“I woke up with a broken heart in my chest.” These words came from a song as I drove down the long, winding, country road and represented what I was feeling inside.. My teen daughter was pulling away and headed in a different direction that worried me, as it was not how we had raised her.
In my peripheral vision, I saw a doe running with her sweet fawn. I slowed to watch as they ran beside my car. I let them move ahead and the mother eventually jumped a low fence to cross in front of me to the safety of a beautiful, fall-colored thicket. The fawn did not follow, but instead ran in a sharply different direction. The fawn had taken a different path.
I was reminded of the fawn, later in the day, as I prayed with my best friend over our children. The doe and fawn were separated as the fawn had went in a different direction. In our present culture, different paths are being followed by our children, too. They choose paths that take them from the beauty and true home of their “forest” which equates to pulling away from truth and family. This separation may be dangerous as they seek to emulate over-glamorized and culture-driven values and norms in social media, as evidenced by growing anxiety, disconnect, and depression in our teens today.
How can we focus on His true path, deep connection with family, and God-honoring relationships (instead of worldly paths and self-centeredness)? Teens really still do want and need to be hugged by their parents. Popular culture today tells you that teens prefer to be with other teens, but is that always best? Does it have to be that way? What about honoring God, family, AND having Godly friends at the same time? What does the Bible say about teens pulling away from the family to go in a different direction? Yes, independence and learning to survive as an adult are needed, but how can we maintain faith and family values? I don’t want to be separated from my fawn. I don’t want my fawn on a different, dangerous path.
From a recent discussion group, here is what I learned:
- Put boundaries on what you watch and read, especially on social media for the whole family. Don’t spend too much time on entertainment: “I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me.” (Psalm 101:3). Also, look at American Pediatric Association for electronic guidelines for all ages (may have to copy and paste): https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/5/e20162591
2. Have consistent prayer and Bible time (individually and as a family) “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. ” (Romans 12:1-2)
3. As parents, for each stage of life, have an elementary, middle, or high-school mom or parent Christian group, that can help with challenges and provide opportunities to serve together and bond as moms and daughters/Dads and sons. Ask your church to help arrange it. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
4. Watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix. It will scare you as a parent because social media is designed to create addiction. From the documentary, “If you are not paying for it, then you are the product.” Our children’s focus and attention are being taken away. They are the product. “Fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.” (1 Timothy 1:18-19)
5. Family of God first. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17) AND “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:1-4)
We have obligations to God, the church, our families, and people in need. Let’s help each other as parents take back our children’s lives, give them back their childhoods, and serve the Lord. Seek Christian counseling, too, if you or your children needs it to deal with emotional pain and connection. Let’s help the fawn take the right path to the truth and to God. “We are made in the image of God, that’s where the light comes from. Father forgive us, give us hearts and eyes to see that we are so much more than flesh and blood.” Those were the closing lines of the song (may have to copy and paste) by We Are Messengers-Image of God. Listen to it here and be blessed today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yV0pu60Uqs
flourishings.blog 