Wednesday, March 25, 2009

~ Against the Norm ~

Sometimes I just feel weary, spent and persecuted. I feel like the oddball, the weirdo, the crazy zealot lady.

Did I get to this place by accident? Or has there been something bigger in play? Has maybe some of my own experiences, and mistakes led me here to this place where not many want to dwell?

Why is it that if we are all following the same Big God and reading his precious, truth filled unrelenting Word are we all sometimes still on different pages?
So many questions, but what am I getting at.

Tradesman and I want so much to equip our kids with hearts of purity. We want them to be unwavering in their choices, unwilling to compromise, unyielding in their beliefs.
This is no easy task in this crazy, self-absorbed, anything goes world.

The world just screams at us from every angle all that it has to offer.
Its like a dark monster lurking around every corner wanting to steal the innocence from our children, bait them into sin and rob them of their joy.

So why as Christian mothers and fathers do we feel we can flirt, tinker, dally a little in this worldliness and not get burned.

I'm so tired of this wishy, washy feel good gospel that seems to be permeating the churches and taken in by so many that sit in the pews every week.
A little of the world never hurt anybody, we aren't all bad people, we can handle it, there is worse we could be doing.

Choose this day whom you will serve!


We are called to be set apart from this world. SET APART...what does that mean? Does that mean watch what those that don't love Jesus watch? Listen to what they listen to? Laugh at what they laugh at?

We need a wake up call!
How can we even begin to share Gods love and His perfect plan when we stumble around in our own darkness.
Shining His light for all to see so to Him we can bring glory and honor. That should be our goal. It has to be our goal if we are going to raise kids that stand out in a crowd. They need us to walk the talk. You can't fool your kids.

When our older children were little, tradesman and I could get away with mediocre Christianity. We weren't always careful about the movies we watched, the shows that made us laugh, we didn't worry about the lyrics playing on the radio, and it never bothered us to walk around a mall.
Slowly, but surely God started working on our hearts. We suddenly started seeing how lazy we had become, how very desensitized we were.
As our boys got older we started really wanting to raise the bar high.
Funny thing happened, we had no choice but to examine ourselves in that light. Not pretty.

If you think your kids aren't going to call you on your sin, you are wrong! Do you think they won't recognize a sham when they see one? A fraud?
There is nothing more refining then examining your life through the eyes of your child.

Around 85% of kids who grow up in Christian homes leave the faith. So sad, but really not surprising. So many are not willing to do what it takes.
This parenting job is not for wimps! It is tough, and brings me to my face in prayer often.
Why??
I feel a burden so huge! For my children, for other children. I am truly afraid for the next generation. Compromise has reared its ugly head into so many homes.

When my son asks me again why our family has this rule or that rule, why we think this way or that way about particular situations, when we sit up listening to his heart, connecting with him, building a relationship of mutual respect with him, I will tell him.

If 85% of Christian kids are leaving the faith, then we will not be doing what 85% of Christian parents are doing. With strength that can only come from God and a grace that can only be given by Him we will hopefully be doing what the other 15% are.

Going stick to our guns and be the odd ones out,

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

You go girl! I (we) are right there with you, and yes it is lots of hard work and I grow weary at times to but we can encourage each other along the journey. you are a wonderful mama.

Anonymous said...

I have often thought that there is an element of hypocrisy in most of our parenting.

I guess that is part of human nature.

It is foolish to think that our children must walk a straighter path than we are prepared to walk ourselves - just because we are older.

The responsibility of modeling is ours. The responsibility of praying for them is ours. The responsibility for training them is ours. But remember the responsibility for the outcome is theirs and the Lord's. Praise God I don't have to bear the responsibility for the choices of others nor for the timing of the Lord. That is what would (and in the past has) made me crazy!

Your are a wonderful mama. Tradesman is a wonderful papa. Your children are wonderful children and most importantly - Our God is a wonderful God and He has a plan for your children in spite of us and even in spite of them at times and most importantly in spite of the world that surrounds us.

Love J

Mrs. Breum said...

great post

Michelle said...

What a great post. One that so many people need to hear.
Blessings!

mumsrea said...

Loved this post, and can't wait to hear more about what is behind it.

When some make you feel persecuted, and like the 'zealot' lady...please remember that others, like me, look at you and see your light, and your passion and your example. I want more of what you have! I am so grateful for your inspiration. So if you are crazy, then SIGN ME UP!

mamazee said...

Thanks for this one, Sherry... i'm not where i want to be, and just feeling kind of beat down tonight. So much of life is a compromise, a delicate interplay of things we choose to let into our lives and things we don't choose, but that come uninvited anyway. Praying for grace to cover over what i lack...

Christine G said...

Wow. What a jaw-dropping post! Thank you so much, from a fellow oddball zealot, for taking the time to share. I am going to link to this post from my blog today. I really feel the urgency in this post and am very encouraged to think about what it means for our family and for the way we pray for those around us.
Christine

Prairie Girl said...

Came to your post via The Real Life Home.

A challenging post, to be sure. Reminders to examine our hearts and choices are always so refreshing and so needed. Especially when little eyes and ears are following everything we do.

Thank you.

Fruitful Harvest said...

Amen sister~
I'm the momma of 6 kiddos and the odd one out! The fish that seems to be swimming up stream...

Great post!

Blessings,
Georgiann

Cindy said...

Thank you for sharing this in detail. It's nice to hear it from someone I don't already know.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

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