The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea is on full force right now. We have so enjoyed watching it…from the very sparkly and high-haired Johnny Weir Commentator from Figure Skating (LoL) to the “cool guy” sounding commentator on the Slopestyle course for snowboarding. We’ve had the Clark family commentary for it all. It’s been fantastic all around so far to see history happen and even watch political history unravel before our eyes. There have also been many interesting facts that I, personally, have learned recently–evidently: condom distribution at the Olympics is a ‘thing’. Well, I’M sorry…I never realized that. Since 1988, evidently. And in THIS Olympics–nearly 37 condoms per athlete are being handed out/made available/just there-for-the-just-in-case. There’s almost 3K athletes in total. They are there for TWO WEEKS. You do the math. WHOAAA…..anyways. I absolutely digress! My GOODNESS though………*clears throat* (But SERIOUSLY though?!!! There’s soooo many directions this blog post could go in, but …..Nope. Digress, Michelle…digress.)
Have you noticed the branding and marketing during all the humanly possible hype? Even from the bottom of the snowboarder’s snowboards. It’s EVERYWHERE. Branding is everywhere. OH MY WORD. There are many equally superior brands out there just vying for attention. And they pay big time for it!
So our three girls–9, almost 6 years old, and almost 6 months (but she’s just concerned about a full belly and clean diaper), are absolutely SOLD on every commercial that comes on. I think there’s a conspiracy theory with marketing and commercials and KIDS. Kids just seem to take commercials at their face value, do they not? They never fail to say something like: “MOMMY! (Or DADDY) We should totally get __________ OR do ___________ because it says it’s the BEST!!” I KNOW there are some adults who think this way too. I’ve met ’em. Sadly not thinking or digging for information themselves, but take everything at face value. There’s always more than meets the eye, ladies and gentlemen. But on a balanced note, not EVERYTHING is a conspiracy theory, either. Balance!! OH, sweet balance.
When we watch the games, if there’s a commercial or something that comes on that is truly just NOT jiving in our spirits—We’ll discuss it if the girls have questions about it and even if they don’t. (This is not just for the Olympics, either, mind you.) Sounds corny, I know. It’s how we roll. (Let the popCORN pop during the show!) There’s a lot they ask about or have questions about when it comes to the world, and Frank and I always do our best to aim them at the truth with those questions. Like arrows out of a bow. And it’s things we need to be talking to them about now. Because they will soon be faced with it without us there. The next generation will be growing up in a world of interesting and challenging proportions. (That’s what the previous generation said, too.) There will be higher levels of social deceit and of deeper levels of hell seen than we see now. If we help this generation build their foundations in TRUTH during this time, they will have something of heavenly stock to sprout out of later on and stand FIRM in. That can’t happen if we shelter, shelter, shelter, shelter. Something that has been on my heart is to TRULY teach what it means to be “IN, but not OF the world”. And YES, I am fully aware of the different ages/stages of the human brain–and what it can actually “understand” and what it just can’t–because it’s not meant to OR designed to. Their physical neurons (brain cells) aren’t meant to understand or comprehend things at younger ages–it’s not the way our Master Creator made us. And yes–it aaaalllllllllllllll sounds so scary as a parent here in the natural. But listen here! Although it’s very meaty and of the UTMOST importance to guide our little ones, God would have NEVER entrusted YOU and {insert child’s name} together as a family unit if He didn’t KNOW you could steward it well. He sent your child/niece/nephew/grandkid/foster kid/etc to YOU for a reason. It’s wasn’t by chance. Don’t be scared. But DO dig and PLANT yourself in TRUTH so you can also grow it out of your households. It starts with you. It’s a delicate dance between sheltering and letting to sprout. You know. If you have a kid in your life, you know. (Go clean out your britches and I’ll clean out mine.) We got this!
Going back to the Olympics: There’s a LOT to understand about the media and marketing and just everything TV/Radio/Store Ad/Billboard/etc that kids just soak in like a sponge. Because of YOUR wisdom as the parent, uncle, aunt, friend, grandparent, godparent of said kid SEES–this is YOUR responsibility to help them sort all it out. Hopefully through the lense of heaven. Ask for wisdom each and EVERY.DAY. Lord knows I am. (Admittedly, sometimes in a Madea-type voice. LoL.)
There’s fresh revelation daily for those who ask though, for sure. There’s truth for those who seek! God designed us for this, and is NOT surprised by the times we are living in. MORE importantly, He Himself chose THIS TIME and THIS PLACE for your and your’s to be alive in! You could have been alive in the Dark Ages or in Noah’s time, or…..hahaha. {Name it here}. Ever think about that? God chose THIS TIME! And THIS PLACE. He has the armory you need for it, and He has the armory the next generation needs for it, too.
The JOY of the LORD is our Strength!! Don’t be religious to the point of suffocation, because that vine will grow and strangle you and your kids faster than anything. However, make sure to keep your focus on TRUTH. Have fun with the littles and have FUN in the world–God made it to be enjoy, to savor, to truly grasp His original intent for it all. It’s sold to us in different ways sometimes from a place of sin, because….well, sin. HOWEVER! The Light shines brightest in the dark. Take a look around and find what’s right and what’s TRUE–I bet that you will not only find it, but you’ll be able to lead the next generation to it as well. It’s all around us! Just take a look at it. 😉
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