Spring Cleaning

I recently heard an interesting term... someone said that they were "cleansing" their home... and I believe that they were referring to removing things from the lives of their children that they believe will cause them harm. Now... honestly, I have no problem with that. I believe that everyone ought to make sure that their children are taken care of. Yet, I also believe that one person's level of cleanliness is not the same as anothers.

I have always tried to make sure that our children know the difference between right and wrong. We have taken our children to church, we have lived our lives in such a manner that they have seen that Jesus should be at the center of their lives. Our older children have all demonstrated that they get this... they attend church, those with children are passing their love for Christ on to their children... and those without children willingly attend church, and one even serves in a ministry capacity. (Actually, two have ministries, Rachel serves as VBS Director for her church and Carly works in the Children's Ministry at our church!) I believe that we have given our children a solid foundation on which to build their relationships with Christ. Yet, some might view our childrearing skills as something less than stellar when they compare them with their own standards.

I think what people have forgotten is that I don't have to live up to their standards... and I could care less if they feel that a particular book, movie, or song is inappropriate. I am not about pleasing them, and I believe that if I am doing my job right according to what I believe that God has asked of me, then that is all that matters. I enjoy a good fictional read, and I always have. I have encouraged my children to read as well, and have taught them that fiction is just what it says it is... stories written from the imagination of the writer... in reality it doesn't exist, but it is writen to take the reader to a place of escape. And if people don't get that... if they feel that their children will be harmed by what they read, then by all means, don't let them read it... but don't tell me that I am raising my children wrong because my rules don't conform to yours!

You know, even in the spring cleaning of my home, I would guarantee that I might not do as thorough a job as someone else (in fact, I can guarantee it) but that doesn't mean that my home isn't clean. No matter how clean you try and get your home, there will always be fingerprints here and there to contend with. When fingerprints happen you can either choose to make a huge fuss over them, or you can teach those around you to clean up after themselves.... but you have to make the choice about how to handle that situation yourself!

For me, I believe that when our children leave our home, they will be entering the real world, and I want to make sure that they can handle that. I want to make sure they are are equipped to do what is necessary to make their lives pleasing in the sight of God... and I believe that if I allow them to bury their heads to reality now, they will suffer down the road. But that is what I believe will work for OUR children... I don't know your children, nor do I presume to. I know that you are doing what is best for them! So... I won't look for fingerprints on your windows... if you won't look for fingerprints on mine.