I've been meaning to blog about a pet peeve of mine for a while. Recent events (see picture and explanation at the end of this post!) have pushed this to the surface again. So here goes:
I am accident-prone. That is true, and we can joke about it. It's a bit absurd to fracture your foot and then two weeks later bust up your forehead (once again, explanation and picture at the end once I step off my soapbox - be patient!).
What is NOT true or funny are jokes about domestic violence. If I had only been on the receiving line of one or two, that would be one thing. Or even ten. But it's been
dozens. Dozens of statements like "Lee had to lay down the law, huh?" in response to a brace on my foot or ankle or wrist from friends and church leaders and others.
Not okay.
If it were true, then it wouldn't be funny because a loving response would be concern not poor attempts at humor.
If it's not true (and it most certainly
is not!), then it's an insult to my husband and a slap in the face (figuratively, that is) to those who have been physically abused because that serious topic is being treated as a joke.
So don't. Just don't.
Thanks.
Oh, and the story: Imagine a family of four roughhousing and bouncing on the bed (well, the kids were the ones bouncing). Imagine a little boy charging at his daddy. Imagine a daddy flinging the boy across the bed for a soft landing on the mattress. Imagine a mom's head getting between said boy and said mattress. Imagine said mother bleeding all over the mimis, floor, and her dress from cuts that inexplicably occurred during the incident. (Actually, don't imagine the blood part. That
I could have done without, so I don't want to inflict it on you.) Imagine the boy bouncing up without an injury.
Are you imagining all that?
(Now imagine, ahem, that the mommy can't find her camera and has to take a poor shot with her phone camera.)
Nope, not winking. Just swollen.
Ouch. It hurts.
But
please don't make it worse by trying to be a comedian.
Unless, of course, you're making fun of my general clumsiness. That's fair game for jokes.
I think all of us who believe in Christ want to raise godly children. That’s why the title Raising Godly Children in an Ungodly World: Leaving a Lasting Legacy
by brothers Ken & Steve Ham appealed to me. The best takeaway is that while secular parenting advice is focused on behavior modification, adjusting the outward expression of the heart, Christian parenting is – or should be – centered on Christ, who cares about our hearts more than our behavior.
on’t love Jesus, is that what we want? No. Then why is that how I parent much of the time based more on my kids’ behavior than their hearts?
This book didn’t provide me with much of a heart check, though, so while it was beneficial (and most interesting to me during the biographical parts), it’s not the first parenting book I would recommend. Some that have blessed us are Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas and Great Parents, Lousy Lovers
by Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham (which I reviewed here
), but the number one book and the only one that truly offers lasting heart change is the Bible. I think it’s easy to run to other sources for parenting wisdom and forget to let the Perfect Parent give us guidance.
