Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

faith & spirituality

For my daughter, the sponge

Picture this: My 3-year-old daughter and I are in the bathroom of a pizza place. I’m waiting with her while she goes potty. Meanwhile, music plays from a speaker overhead. We hear these words:

“The French are glad to die for love.
They delight in fighting duels.
But I prefer a man who lives
And gives expensive jewels.”

As the words reach my daughter’s ears, she repeats, with a hint of incredulity, “the French?” “expensive jewels?”

I didn’t know the song at the time, but recognized it when the chorus came on. (“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”) I wondered what else would come out of my daughter’s mouth as the song continued. And it scared me a little.

When this happened, and it’s becoming more frequent that she repeats what she hears, I was in the middle of reading the book “Plugged-In Parenting: How to Raise Media-Savvy Kids with Love, Not War” by Bob Waliszewski.

Before reading one page, I adopted a “yeah, I’ve heard this before” attitude. I expected the same sort of “blah, blah, blah” arguments I’ve encountered in Christian circles about movies and television and music. I like all of those things, and the idea of limiting what I view has never sat well with me.

Until now.

Although the book is aimed at parents of teenagers or pre-teens, and my kids are 3 and 1 1/2, the author has convinced me (or was it God convicting me?) that I need to seriously consider what I view and listen to, if not for my sake, but for theirs. As a result of me reading this book, my husband and I have already started talking about what needs to change. While we limitedly practice media discernment for ourselves, we could take it farther.

Mr. Waliszewski’s arguments are loving and not condemning, powerfully convincing and backed by statistics. His is certainly not a popular stance, but God does not call us to popularity. He calls us to obedience and holiness.

Thanks to this book, I’m taking another step toward both.

 

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I received a copy of “Plugged-in Parenting” free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my review.

It’s also on Tyndale’s Summer Reading Program list. Click here to join.

I Review For The Tyndale Blog Network

 

 

How to be a man

I’m not a man (shocking, I know!) but I did once dress like one for a costume party. (The man I dressed as would become my husband. How’s that for a rare pickup line?)

That, in no way, makes me an expert on how to be a man, which is why I’m grateful for Tony Dungy’s recent book “Uncommon.”

When I decided to read it as part of the Tyndale Summer Reading Program, I didn’t realize it was directed at men. Though, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Dungy is, after all, a household football name.

I almost stopped reading after the first couple of references to “being a man,” but I decided to stay the course. I’m a mother to a son, who blessedly, has his father in his life. But I thought it might be wise to glean some insights for the future.

Dungy offers a ton of wisdom, not all of it new or profound, but the book is gripping, and Dungy speaks with authority. In a dadless age, he offers a voice of paternal support, blending compassion and a call to discipline and respect with ease. He comes across as the kind of guy who will tell you how things are, good or bad, and you still like him afterward.

I’d consider this book a must-read for teenage boys, whether athletes or not, or young adolescent boys without a father in the picture, and the moms who raise them. Dads, grab this book for a good read, too. Especially if you feel like you’ve messed up and have no earthly advice to offer your sons.

I was surprised by how much I learned from a book aimed at men. It may not have taught me, personally, how to be one, but I’m inspired to raise my son to be the best man he can be.