Read my mind

In the 6 months I've been blogging, I find myself thinking blog posts. When something happens, I process it by thinking about how I would write it. Unfortunately, my life is so crazy that I forget all of the bright, witty anecdotes that I have composed in my mind and end up writing snoozy "what's happening in my family" posts that would put even my sweet mother to sleep.

Right now, my son Aidan is hanging his build-a-bear Teddy, dressed in a Spiderman suit, by a jump rope hanging from the top of our staircase. He says he's building a web. Pretty cool, if you ask me.

Molly is, right now, being quite bossy and telling Aidan he has to come play in her room. It's taken her so long to stand up to him, I'm not going to correct the bossiness. Pick your battles, that's what I say.

Paisley is asleep, after a long, arduous attempt at getting her there.

You see why I don't want to give a daily report? It's not an exciting life. Fun, fulfilling, hilarious at times, but hardly Pulitzer worthy.

So...moving away from the antics of my offspring...

I went to Northpark mall last week. The kids were with Maddie, and I was out browsing and using gift card money that I should have saved for fall clothes.

As I was walking through the upper level, I had the thought, "Gosh, I haven't been in Victoria's Secret in years!" So I turned right and found myself among overpriced lingerie and really not cute sleepwear. Sorry for you fans, but I refuse to wear the word Pink on my butt. Or any word, for that matter. It brings back memories of a church camp I attended at Baylor University. One girl, bless her, bought a pair of Soffe shorts from the campus store that said Baylor on the rear end. She would wear them and guys would walk behind her and chant, "Bay!" "Lor!" with each step. I made my decision to swear off writing on the posterior.

Anyhoo...back to VS. It was morning, so the store was mostly empty, except for this girl...and her boyfriend. Now, I've said before, if you don't want to read my opinions on stuff, you don't have to, but I'd advise you to stop here.

This little couple looked about 18. Great looking almost-adults. Men in VS make me nervous anyway, but I always hope that they're just checking out the sleepshirts or fragrances. No. This cute chica was looking at bras, and handing the ones she liked to her boyfriend. I noticed this, it made me a little uncomfortable, but as the day went on, I found myself getting frustrated. Not at them, goodness, I don't know them!

I was frustrated because of the obvious nonchalance toward intimacy they showed just by being in there, and even more so by shopping for her underwear together. I mean, why don't they just wear a sign that tells everyone "Hey! We've seen each other in our skivvies, and we're here to spread the word!" (I love the word skivvies...we should use it more often).

As a parent, you know the message this sends to everyone. We're doing what we want, and don't care if you know. And even if they aren't...men, guys, boys, are created to be visual creatures. This is not new information. If you hand a guy a bra on the rack in VS, he's going to picture a girl in it. Not to mention the posters on the wall in the store are enough to overstimulate any healthy, red-blooded male.

This is not a post on True Love Waits (although it does, and should, I think.) I am overwhelmed with the permissiveness we allow ourselves and especially our teenagers. I read somewhere a comment made by someone that said, "abstinence doesn't work. kids will do it anyway. prevention is the only solution." Why is this? Why do we think they'll do it anyway? Maybe if we spent the time with our kids that they need so desperately, and not just give them the things they want, they wouldn't go looking for their emotional needs to be met outside the home.

I hope this was read knowing the intention with which I wrote it. I don't mean to preach, but I feel so strongly about the lack of morals in the world where my children will grow up. I feel as a parent like it's my job not only to teach them what God says is right and wrong, but to speak up about our society from a Christian's standpoint. In other words, call a spade a spade.

I daily struggle with sin in my life, and have to claim the line in the song we sang at church yesterday, "But by the power of Christ, I stand." I am not a loveless old church lady who points a finger at people who sin with 3 fingers pointing back at her. I am just a parent who cares deeply about her kids, a wife who knows the value of doing it God's way, and a child of God who knows how far his grace can reach.

I waited. God has blessed. But I still have regrets. I pray that couple in the store doesn't have regrets one day. God's plan is always best. His forgiveness is all-encompassing. His grace is sufficient. His mercy is everlasting. His love is perfect.