But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood,
an holy nation,
a peculiar people
that ye should shew forth the praises of
Him who hath called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light:
1 Peter 2:9
a royal priesthood,
an holy nation,
a peculiar people
that ye should shew forth the praises of
Him who hath called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light:
1 Peter 2:9
Believe me, there are alot of people out there who think we are "different". As a matter of fact a few years back someone asked MaKayla if we were Amish? I'm not really sure where they came up with that one but they did. I guess maybe it's because our girls don't go to a "normal" school and we don't function like "normal" families. Maybe it's because I stay home or because MaKayla and Mallary don't participate in "normal" activities. Maybe it's because we work as a family and everyone participates in that work. Anyway, while in the car the other evening MaKayla made the comment, "I just want to thank you guys for raising Mal and I to be abnormal. I'm glad we are different." (Mind you, MaKayla will soon be 16 so this is not a conversation you would hear coming from a "typical" 16-year-old.) It sparked quite a discussion amongst the four of us allowing us to reflect on why we believe what we believe, why we live the way we live, why we function the way we function, why we dress the way we dress, why we are who we are...
MaKayla has arrived at the age where she is placed in positions of making decisions. Positions where she must put to use what she has been taught over the past 15 plus years. Positions where she is compelled to pray and seek God's guidance. Positions where she must discern what is God's perfect will rather than His permissible will. Positions where she must deny the flesh and follow hard after the Spirit. She was recently placed in one of those positions which is what brought about this discussion. She was thanking her dad and I for raising her right and training her up in the nurturing and admonition of the Lord. She shared how it made the "position of decision" much easier to make.
We once again found ourselves hashing over some of these things late in the evening on Sunday so I asked MaKayla to list the attributes, teachings, standards that she feels makes she and Mallary abnormal in the eyes of the world. Monday morning she brought me this neat and itemized list:
*spending time with God in order to grow in our relationship with Him...
*not allowing us to get caught up in worldly distractions (cell phones, Facebook, ect.)...
*teaching us at home...
*teaching us to be modest and act feminine...
*teaching us to be respectful towards adults...
*keeping our minds pure (no cable t.v., only Christian music, no PG-13 or R rated movies)...
*teaching us to remain physically pure until marriage...
*teaching us to value God's opinion over anyone else's and not to conform...
God's Word teaches us to be a peculiar people...set-apart...non-conforming. The reality of this means different things for different people depending on how God specifically speaks to their hearts. Each family is different. God created us all unique. I don't think it means constantly "proving points" or making ourselves "stand out". It means living a humble obedient life that glorifies our Lord.
(maybe we are a little abnormal) :o}
MaKayla has arrived at the age where she is placed in positions of making decisions. Positions where she must put to use what she has been taught over the past 15 plus years. Positions where she is compelled to pray and seek God's guidance. Positions where she must discern what is God's perfect will rather than His permissible will. Positions where she must deny the flesh and follow hard after the Spirit. She was recently placed in one of those positions which is what brought about this discussion. She was thanking her dad and I for raising her right and training her up in the nurturing and admonition of the Lord. She shared how it made the "position of decision" much easier to make.
We once again found ourselves hashing over some of these things late in the evening on Sunday so I asked MaKayla to list the attributes, teachings, standards that she feels makes she and Mallary abnormal in the eyes of the world. Monday morning she brought me this neat and itemized list:
*spending time with God in order to grow in our relationship with Him...
*not allowing us to get caught up in worldly distractions (cell phones, Facebook, ect.)...
*teaching us at home...
*teaching us to be modest and act feminine...
*teaching us to be respectful towards adults...
*keeping our minds pure (no cable t.v., only Christian music, no PG-13 or R rated movies)...
*teaching us to remain physically pure until marriage...
*teaching us to value God's opinion over anyone else's and not to conform...
God's Word teaches us to be a peculiar people...set-apart...non-conforming. The reality of this means different things for different people depending on how God specifically speaks to their hearts. Each family is different. God created us all unique. I don't think it means constantly "proving points" or making ourselves "stand out". It means living a humble obedient life that glorifies our Lord.
(maybe we are a little abnormal) :o}
Let's hear it for abnormal! It's a sad thing that the list Makayla gave you is considered "abnormal" by the world! We need to change the net generation - one family unit at a time.
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