Monday, March 26, 2012

Of fear, future mountains, 10 things and gingerbread men


Dear Cam and Scott

I’m a little freaked out.

For various reasons, the soothing happy mists of parenting toddlers in the lowlands have suddenly lifted and I’ve glimpsed the formidable, seemingly impassable parental mountain ranges lying a decade ahead of us in the journey. And I’m not kitted out.

In 1998 God placed a clear desire on my heart for the raising up of a godly generation of young men. Teaching high school boys, and then having little boys of my own, has given me a chance to be a small part of that movement. I’m really passionate about the idea of inspiring you to live courageously. We want to bring you up to be men of conviction and integrity, kindness and compassion, strength and responsibility. It excites me unbelievably to think that your generation will write the history of this century.

But it’s also terrifying when I dwell on what you’ll be up against. Hostile glaciers of indifference to the ways of God. Jagged peaks of moral derailment. Languid bypasses of temptation where compromise and recklessness wallow in deceptively shallow pools. And everywhere, internet access.

So, to quell the rising paranoia, I will write down for you here (even though you are still so very little and untouched by all the nastiness) ten things I know to be true – because I was a teenager (in the olden days), because I’ve worked with these phenomenal creatures for the past fourteen years, and because I’m your mom. I’ll need to revisit this list from time to time. I’ll probably need to revise it, too, with greater experience and proximity to the mountains.

So, I know it is true that:

1.       The choices you make as you navigate the strange, turbulent waters between child and adult will affect the rest of your life. For better or worse.
2.       It will take years to climb up to a good reputation. Five minutes to chuck it off a cliff.
3.       The thrill of popularity is fleeting. It’s an empty ecstasy holding no promises, no security, no loyalty, no love. It’s hardly worth the subsequent heartache and self-doubt and, often, embarrassment.
4.       A relationship with Jesus is the thing that will keep your feet on the path and get you through the mountains. It’s also the only thing that will give the journey any direction, meaning or purpose.
5.       We can’t control the roads you’ll walk down, the text messages you’ll send, the friends you’ll make. (Well. We can control some of those things. To a point.) But we will never stop leading you in the paths of righteousness. Like it or not.
6.       We will insist on talking to you every day. A lot. And having fun with you. A lot. Like it or not.
7.       In our home you can say anything, ask anything. But tone and attitude are everything.
8.       We will desire only God’s best for you and we will do all conceivable to nurture in you soft strong hearts.
9.       We will pray for you and love you, unrelentingly.
10.   God is already in the future.

And a final word. For the purposes of this letter, it’s my version of Ephesians 6:10-19.

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s climbing gear so that you will be able to scale the cliffs despite the strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s gear so you will be able to resist the enemy in the dark, weird, hormonal days. Then after the battle – once you’ve hiked through the roughest terrain – you will still be in one piece. Stand your ground. Find the handholds. Hook the carabiner of truth to your belt and put on the Gore-Tex of God’s righteousness. For shoes that grip, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. Also, cling to the rope of faith because the devil will try to pull you off the rock face. Put on salvation as your abseiling helmet, and take the ice pick of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me and Dad, too. Ask God to give us the right words so we can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan: that the Good News is for kids and grownups and rebellious teenagers, too.

Love always and everywhere,

Mom

xx

PS: Here are pics of you guys with Meags and Craig, on a rainy Friday afternoon, making gingerbread men (and amoebas).






These two babies have been chilling on your jungle gym all week. Lola keeps the cats away.
Such a literary connoisseur…
And always on a stealth mission.

Cam, in one of your amazing forts.
And here’s something of our first official family photo shoot, courtesy of Samantha and Reynard. Cam you were irrepressible, quite literally bouncing off the walls. We battled to keep you still enough – for long enough – for any of these photos to be taken. Scott, you were less keen on the whole idea, hence the Smartie-drool on your shirt (we bribed you). What you are keen on, however, is life in general. You are our blonde parcel of awe and discovery at the moment. Everything you encounter gets a ‘Wow!’ or a ‘What’s that?’ or a ‘Look there!’ – all delivered in tiny expressions of breathless wonder. J




















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