Disney and a Home Security System

Ever since I was a little kid, I have had this weird fear of someone breaking into my house. I have a vivid memory of my mom and I hiding under the bed, while on the phone with the cops, listening to what she believed to be people breaking into our home. That could have very well been a dream, but as a young child being traumatized by this image in my head I am assuming that is where the fear originated. Even now as a young adult, I often shudder at the thought of not being entirely safe in whatever house I stay in.

I house sit often for a family that has a home security system, yet even there I am scared come night time that some unwanted intruder will....well....intrude. When I was a kid I used to booby-trap my room (as much as a small child could) in hopes that the racket or the 'trap' would scare off or hurt anybody trying to get in! I guess I have always had it built up in my mind, that if someone wanted in bad enough, they would find a way in--a loose window, an unstable dead bolt, etc. These days when I think about the Enemy of my soul, I often think of these moments as a scared child. See, I imagined bad guys circling our home at all hours of the way just trying to get in. Isn't that what satan does? He circles our lives looking for a loose window, an unstable deadbolt, etc!

The topic of this blog isn't home break-ins or the need for security systems (although both topics are completely valid). The purpose of this blog is censorship. And not just for us, but most importantly, for our kids. Let's just go there----DISNEY. I nanny many a child and are around all aged kids, A LOT, and most are obsessed with whatever comes on the Disney channel. Now, a good portion (cartoons and animated shows in the morning) are completely wholesome and not only that, but educational! However, the things that come on after school are atrocious. If your 8 year old child is watching a 21 year old adult play a 16 year old child, that in itself is a problem. But diving deeper you will see why. Disney sitcoms are not opposed at all to using language that I would never want entering the heart of my child, as well as the behavior of their "teens" on their shows. The kids are disrespectful to their parents, always breaking rules or being subjected to highschool stereotypes at their worst. They use words like "shut up" and "Oh my God" and "you are so stupid"--so tell me this....if you get on to your kid for saying these same things, but allow them to watch shows that have repeated language and behavior like this then it is really their fault for acting and mimicking the things they see?

I am not dissing Disney as a corporation--those of you who know me know I am as big of as Disney fan as it gets, especially the animated Princess side. But this era of the sassy mouthed teeny bopper- who's cussing, disrespecting others as well as their own body, and are doing things that young adults are meant to do yet being viewed by 8 year olds, is not going to fly on the day when I am finally raising. It is much too easy for young children to only understand or grasp the language and behavior of these shows, over the moral lesson they sometimes try and present at the end of each episode. If you listen to kids talk these days, they are repeating verbatim lines right out of Disney sitcoms---with giggles to how funny it was when remembering the entirety of the episode yet understanding little or no regard to the actual behavior that is being copy/pasted into their lives. 

If you look past Disney too, and travel to the radio, you will find the same problem. I taught an audition class last week where kiddos got to pick their own songs to sing for our mock audition at the end of the week. I had an 11 year old girl choose a Selena Gomez song and the chorus said this:

I'm missing you so much
Can't help it, I'm in love
A day without you is like a year without rain
I need you by my side
Don't know how I'll survive
A day without you is like a year without rain

REALLY!?? Sure, you don't see any cuss words in there or anything vulgar in regards to body or sex---but read it again. "Don't know how I'll survive" is this desperation on a relationship the sort of programming we are pumping into the minds of children who are MUCH too young to even begin to think about relationships that serious? Same goes for Taylor Swift song, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus (a lot of these girls being Disney artists and I am sure convincing parents to believe their music is wholesome because of that small detail). A desperation and dependency on love that is not that of the Father is NOT the sort of relationship or love that I will be promoting when I have children. So filling their minds and souls with this music or these t.v. shows is almost like me opening the window for them or unlocking the door so that the darkness that hovers around their poor little souls have a MUCH easier time of getting in!

Censorship goes for adults though too. If we are to come to Jesus with faith and a heart like that of a child, then what makes us so quick to shield our children's minds of something impure, only to hit the 'play' button once they've left the room? We are not immune to the attacks of the enemy simply because we are older. We are just as susceptible if not more, because we no longer have anyone in our lives shielding our eyes, hearts, and minds, from the nasty in this world. And I tell you friend, it is HARD to get the impurities out of your minds once you have seen them, or heard them, or repeated them, or created it somehow. HARD. And it's only cracking that window open larger and completely unlocking the door, creating NICE strongholds into our lives for the enemy to camp out there! He doesn't have to force his way into our lives when we are not only allowing him easy access, but practically inviting him to come in with all that we say and do and watch and listen to! 

Censorship is like that home security system. Ensuring your family as well as the safety of your family and those around you. Sure, the enemy will still hover but he's not getting in! USE THAT ALARM! Not just for you, but for your children as well. 

Soapbox. Off. Thank you.

In Him,

Meg

When Love Hurts

Do you remember kaleidoscopes? As a child these small toys were fascinating--even the cheap ones. You look through them and suddenly everything is different. There are some that form dancing rainbows at the other end of the scope, and with every twist or turn, a new move is created. My favorite kaleidoscopes were the ones that continued to let you see real life, however, again with the twist or turn at the end of the scope, you suddenly saw 10 trees, or 7 blue birds. Maybe your friend appeared to have 4 noses or 20 faces. Life. Skewed. 

When things are skewed, they are distorted. When things appear distorted, perception becomes less believable, and if perception is ones reality then what does that say about reality?

I was chatting with a friend, no more like venting for sure, about principles people claim to have when in fact, their lives show zero fruit of what they claim to believe. I find this irritating. Not so much for myself in dealing with this mentality (although it is just as irritating), but more for others who may not know the Lord and come upon these people. People who promise to love, and serve, offer grace and acceptance, and the plethora of other Christian mumbo jumbo we say to make ourselves feel better and then decide to not do any of it, because it is simply inconvenient. 

There is abundant grace for people on both sides of this equation for sure. But when does the grace card stop becoming an endless pong game of hurt and start becoming a tangible way for people to start learning better how to love? If our goal is not love, then what is it? And if it is our goal, I think we as humans are doing a very poor job of achieving our (awkward cough) goals.

Why does love seem to hurt so much? Well, I am going to make a bold statement here and say that its because we don't know how to love. We are given the perfect example (Christ) for sure, but does that seem to be making a difference in how we live our lives? Not much. Your love hurts others, when love hurt you, and when love hurt the person who hurt you, and the cycle goes on and on. Not to say that cycles can't be broken--but it takes a lot of effort. (And let's face it, if you aren't willing to do the things on your "how I want to better love others" list then who's to say you will put the effort in to break your cycle?)

Love doesn't just hurt from say past boyfriends or girlfriends, that's not at all what I am even talking about (although more times than not that love pretty much sucks too). Love hurts from families, from our friends, from our closest relationships, and a huge love hurt comes from, sadly, the church.

I am reading a book (phenomenal life changing book) called "Love Does" by Bob Goff. In each short and oh so funny chapter, he tells a story about something that happened in his life and how that relates to following Jesus and loving on others. This man makes it seem like the world's most amazing adventure, easiest mission, and most romantic goal--this act of love. And it's because he stops "thinking". He stopped analyzing what love looks like and he simply started loving. He stopped forming groups to to share lunch and talk about loving others until he was blue in the face, and he left the lunch table and went out to love on people. Everything he does and all that he references in the book, points back to Christ--and the model He has given us to love others. 

Last night I read a chapter in the book that talked about the adventures he's had with his kids. A promise he made them all was when they each turned 10, they got to go on a super cool adventure with dad--wherever they wanted to go. No planning. Just doing. He told all 3 stories about his kids "10 year old adventures"--and WOW. This new kaleidoscope in which I see life, will forever change the way I love. 

He writes "I think a father's job, when it's done best, is to get down on both knees, lean over his children's lives, and whisper, "where do you want to go?" Everyday, God invites us on the same kind of adventure. It's not a trip where He sends us a rigid itinerary, He simply invites us. God asks what it is He's made us to love, what it is that captures our attention, what feeds that deep indescribable need of our souls to experience the richness of the world He made. And then, leaning over us, He whispers, "Let's go do THAT together."'

I had a college professor tell me once that people who are the (polled) happiest in life, are the ones who figure out what they're good at and what makes them happy, and find a way to make money doing that for the rest of their lives. But all money aside, to be able to share in the adventures of this life with the One who created inside of you everything that makes your heart race and want more, would be the happiest I think any human can be. Learning to share in that adventure with him, I feel, is LOVE. Understanding that type of love. The tangible love that DOES and IS and makes a difference in your life. That is Love.

If you have never known that type of love, or don't know that type of love now--then you probably aren't loving others in that way either. And if you aren't loving others they way the Lord loves, then it's very possible that your version of love is in fact doing more harm than good. This is not me judging. I am world's worst screw up at loving people the right way, offering grace, and all of that. Mostly for me, I forget that it's about relationships.I am mission minded and always trying to do something, or fix someone, or go somewhere, etc. I forget that there is a deeper level that goes far past what I am doing for my own sake of feeling good about myself, and truly is selfless. It should always be about getting to know someone, choosing willingly to walk alongside them in their life, and to be intentional about how you love them for the rest of your relationship. 

I woke up today, asking the Lord to take me on a whimsical and romantic adventure. He didn't fly me to Italy, take me out to a fancy candlelight dinner, or show up with flowers at my door. But he awakened my soul to something more. And those feelings you get in your soul are irreplacable bits of Heaven if you ask me. Revelation means everything to me, in understanding God more and loving Him in different ways. And He knows that. So sure, He could have done whatever He wanted in order to woo me today. But He knows my heart, and He gave me exactly what I wanted and what I needed. An adventure. 

So here is my challenge to you. Have fun with the Lord and the adventures He has prepared for you (as well as inviting Him on your own adventures and all that you do!). Without fail, He will show you how He loves you and that my friends, will show you better how to love others. So love stops hurting. The love-hurts cycle is broken. And the kingdom starts becoming a little more like what the Lord had in mind.

In Him,

Meg

All in Moderation

Aristotle once said, "It is better to rise from life as from a banquet--neither thirsty nor drunken." The problem   in ole Ari's philosophy here is that today, when people go to a banquet (party, buffet, Sunday afternoon lunch, fill in the blank with an appropriate place where food is being served)--they don't stop at being simply satisfied. Typically, we leave too full, too drunk, too this or too that. There's a common phrase people often use about this word: moderation. Everything is fine in moderation.

When you've watched ABC Family for far too long and it stretches into the wee hours of the early morning, you will most often find yourself watching a long line of infomercials. A few nights ago I found myself in this place, watching yet another long segment about the new product and newest weight loss craze--SENSA. Sensa is a (fill in the blank with your own word because I don't understand how it works either) that you sprinkle on top of whatever food you are eating. And BOOM. You start shedding those unwanted lb's. One lady on there is recorded saying, "I can still eat whatever I want! I just sprinkle Sensa on before I eat and the weight comes off after!"

I am always shocked at this infomercial and by this product. Not only does it shock me that you can lose weight by sprinkling on a fill in the blank to your favorite foods, but that people who have done this say you literally don't have to change a thing about how you eat.

Over a year ago I started Weight Watchers to lose a few unwanted pounds I had gained over the previous year. I'm a mere 5 foot 5 inches tall with the type of frame that every extra pound gained is very obvious to the naked eye. I have always struggled with my weight being up and down so I decided it was time to not just lose weight really but to learn about a better way of eating. So with a friend seeking to do the same thing, we turned to Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers basically gives everything you could possibly consume a point value. Everybody gets a certain amount of points a day they can eat on (with bonuses and extra workout points and things like that). My first shock of course was looking up all of my favorite meals and realizing that by eating most of them for one meal I would then have to starve myself the rest of the day. The first couple of days was brutal. I was so hard on myself and would not use any extra points than necessary. I had not acquired a taste for the fruits or veggies (that are 0 points to eat) and we had not been grocery shopping to find some things we could eat. Needless to say by the end of the first night I thought I was starving to death and I was ready to strangle the nice lady at the WW counter who told me this would be super fun and so great for my life!

However, after getting the right tools, creating some new habits, and being disciplined and focused everyday I managed to lose total about 12 pounds (and I am not kidding when I say 6 of those pounds were in the first week).

Following Jesus is a lot like my Weight Watchers journey. There's a moment something clicks within you and you know you need a radical life change (this was my first recognizable encounter with Christ--as well as that moment  I stepped on the scale and saw what the numbers had to show, YEESH). Unlike the lady at the Weight Watchers counter who sold me this packet of information and promising me a fun journey, Jesus never sold me something to buy into--He just invited me to come if I wanted to. And He certainly didn't promise me it would be fun, in fact most of the time He warns us of its' difficulty--dying to your flesh, selling off all you own, giving up everything sort of difficulty.

By trusting Him, focusing daily on His promises, creating better habits, and being disciplined and staying on track with the things we know we should or shouldn't be doing--it becomes the only journey you want to be on. The most beautiful one in my opinion.

So what about this SENSA craze? And those crazies out there saying "Hey man if you do it in moderation it won't hurt!" I wonder if drinking alcohol in moderation hurt the alcoholic? Or if watching porn in moderation doesn't destroy a man's family. I wonder if only occasionally murdering someone--murdering in moderation--is just fine for our souls and God doesn't mind at all. No. I am certain He minds very much.

We can sprinkle all the SENSA, all the bull, onto our decisions all day long--whatever it takes to allow us one more bite of what's tempting us right? And as long as we only do it every now and then, it won't hurt us at all. Hmm...

I wonder if before we made our decisions in life we asked ourselves, "Am I sprinkling SENSA on this in attempt to make whatever it is I am about to do, not hurt my soul or my life so much?" or "Am I convincing myself that if I just do this in moderation it will be just fine and not affect me or those around me?" Being honest with ourselves is what it will take, as well as having someone we are accountable to and for. Because the Lord already knows---it's most often ourselves that we try to deceive.

So I challenge you (and me too!)--go through your life and your decisions, asking yourself those questions. If you find yourself saying, yes I am a SENSA sprinkler or YES I am attempting to do this in moderation--then stop yourself from going down that road. And find some new discipline, some new focus, some new habits--and watch those unwanted pounds of drama, garbage, and stress of life come right off!

In Him,
Meg

Sweet Moments

Sweet moments are blessings from the Lord.

As a teacher, nanny, and capturer of life (photographer), my life is never short of those precious moments which make life worth while. In the midst of screaming babies, defiant kiddos, frustrated parents, and chaotic situations--it's often hard to find sweet moments, and when they are found, typically we throw them away unaware that they even happened.

The Lord uses these moments in my life to affirm that what I am doing is what I am supposed to be doing, or that where I am at in life is exactly where He wants me to be. So this week was a wonderful blessing when given so many precious moments.

The first came while on my first day of nannying a new family. There are 4 kiddos ages 8, 6, 2.5, and 7 months. The 7 month old baby girl is still nursing so that first day on the job was not ideal (as clearly I did not come with the 'goods' that a nursing baby would prefer to have.) Needless to say, naptime was a struggle. After hour 3 of the rocking and crying and patting and crying and sweating and singing and dancing and crying and crying from her and crying from me to utter exhaustion from both of us, I was ready to give up completely. My last trick, worship. I knew if I couldn't get her to sleep I was going to bring Jesus into that room and maybe He could! So I started singing "How Great is Our God" to this screaming baby who was in all sense of the word, fighting this nap time. Instantly, she stops crying, sticks her hand up from where I am cradling her, and caresses my face. Then, she starts cooing along with the worship. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. This baby, new to life and unknowing to anything in the world, who is sleepy and sad and mad and hungry and all other kinds of feelings, takes a sweet moment to worship her Jesus. It's like she KNEW. And I really believe that babies DO know, and have just as much capability of worship as grownups. It was utterly AMAZING. Within minutes, my crying fussy baby fell fast asleep, wrapped in peace from our sweet Savior.

Some of the most precious moments I encounter in my life in general are those teaching moments with children whether it be in my classroom, in Wal Mart, at church, or at home. I love teachable moments and I love when children respond positively and soak up the growth of their brains. As a new teacher, satan loves to remind me how what I do isn't as good as ole so and so who's been teaching for 20 years, or you know who who actually has a degree in what she's teaching. Sometimes I say poo on you satan, and other times, in my moments of weakness or when I am not focused on the Lord completely, I catch myself believing the lie. Today, on two completely separate occasions the Lord reassured me that I am in the right place doing exactly what He has called me to do.

This morning during my quiet time with Him, God gave me a word for a friend of mine who is also my student and no stranger to the FOA stage where I work. It was about following his dreams and knowing he has a big heavenly Father to catch him if he doesn't succeed. The phrase that caught my attention was "I used to be scared of NOT succeeding at things that mattered to me. Now I am scared of succeeding at things that don't." This guy and I have had many a conversation about college and pursuing theater or playing it safe and going to a state school and getting a business degree etc. I told him if I were him I would dream big or go home. God is in the business of telling us our business while on earth and a way that He has done that is by giving us specific talents and giftings. Who are we to throw those away for safety and backup plans? The student responded with a sweet message about how I am helping him as a person and as a performer and how thankful he is for me. WOW! What kind words!! I obviously am not doing anything. It's the Lord working through me!

Then after class today, a student I had almost a year ago, dropped by my classroom to let me know that he got accepted to AMDA in LA! He told me about his audition process and asked for my advice for things to have and know once he got to school. He thanked me for pushing him in class to be confidently fearless when going for those notes in his upper register and said he thought about what I would be saying to him if I were at his audition with him! He said the school LOVED him! This school will change his life and be that next step in following his dreams as well. We then talked about not letting the city and other people change him (he is a PRECIOUS Christian boy who loves him some JESUS!!) We talked about him going in and being the light of Christ for a city and for a group of people who may not know the Lord at all! I am confident that he will go in there and love on those other students and radically change things for the better everywhere he continues to go in life. And again, it had nothing to do with me but wow what a blessing to be a part of his story and his life!

The Lord is so good and so faithful, and He is ALWAYS trying to talk to us and love on us--we just get so wrapped up in us that we forget to look for Him and listen! But when we stop, and look, and listen...we get to be a part of some of the sweetest most precious moments that life has to offer!

In Him,
Meg