Age Appropriate

My sister commented to me the other day that my daughter is age appropriate. What a lovely comment. It is no small feat in this day and age to have a 12 year old daughter who acts like she is 12. Most of the 12 year old girls I see in public are half naked and talk trash like their much older college counter parts. The have been sexulized by the media and they act the roles they have seen on TV. They are boy crazy, sexually experimenting and looking for the next "high". Words like respect, honor and purity are not in their vocabulary because they have not been taught those values. Instead they value the next toy on the market, the next new look introduced by some pop star or cartoon doll. They are empty and vain much like the culture that we live in.

In contrast I host a group in our home twice a month called Bright Lights. The girls are all home schooled. They come together for an evening of singing. The leader of the group plays the piano and another talented young lady plays the violin while the rest of us sing hymns. The sound is beautiful. We have a bible lesson focused on the parent child relationship and being used by God during their youth. After the lessons the girls have a snack and spend time talking to one another. The sweetness of this time is so amazing. It enters our spirits and we just soak it up.

My son has not had a birthday party with friends in several years. Mostly because he did not have any close boy friends that we wanted him to spend time with. It has been several long years but this year we have been blessed with several boys whose families share our values and faith, so we had a birthday party! There was not one discipline issues. The boys played and played, they shared and played and had the best time. Zach was blessed but so were we as we watched the fellowship of these boys.

The difference in all of these children is an absence of culture and the presence of Christ. How thankful we are for his presence in our lives.