A sad look at our teenage generation

I have been reading (well, attempting to read) the book "Total Truth" by Nancy Pearcey. My book club is reading it, so I am plodding through. I keep telling my husband I am not smart enough to read this book, because it is so jam packed full of information I don't always comprehend. Don 't get me wrong - it is an amazing book! I have just learned that I need to take it in little doses, and "chew" on them awhile before I read on. Basically, it is a book about developing a true Biblical worldview, and how so many Christians do not really have one, and why that is, and what the dangers in that truly are.
She says that "the danger is that if Christians do not consciously develop a biblical approach to a subject, (ex. biology, ethics, law, etc...) then we will unconsciously absorb some other philosophical approach.' This usually involves gradually letting ideas creep in that are in reality totally non-biblical. Christians also often "segment" their lives into the "church" activities and then everything else - school, jobs, etc... We don't know how to integrate our faith INTO all other areas of our lives.
Pearcey then takes a detailed look at Darwin and the "theory" of evolution (which really isn't even a theory by the way), and secular humanism, and how they have impacted nearly every aspect of society. It is really fascinating, yet terrifying. Again, this book is really technical with really complicated words that sound like they are from the National Spelling Bee, so I feel much smarter after each chapter. She discusses how if we teach in schools that you come from nothing, that you are an accident of the cosmos, then how can you possibly expect children to have any self-worth whatsoever? The idea of relativism, that there is no absolute truth, has truly scary implications if taken to it's logical conclusion.
On Saturday afternoon, I watched a video by the Institute for Excellence In Writing. Andrew Puduwa was actually explaining the writing system, but in the process made a few comments that were along the same lines as Pearcey's book. He stated that when God was removed from the public school system, something had to be inserted in God's place. Other 'gods' crept in. The god of 'creativity' over all else is one example. According to relativism, if you were 'true' in your 'creation' of something, no one else can say it's 'wrong'. Oh my. He also said that the reason we "lose" so many teenagers in high school is because the questions that teens most want to ask are "illegal" to talk about in the classroom. The literature they study doesn't ask the questions that they need answered. The way history is studied, (with relativism) makes it impossible to infer any right or wrong. The three things weighing most on adolescent minds? Who am I? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do with my life?" Well, the answers to these questions require absolute truth, which is not permitted and looked at as offensive.
So today I was watching this weekend's episode of the "Glee Project". For those of you who are not aware, I am a gleek, due to the fact I was actually Vice President of my high school glee club, and used to direct my own show choir for many years. I am fully aware that the Fox TV has a LOT of problems, (which I won't get in to now...) but the "Glee Project" on Oxygen is a reality show where 12 teens are competing in a singing contest to win a guest spot on Glee on Fox. I love singing competions, so I am hooked. Well, this week they were working on "vulnerability" in their music. They were going to perform the song "Mad World" and they had to write a word on a big poster tied to them that descibes them. Then they had to walk around Universal's Citywalk while wearing their sign. I almost cried watching this. The words they wrote: misunderstood, used, gay, anorexic, numb, rejected, fake, and fat. These are the words they picked. And I sat there realizing that the reason they are so lost, is because of the reasons I stated earlier in this post. America is raising a generation of people who believe they came from nothing, and that there is no absolute truth. That IS depressing.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=w2QD879HKWA

Time For Tea

I have not blogged since last year! Can you tell it's been a busy season? There have been times this school year when it has been VERY difficult. Schooling a 5th, 2nd and 1st grader, while having a 3 and 1 year old is a bit challenging sometimes! People always ask how I do it? Well, somedays, I myself hardly know. I can tell you though, that it is only the grace of God. I have had to remind myself alot that God planned these specific children, and He will supply ALL my needs according to His riches and glory! And - praise the Lord - the year is OVER! We all survived!

This year I have read two of Sally Clarkson's books. "The Mission of Motherhood" and "The Ministry of Motherhood". I highly recommend these books to all moms. She is so encouraging, and has so much to say about Biblical motherhood. I have been personally convicted this year about the idea that parenting is truly discipleship. If we study the life of Jesus we can model our parenting on His discipleship style. That has always been one of the main reasons that we homeschool. Discipleship requires TIME. A lot of time. Time spent in character training, study, and all the various things we do all day. I feel so blessed to have so much "time" with my kids. I have "time" to see all those little character issues that pop up throughout the day. They have "time" to see me work out my faith in everything I do. I have also tried to implement more "one -on -one" with the older kids, to do some more intentional discipleship.

So today, Kassidy and I had our first tea time/Bible study. This will be a weekly date for just the two of us to have special time together. I purchased a Bible study about Biblical beauty, and what God has to say about true beauty. When I mentioned doing this to Kass a few months ago, she got SO excited. She has been looking forward to this ever since, and so many ideas for treats. I could tell she really felt important that I would carve out time just for us. It was a sweet time together, studying God's word, and praying together. I am praying that this tradition will plant seeds in her that will grow to maturity in the next few years.