they thinking?!!!!!? She is 15 years old. She and her family claim to be Christians and, as one commentator put it, if this type of Christianity is what they want to promote, please don't. Vanity fair says that her parents/father/handlers were present and saw the photos and were fine with it.
The fact is, I can't help but wonder if we do a disservice in holding up someone at her age as a "role model" for other grils her age and younger. Every word, action, behavior and misstep is seen by the public in usually vivid detail. No family, I doubt, can hold up to that kind of scrutiny and challenge. And yet, we do need role models for our children. So it's a quandary. Add to that pressure a media savvy, media push to all woman that, if you want to be attractive, if you want to be accepted, if you want to be somebody, if you want to be taken seriously, you need to reveal a little bit more than you are at the moment. And it only takes one too many "at the moments" before you have crossed a line and modesty, good judgment, and your Christian witness are pushed towards the door, if not out completely.
She said she was embarrassed and sorry. I'm sure she is. She now needs to be more specific and do the same with the Christian community.
Which leads me to another issue. Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I watched him during his Q & A session with the press corps today. Here are my thoughts:
Those are my thoughts on that issue.
Well, time to pick my daughter from tryouts. Hope it was a good time for her. I could use a little positive attitude on her part at the moment. And I need to make sure mines right as well!
It was a little strange dropping my daughter off at the high school. In just a few rapidly passing months she will be heading there as a student. It's hard to see your children grow up and struggle their way through adolescence into adult hood, even harder if they are your daughter. You want so much to protect them, protect them from the heartaches, the bumps and grinds of adolescence, the people who will try to manipulate and use them. You want them to be independent but still you worry about the choices they make, will they stand true to their upbringing and faith or how far will they wander from "our"path we've tried to steer them in order to discover their own path. These are wondrous, joyous, frustrating, confrontational times. I hadn't talked to her all day, except for two short text messages and yet, as soon as she got into the car, I was blamed for a friend not being able to ride with us to the tryouts, all because I said that I needed the girl's mother to call me and give me and the school permission to allow her to ride with me. It reminded me of something Anne Lamott (click here to learn more about her), one of my favorite authors, writes in her book Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith about her son and dealing with his adolescence, and I can relate to her frustration. Talking to a friend of hers she asked what Jesus would do with thirteen-year-olds. This was his reply:
"In biblical times, they used to stone a few thirteen-year-olds with some regularity, which helped keep the others quiet and at home. The mothers were usually in the first row of stone throwers, and had to be restrained."And receiving insight from a another friend who works with friends she received this bit of insight in reference to her son, Sam, she writes this:
"...Sam doesn't need me to correct his feelings. He needs me to listen, to be clear and fair and parental. But most of all he needs me to be alive in a way that makes him feel he will be able to bear adulthood, because he is terrified of death, and that includes growing up to be one of the stressed-out, gray-faced adults he sees rushing around him."Good insight, where they are in the chronological march through adolescence!
On another front, but still dealing with teenagers, there has been some interesting news about Miley Cyrus and some recent photos, first on the net and then soon to appear in a Vanity Fair mag. First, if my daughter had pictures posted on the net like she did, I'd be pretty upset and there would be a lot of grounding going on, including those that took and posted some of those photos. But as for the Vanity Fair photos, what were they thinking?!!!!!? She is 15 years old. She and her family claim to be Christians and, as one commentator put it, if this type of Christianity is what they want to promote, please don't. Vanity fair says that her parents/father/handlers were present and saw the photos and were fine with it.
The fact is, I can't help but wonder if we do a disservice in holding up someone at her age as a "role model" for other grils her age and younger. Every word, action, behavior and misstep is seen by the public in usually vivid detail. No family, I doubt, can hold up to that kind of scrutiny and challenge. And yet, we do need role models for our children. So it's a quandary. Add to that pressure a media savvy, media push to all woman that, if you want to be attractive, if you want to be accepted, if you want to be somebody, if you want to be taken seriously, you need to reveal a little bit more than you are at the moment. And it only takes one too many "at the moments" before you have crossed a line and modesty, good judgment, and your Christian witness are pushed towards the door, if not out completely.
She said she was embarrassed and sorry. I'm sure she is. She now needs to be more specific and do the same with the Christian community.
Which leads me to another issue. Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I watched him during his Q & A session with the press corps today. Here are my thoughts:
- Even though there were a couple of things I could agree with him on, the way he stated them and his attitude prevented me from accepting them.After listening, what I walked away from was that his whole presentation was more about him that about the black church or about Christ. Which made me realize that every pastor has the same risk of thinking that their ministry is all about them. When you take your eyes off of Christ and place them on yourself, the fall is great, even if not very quick.
- Even though he is a pastor and preacher of the Gospel, the way he stated to Gospel and his attitude when doing so prevented me from being able to agree with him.
- As much as he claimed that he was defending the black church and its traditions, the way he presented it and his attitude while doing so made it difficult for me to receive what he was saying.
- Although I believe that there are times when the people of God must speak up about moral and ethical failures in society, culture and government, it is always to be couched in the context of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which offers forgiveness and wholeness, justice and compassion. As I listened to him speak, his attitude and the words he spoke did not allow me to hear the Gospel he claimed he was proclaiming.
- If Jesus' words are to be taken as truth, that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can come to God except through Him, then there is no other way, and Jesus statement that there "other sheep that are not part of this fold" is referring to the Gentiles who would become believers and followers of Him, not that Islam is another way to God.
Those are my thoughts on that issue.
Well, time to pick my daughter from tryouts. Hope it was a good time for her. I could use a little positive attitude on her part at the moment. And I need to make sure mines right as well!
No comments:
Post a Comment