"Yes!!" Moments

As parents, we live for those "Yes!!" moments. You know, for years you've been praying and lecturing, praying and pleading, praying and yelling...well not me..I don't yell...much..., :o, praying and bribing..I don't do that either..much..anymore.., and one day your child..teenager...makes a decision, takes a stand and you're standing in the next room doing the Yes Dance. Come on.. if you have kids, you know what dance I'm talking about...

Yesterday afternoon, DD and her boyfriend rented a movie for the family to watch last night. The selection they picked had a PG13 rating...which we all tend to walk on egg shells with... but the rating was for violence.

Now, when my kids were tiny tots, violent movies were not watched. Forget it. With them being less than 2 years apart in age, they made their own violence, they didn't need any help from tv and movies. But now with them being 16 and 18, things are somewhat different. I'm not worried about them shooting anyone or blowing up a building or getting into a physical fight or anything such as that. They're just not wired that way...and...the Holy Spirit lives within them.

Every other Thursday night can find DH and I at the table going over the bills and paying the ones that are due, so we told the kids to go ahead and start the movie and we'd catch up in just a bit.

So, they did.

Mind you the ages of the kids are..DD-18, DD's BF-almost 19, DS-16. The movie begins and quite honestly DH and I have tuned it out. We are focused on these bills and how to make the dollars stretch farther and how to spend them more wisely..so we're not paying any attention to this movie.

...Let me insert here, that both of my kids have always known a Christian home. DD was saved at the age of 9 and DS just got saved on New Years Eve. (He made a profession at the age of 4, but, in his words.."I've been playing church for a lot of years. It was time to get real.") DD's BF got saved about a year ago. So, these kids know what is and isn't acceptable. Like most kids (and adults) though, they, at times, push the envelope just as far as they can....

DS had been wanting to see this movie for quite some time. From the previews, DH and I thought it would be good as well. DD's BF is still very much in the learning stages because he didn't even go to church until he and DD met. He doesn't know very much of what the Bible says and what is and isn't acceptable.

So...

The movie begins and about 20 minutes later, I realize that they are watching tv instead of the movie. We stop doing the bills and ask, "Why aren't you watching the movie?"

DD: "Because in the first 4 minutes they said like 6 bad words AND took God's name in vain."

Me: "Oh. Good call. I'm real proud of you."

DD: "I'm not watching that garbage and neither are the guys if I'm around."

Me--(smiling inwardly): "You're right. We get enough filth when we're out and about. No need to invite it in."

DH and I look at each other, smile and go back to the task at hand.

This is such a huge deal because DD has been struggling with the flesh for quite some time and so DH and I have been going into overtime in our prayer closets that God would manifest Himself real to our children and the people they are in relationships with. We can love them and be an example to them all day long, but only the Holy Spirit can convict them.

Later, DD confided in me that the boys weren't too thrilled with her insisting that the movie be turned off... "But, Mom, I stood my ground. We just can't watch that filth anymore."

A double blessing...a right decision made and a stand taken for what she believes in. Oh yeah.. a BIG Yes Dance going on with this Mom.

Let me encourage you, there are going to be times (go back to an earlier post of mine) that you wonder if you're doing anything right with your kids at all. There are going to be times that you are convinced you have failed and that your kids are destined for a carnal life. Don't lose faith. Go to those prayer closets and lift those kids up in prayer. Go to their bedrooms and pray Scripture over those rooms and every object in them and the people that live in them. Remember that you and God are the majority and the power no matter what the enemy tries to tell you.

Stay strong, hold on to Jesus and His promises; then you too will be able to fully appreciate those "Yes!!" moments.

Blessings.......