|
For Such A Time As This
Jun. 14, 2007
Allowing Boys to Glorify God
 Our family has started to memorize the Westminster Shorter Catechism by using the devotional book "Training Hearts, Teaching Minds" by Starr Meade. The first questions is: What is Man's Primary Purpose? A: Man's primary purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. She goes on to talk about using things that they were not intended to be used for. Like using shoe polish to whiten your teeth  . My hsuband went on to include using a drill bit to eat with, a bicycle to fly . . . you get the idea. "God made everything for the purpose of glorifying Himself. That means that He made everything to show how wonderful He is. God promises that someday everyone everywhere will know of His great glory. Although some peopole refuse to see it, every created thing was created to show us something of God's glory, to show us something of what God is like." These words got me thinking about boys and how God created them to glorify him.
An attitude that grieves my heart is Christian mothers that do not understand their boys. Many prefer that their boys just sit still and be quiet, then wonder why these boys don't grow up defending the faith and become strong leaders. In Genesis God gives man the dominion mandate - in essence to subdue and conquer the earth, to rule over it. This purpose still exists in every male even today, their underlying purpose is to conquer and subdue their surroundings. If boys aren't allowed to "be boys" in a productive, safe, non-destructive way, they are not glorifying their Creator, God. If they are not allowed to fulfilling this purpose which God made them for, they will become frustrated and lash out. It's like trying to make a lion a kitty-cat, that's not it's prupose.
Having 5 sons I have dedicated myself to understanding them as much as possible because they are so different from me. When they are little I get on the floor and wrestle with them! I encourage them in their play (guns, fighter jets, worrier games, winning a race, making the basketball shot, climbing the monkey bars, swinging high). I get excited and play along when they pretend to be a lion, a scary ghost, or a monster. I try to understand how excited they are when they dig a big hole in the back yard. I must admit that since my oldest became 10 it is harder to truly play along with that which I just don't get sometimes - but I try. I also explain how girls just don't like the same things boys do. In essence, I allow them to glorify God by being who He made them to be.
|
• Comments
(1) • Post A Comment! •
Permanent Link
|
May. 29, 2007
Modern Day Knights?
Ya know - boys just get a bad wrap in our society. If you've read the birth story of my 5th boy, you know I was a bit dissappointed to not have a girl. One thing my mom said to me was that God needed me to raise another boy - and ya know, she's right. I feel like boys are so misunderstood even in the Christian church sometimes.
In Genesis 1 - the dominion mandate charges Adam to, in essence, subdue, conquor and dominate the creation. This is the way God created males to be. They are hard-wired, if you will, to subdue and conquor their surroundings. Wrestling, playing swords, being physically active, etc. is part of the way the Creator made them.
Recently, I've seen and heard "girl power" activities going on in our society. From Oprah creating a school to empower girls in Africa, more women than men in college making them feel they don't "need" men, Rachael Ray's guest Melina Kanakaredes talking about an Avon campaign to help women make a difference in their community, even my local science center having an all girls camp. It's not that I'm against all this girl/women empowerment programs, but my questions is "WHERE ARE THE PROGRAMS FOR BOYS?"
Boys, and men, get such a mixed message. They are expected to be men, yet our society only wants them to be when it's "convenient" or "necessary". The rest of the time "sit down and be quiet". Unfortunately, most boys' dad's were raised in a similar society, so even they are generally confused as to what to teach their boys and are influenced by a wife who doesn't understand boys! The ending result, I fear, will be a society with dominearing women manipulating wimpy men making them "believe" they are the leaders. In reality they will just be wimps.
My hope is that there's enough of us Christians out there that are raising Modern Day Knights. (An excellent book, by the way.) I'm thankful for a husband who understands boys and being a Godly modern day knight to pass on the legacy of what it means to be a Christian man and leader. I'm also eternally grateful that the Lord has given me insight into boys, and to train 5 so far, because our society needs strong leaders.
|
• Comments
(1) • Post A Comment! •
Permanent Link
|
Jan. 25, 2007
Winter is FINALLY here!!
Winter finally hit Iowa 2 weeks ago with 5 inches of snow, then last weekend with another 5 inches! Our boys were elated! They've been praying for snow since October.
This winter has been different with a "big" baby. Since Joshua was 10 lb. when he was born, now at 7 mo. he's about 25 lb. - He's outgrown his "infant" car seat and we had to get a new one. So, we can't carry him in his car seat when we go places, which we didn't do very much anyway because him and the seat were REALLY heavy. So, there's the issue of what type of coat to put on him. A snowsuit? Well, they are REALLY bulky especially when buckeling him in his car seat. So, I got out one of the 3 - yep 3 - coats my mom got for our last baby to see if any of them would fit (he's wearing about an 18 month size!). I found a wonderful brown suede with fluffy wool on the inside that had only been worn 2 times by the previous boy. So, on it went! It works well escept one thing - no hood. So I found this one! He looks pretty happy in it don't you think?!
|
• Comments
(4) • Post A Comment! •
Permanent Link
|
|
