That SMELL..........

I will never understand pop culture.
As a child of "middle america" I have been trained to PAY ATTENTION.
I had become accustomed to the "smoke and mirrors" of what society expects from a young girl.
I had always felt a tinge of disgust fester...but didn't know where that really came from.
But-It was there.
I wasn't sure WHY, but-
I knew that I didn't "fit" the mold .
What I didnt REALIZE was that....NOONE DOES!!! EVER!

So as a parent I have TRIED to sheild my children(especially girls) from the FALSE IDEAS that seem to unknowingly get PLANTED in a young girls mind.
I said I have tried.
I have tried to get them to REALIZE that they are beautiful.
No matter how curly their hair is.
No matter how hairy their legs are.
No matter what size their waist is.

They
are
beautiful.
This is not a lie.


But, other peoples opinions and society have a funny way of "creeping in".
Like smoke from a wildfire...sometimes you can't SEE it..but it is there.
You can SMELL IT.
And sometimes you can just get so USED to the smell that you DON'T smell it anymore.

THAT is what I am fighting.

I dont want to become so IMMUNE to the "smoke" that it seems NORMAL.
I don't want to start thinking that UNACCEPTABLE things are ACCEPTABLE...just because it is EASY.
I don't want things to SLIP IN because I am not ON POINT.

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. Titus 2:11



So..I stay on gaurd.
Waiting for those "teachable moments".
Always HOPEING to have some WISE WORDS to help mold their minds.

An sometimes....I have NOTHING.

That is what happened the other night when SHASHA and I saw a PREVIEW for THIS(while watching a COOKING SHOW!!!!



Thank GOODNESS that on the preview it didn't actually SHOW him "dancing"..it just showed him TALKING-which WAS ENOUGH.

I was STUNNED...and before I could change the channel Shasha was saying:
"Mom, why would someone dance on a POLE? So weird. Why wouldn't you just dance on the floor? That is weird. Why would a GUY do that? That IS A GUY right Mom? Why would he dance on a POLE?"

Trust me..it didn't take the first SENTENCE to let me know my GUARD ha been let down, and the weirdness of our POP CULTURE has seeped in.

She was so SHOCKED.
Sweet girl.
So innocent. It made me really think about how strange it is that in our "culture"...THAT is acceptable TV for "family night".
It is seen as NORMAL.
I mean really???
How BLIND do you have to be to see that a silver guy POLE DANCING on a TALENT SHOW at 8pm on NBC is CRAZY???????????

Seriously?

I was so BLINDED by what I ha just been asked that I had NO ANSWER.

No wise words for her to "live by"...
No TRUTHS revealed.

On the Inside:
Just SHOCK.
The irony of what Shasha had just asked me was beyond words....for me.
All I could think was....
"Life is a BEAUTIFUL journey.
THANK GOD I made it to THIS SPOT.
THANK GOD for ALL lessons learned."

On the outside:
I laughed.
I laughed and laughed.
I couldn't help it.

And then Shasha looked at me with a PUZZLED look an said, "Why are you laughing Mom? What is so funny?"

I looked at her still laughing and said, "Because THAT is weird Shasha. Why would you dance on a pole? THAT is dumb."

As I sat there an we finished watching the show we were watching I thought...

"Thank you GOD for giving me CLEAR VISION and the ability to SMELL the smoke even when OTHERS can't SEE it."

Give thanks to God for giving me THIS life.
I am ETERNALLY grateful.