Modesty is Sexy

By on June 26, 2010 in Life Lessons

We need to teach our boys what sexy is.

They need to learn what sexy is from the home, not the world, because the world has it wrong folks! Sexy is not cleavage and legs. It’s a woman who fears the Lord (Proverbs 31:30), who’s only desire is to please the Lord and who understands that her body, and what it has to offer, is for her future husband.

That’s the kind of woman I want my son to marry. A modest woman!

So how do we, as mothers, teach our boys what that modest woman is? We start by being the example. We’re a yardstick. You are a yardstick, a mama-stick if you will! And our boys will pull out that mama-stick to see if his future bride measures up.

What we wear, what we look at, what we say, what we do…our boys are absorbing it all. It starts with us at home. It’s our responsibility to show our boys what a real sexy woman looks like!

Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

1 Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

Are you a sexy mama?

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Seeking the Greatest Adventure.

By on June 25, 2010 in adventure, physicality of boys, Tough decisions

Take a good look at that picture. It’s me, holding my sweet, innocent, fresh-outta-the-womb little boy. This was our first morning together. That big kind of love that only comes from his mama is completely wrapped around him, protecting him from anything that might hurt him.

Now take a good look at these pictures.

That dashingly handsome man that you see locked into a kayak while paddling over a 30-foot waterfall, jumping off a rather high bridge into the river, and jumping off a 80-foot cliff on skis… yeah. That would be my husband. The father of aforementioned adorable, innocent, healthy, amazing baby who would never, ever risk the sanity of his dear mother by doing such foolish activities.

Let’s be honest. Before I know it, those pictures are all going to collide.

Oh dear Lord… yep… that was my heart being catapulted into my throat.

When that moment happens, I’m going to have two choices: I can be struck with paralyzing fear, refusing to use those experiences to steer my son’s heart towards God, or I can embrace the chaos and encourage the adventure that could draw him closer to the Lord.

Many mothers often ask me, “you aren’t going to let Erik teach him how to do that stuff, are you?” And my answer, though sometimes proclaimed through clinched teeth, is always, “Of course he’ll learn that stuff!”

I think there’s something beautiful and right and powerful about letting our boys be boys. Letting them jump off stuff, feel that rush of adrenaline, seek out the great adventure of “life to the full” (John 10:10).

Being married to Erik, an adventurous man to the core, has taught me a few things about how boys work. I have learned that they really feel like men when they’ve accomplished something big and daring. They feel strong. Valiant. Courageous.

So, though I might have to stand on the sidelines with my eyes closed and struck stiff with motherly fear, I WILL be on the sidelines, cheering him on. I have committed to embracing that part of my boy. I’ve committed to nurture it, grow it, challenge it, and encourage it with every fiber of my being as his mother. I want my boy filled to the brim with strength, valor and courage… the kind that is only provided by the Lord.

More than anything, I want my boy to pursue Jesus with as much enthusiasm as any adventurous activity. Because really, that’s the biggest adventure any of us could encounter – a personal journey with the Creator of the universe and His Son, who came so that we might have life to the full.

My hope and prayer as a mother would be that my little boy would grow up seeking and craving adventure. The kind that pumps his veins with adrenaline and ignites the Spirit with a faith that pours over.

What are your hopes and prayers for your sons? What about their growth ignites fear in you?

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Boys and Mud

By on June 24, 2010 in connection with boys, Life Lessons

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For the past few weeks, our children have enjoyed playing in the backyard and digging in the dirt almost daily. All the children love playing outside, especially the boys.

This week it has been raining, so they have not been outside to play hardly at all. Boys, rain, and dirt equals mud. My boys love mud, my living room floor, not so much.

Two of our boys ventured out to play in the rain this morning. One was in shorts and neither one of them bothered to put on shoes, they just went outside and danced in the rain. What started out as a perfectly harmless adventure with something pure, turned into a disaster pretty quickly.

Dancing in the rain led to the boys playing in buckets of water that had collected. That led to dirt being dumped into the buckets of rain water. Then they started pouring the buckets of dirty, muddy, rain water down a make shift ramp and all over the ground. Before long, they were slinging mud. They played for awhile and had their fun. It didn’t take long before they grew tired of this excitement and succumbed to the cold. They were completely covered in mud and needing a nice hot bubble bath.

I couldn’t help but see the parallel to sin. You add in just a little bit of dirt to the pure water and you end up with a bucket full of mud. Then you play a little more with sin and spread the mud around. Before you know it, you are covered in mud and so is everyone around you, and you are in much need of a nice hot, soapy bubble bath (aka Jesus).

We have an such an important job to do as moms of boys to teach them right from wrong and show them what things the Bible calls sin.

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To Infinity and Beyond

By on June 23, 2010 in backseat conversations, connection with boys

Welcome to my monthly feature, “Backseat Conversations” – A car ride, a captive audience and a chance to make the most of the time we are given…real-life conversations with my boys about life and faith.

Winter 2010 002crop

“If I had a REAL Buzz Lightyear costume, I could fly up to Jesus.”

Oh boy, now that is some worrisome theology!

“Buddy, that’s not how we get to Jesus.”

Unless, of course, you don’t make it through the “flight.” Obviously I didn’t tell him that part.

“So how can we get to Jesus?”

“Well, you have to Jesus to come into your heart. Then, when you die, you will be in heaven and meet Jesus.”

“But I don’t want to die on the cross.”

Mental note: more explanation required about death.

“You don’t have to die on the cross, but everyone will die at some point.”

“And then we’ll be in the sky with Jesus?”

“Yep, buddy.”

Because HE is the only way to truly go to “infinity and beyond.”

 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6 (NIV)

 

God provides these moments to help us meet our children where they are. Who knew Toy Story could open up a conversation about salvation?! There are SO many opportunities like this if we are LISTENING and WILLING TO ENGAGE.

What strange or unexpected things have opened the door to faith conversations with your boys?

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