It's so hard to be a parent these days

to chose to live a life with Christ in Christ and for Christ - and parent with wisdom often that gets blurred - i am living a very uncomfortable situation lately - 1st off about a year ago we had a major break through in God's wisdom that we were sheltering Aaron in a very unhealthy way "the christian bubble"- i won't get into all that right now as it is not the premise of my post today - anyway long story short aaron has been wanting this vidoe game 'guitar hero' -bobby had promised it to him and was the main reason why he traded in all of his xbox stuff so he could get playstation and have this game - anyway it sounded harmless even though we didn't really know anything about it - besides many people we know have it - so by the gracious hand of God i saw a demo at the video store and was shocked at the songs - not sure what i was expecting but it just never really crossed my mind - i also didn't realize that you have no choice in what song you play until you have them all unlocked so not only do they learn to play the song but they learn the lyrics - many giving full hail to satan and the list goes on and on - yes i know the songs since i was into that music in the 80's (sort of) anyway we had to have the never fun conversation when you have to tell your child no after we already said yes - the good thing is we have been having many conversations lately as a family about the form of entertainment that we can be oblivious in that opens a door for the enemy to come in. Then sunday ( thank you Jesus) in aaron's 4th grade class they were teaching on this very thing - aaron was able to recognize that the Lord is really trying to talk to him. - well let's skip to tuesday morning - here comes my sweet boy strutting down the hall singing at the top of his lungs - ' here i am rock you like a hurricane'....and on and on...you see when he got to the video store that day he was playing the demo of the game....so here i was children's ministry worship director with my son singing this song about sex.....all i could think was o my goodness my innocent boy and o no he is gonna start singing that song in church and O MY GOSH!!!!!!! - yes we talked about never singing that song again but like i really believe that's gonna work especially since as i sit here typing that song is playing over and over again in my own head. you know you have to hate the humiliating situations. I know this is gonna come back to bit me. This morning i read this and well there is nothing more to say.


REGULATED CHASTISEMENT

"I will correct thee in measure" Jer. 30:11

To be left uncorrected would be a fatal sign: it would prove that the Lord had said, "He is given unto idols, let him alone." God grant that such may never be our portion! Uninterrupted prosperity is a thing to cause fear and trembling. As many as God tenderly loves He rebukes and chastens: those for whom He has no esteem He allows to fatten themselves without fear, like bullocks for the slaughter. It is in love that our heavenly Father uses the rod upon His children.

Yet see, the correction is "in measure": He gives us love without measure, but chastisement in measure." As under the old law no Israelite could receive more than the "forty stripes save one, which ensured careful counting and limited suffering, so is it with each afflicted member of the household of faith -every stroke is counted. It is the measure of wisdom, the measure of sympathy, the measure of love, by which our chastisement is regulated. Far be it from us to rebel against appointments so divine. Lord, if thou standest by to measure the bitter drops into my cup, it is for me cheerfully to take that cup from thy hand, and drink according to thy directions, saying "Thy will be done."