Really, the show is all about empowering, and who these women can be, and how they can use their position to get what they want.
---Chad Hodge, executive producer of The Playboy Club, a new NBC network show slated to run this fall
I was nine years old when I first saw it. My friend down the street found a Playboy in her parent's bedroom, and we studied the women's naked figures with a mixture of fascination and disgust. My stomach turned with an intuitive "this is not right" feeling. I ran home to tell my mom, and she tried her best to spit out a definition of what I saw. I am sure she was shocked herself and struggled to find the right words. I remember trying to make sense of what I saw with the little I knew about sexuality and trying to reconcile it all with what I was being taught about God at the time, a God who created us to be holy and reserve our body for the partner that we would marry. I don't know why; maybe mom thought it was just what happens in the world, but she let me continue to go to that friend's house. She might not agree with pornography, certainly my dad wouldn't have it in our home, but that's just life. Perhaps that was her rationale.
In the next year, my friend a few blocks over introduced me to the stacks and stacks of magazines in her house. Sure, there were a few Playboys, but those were mild. Magazines with titles like Penthouse, Hustler, Forum. We'd grab stacks out of her dad's room and go study them in the clubhouse we had made in the garage attic. A couple years later, I'd find it in my own house. A Playgirl in my sister's desk drawer, dirty magazines under a few things in my brother's room. I was a snoop, and therefore, my discoveries had to be a secret. My mom always said that she respected our privacy and wouldn't look in our rooms for things. She upheld her end of the deal. She forgot about the quiet daughter, the one who explored and found things she shouldn't.
The damage is cumulative. We think a dirty magazine here, an inconspicuous show there: it doesn't matter much. Right? We think what's a little light porn between a few adults, but we forget. We forget about the lives of the women who get paid for doing that, the harm that it's doing them. Empowering? Step by step, they are learning to trade their sexuality for power or for what they think is love, compromising the essence of who they were created to be. They may say it is "their choice", but is it really their choice anymore?
We forget about the children, the children who in most cases discover it, evaluate it, have their budding sexuality molded by it. As adults we can sit idly by and let another show like The Playboy Club enter our radar screen in our highly sexualized culture, and it doesn't phase us. We think as long as our parenting skills are up to par and we censor material appropriately, it is all going to be OK.
But is it that easy? Is life that individual?
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Back to Basics
Today was our first Sunday back in church.
Things have changed in our lives. France was impossibly difficult. I feel as though I have been pummeled in an excruciating fight and am limping through the motions of life right now.
Things have changed in our church as well. Instead of a worship service in which the children are ushered out before the teaching and move into their own ministry program, a decision was made that children stay in the entire service to partake of the entire worship experience. This is a decision that I tend to agree with but one that is difficult for my wiggly children. This is a decision that is important to show that we come to worship God and not to get our individual needs met, but nevertheless, is one that can try my patience when my own spiritual condition is weary.
I don't know about you but when I was a child, I had to wait to take my first communion. My parents wanted me to begin to understand the importance of the Eucharist. I would watch as everyone ate the bread passed around and drank grape juice out of the tiny adorable little cups and grow very resentful that I couldn't participate. When I finally was allowed to participate, I was so joyous. I still couldn't comprehend the totality of the experience. Yet, the mystery was always there. I wanted to participate in this incredibly strange little meal.
Because of the new service structure, the kids can now fully participate in communion, and it is encouraged in our church. I never have prevented my children from taking the Eucharist because I believe it is one tangible hands on experience that they get to be a part of. As their faith grows, they will begin to understand the complexity. As they grow in intimacy in Christ, the meal will become more sacred. But it will always be wrapped in some mystery.
In the meantime, I was reminded in their childlike innocence of the importance of the meal shared together. Ian, bored in the middle of the sermon said, "Mom, when do we get to eat the bread? When do we get to eat the bread? When is that coming up!?" A reminder to me that in the midst of everything there is an urgency in encountering the bread of life.
Isabel marched up front with all of us when it was time and carried her bread back to her seat with her. She nibbled on it in her seat, almost savoring the flavor. A reminder to me to slow down and savor the life we have in Christ.
Immediately upon finishing Isabel said, "Oh mommy, I want more! More, more, more!" A reminder to me that upon tasting Jesus, we just want more. We just need more.
Perhaps some would regard their immature faith as just that...immature. But I choose to see their faith and their childlike condition as something that can teach me. We can often lose ourselves in complicated theological positions and controversy and fail to see the very basics.
That is where I am right now as I return from France. Back to basics.
Things have changed in our lives. France was impossibly difficult. I feel as though I have been pummeled in an excruciating fight and am limping through the motions of life right now.
Things have changed in our church as well. Instead of a worship service in which the children are ushered out before the teaching and move into their own ministry program, a decision was made that children stay in the entire service to partake of the entire worship experience. This is a decision that I tend to agree with but one that is difficult for my wiggly children. This is a decision that is important to show that we come to worship God and not to get our individual needs met, but nevertheless, is one that can try my patience when my own spiritual condition is weary.
I don't know about you but when I was a child, I had to wait to take my first communion. My parents wanted me to begin to understand the importance of the Eucharist. I would watch as everyone ate the bread passed around and drank grape juice out of the tiny adorable little cups and grow very resentful that I couldn't participate. When I finally was allowed to participate, I was so joyous. I still couldn't comprehend the totality of the experience. Yet, the mystery was always there. I wanted to participate in this incredibly strange little meal.
Because of the new service structure, the kids can now fully participate in communion, and it is encouraged in our church. I never have prevented my children from taking the Eucharist because I believe it is one tangible hands on experience that they get to be a part of. As their faith grows, they will begin to understand the complexity. As they grow in intimacy in Christ, the meal will become more sacred. But it will always be wrapped in some mystery.
In the meantime, I was reminded in their childlike innocence of the importance of the meal shared together. Ian, bored in the middle of the sermon said, "Mom, when do we get to eat the bread? When do we get to eat the bread? When is that coming up!?" A reminder to me that in the midst of everything there is an urgency in encountering the bread of life.
Isabel marched up front with all of us when it was time and carried her bread back to her seat with her. She nibbled on it in her seat, almost savoring the flavor. A reminder to me to slow down and savor the life we have in Christ.
Immediately upon finishing Isabel said, "Oh mommy, I want more! More, more, more!" A reminder to me that upon tasting Jesus, we just want more. We just need more.
Perhaps some would regard their immature faith as just that...immature. But I choose to see their faith and their childlike condition as something that can teach me. We can often lose ourselves in complicated theological positions and controversy and fail to see the very basics.
That is where I am right now as I return from France. Back to basics.
Monday, December 20, 2010
A Call to Prayer
Every morning, about 5:40 AM, I was awoken by the first Islamic call to prayer. It is one thing to understand the call to prayer in the United States where it doesn't blare out into the world, another thing to experience it from all angles in an Islamic country. It is hauntingly beautiful, but lonely. It is captivating, yet I wondered how many people it is holding captive? The second morning it woke me up, I started praying feeling such an intense ache for God. It was as if for a moment he let me feel his heart's desire to draw these people to him, and I just started crying. I just wanted to pray and pray and pray. Moroccans are such a beautiful people, and they don't know our very personal God. They do not know the truth about who Jesus is.
I don't know where these roads will lead, if we will be going to Morocco or going back to the U.S. next year. Nevertheless, my experience from this past year tells me that we should be praying and praying and praying for the nations (France and Morocco included). Sometimes we limit our prayers to our own limited scope of being without realizing that God wants to use our prayers to accomplish great things around the world.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Christmas Time is Here
Tomorrow we leave for Casablanca, Morocco for five days. This should be an exciting adventure to check out what is going on at a school we are considering working at. This is definitely a discernment trip. Please, please keep us in your prayers this week as we explore and consider the possibilities of the future.
I am also excited about the possibility of seeing blue skies again and 70 degree weather. The kids are excited that they will get a new stamp in their passports. Ian keeps telling me all the different countries he wants to go to. His latest is Denmark. I don't know why Denmark, but I had to tell him, "I don't think Denmark is in our future." I do love that the kids are starting to pick up the French language. Isabel is still pretty silent, but Ian will rattle off vocabulary that he has learned in school. His accent is so amazing that it makes me laugh. He'll say, "Why are you laughing?" And I'll say, "Because mommy will never be able to sound like that."
This season is a bit bittersweet. I love Christmas, and I love to celebrate Jesus' birth. I do miss things from home like Christmas lights and the anticipation in the air. I do recognize that some of that anticipation is materialistic in nature, so I am learning to withdrawal from it slowly. Our apartment came with a tiny 5 euro Christmas tree. It is very much the Charlie Brown tree. You can almost hear Christmas Time is Here when you look at it. We put it up with the few ornaments that we brought from home.
Bryan and I thought we'd get a new tree, a bigger tree. I said to Bryan the other day, "We should go get a tree." Ian said, "Why? We already have one." And he was right. We do have one, and it is going to be our tree this year. It took my child to speak the truth into our lives, and I thanked Ian for those words of wisdom later. When Bryan said that he was ready to go find a Christmas tree later, I told him that I thought Ian was right. We do have our tree already.
Some of this consuming stuff is ingrained in us so deep, so deep. That does not mean that we don't keep our traditions alive as traditions are important. Nevertheless, things are changing for us. We are learning to find our abundance in the life of Christ rather in the accumulation of Christmas decor and more stuff.
Maybe Charlie Brown will make more sense than ever this year.
I am also excited about the possibility of seeing blue skies again and 70 degree weather. The kids are excited that they will get a new stamp in their passports. Ian keeps telling me all the different countries he wants to go to. His latest is Denmark. I don't know why Denmark, but I had to tell him, "I don't think Denmark is in our future." I do love that the kids are starting to pick up the French language. Isabel is still pretty silent, but Ian will rattle off vocabulary that he has learned in school. His accent is so amazing that it makes me laugh. He'll say, "Why are you laughing?" And I'll say, "Because mommy will never be able to sound like that."
This season is a bit bittersweet. I love Christmas, and I love to celebrate Jesus' birth. I do miss things from home like Christmas lights and the anticipation in the air. I do recognize that some of that anticipation is materialistic in nature, so I am learning to withdrawal from it slowly. Our apartment came with a tiny 5 euro Christmas tree. It is very much the Charlie Brown tree. You can almost hear Christmas Time is Here when you look at it. We put it up with the few ornaments that we brought from home.
Bryan and I thought we'd get a new tree, a bigger tree. I said to Bryan the other day, "We should go get a tree." Ian said, "Why? We already have one." And he was right. We do have one, and it is going to be our tree this year. It took my child to speak the truth into our lives, and I thanked Ian for those words of wisdom later. When Bryan said that he was ready to go find a Christmas tree later, I told him that I thought Ian was right. We do have our tree already.
Some of this consuming stuff is ingrained in us so deep, so deep. That does not mean that we don't keep our traditions alive as traditions are important. Nevertheless, things are changing for us. We are learning to find our abundance in the life of Christ rather in the accumulation of Christmas decor and more stuff.
Maybe Charlie Brown will make more sense than ever this year.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Worthy is the Lamb
And they sang a new song, saying,
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons for every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God
and they will reign on the earth."
Revelation 5:9-10
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons for every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God
and they will reign on the earth."
Revelation 5:9-10
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving Gratitude
Thanksgiving was a glorious day! What a marvelous God we serve.
The night before, I had made the decision to go into Paris by myself, take myself to an AA meeting and spend the afternoon walking around Paris while the kids and Bryan were in school. I prayed the night before for adequate energy and for an extra special wake call from God. "Please, please, please," I pleaded, "get me up and get me out the door to do all that I need to do tomorrow." Because he is so faithful that it makes me chuckle, the kids (both of them) ran into my bedroom at 7AM and made me get out of bed. (instead of the usual me and Bryan trying to get the kids up at 7:30) Once the kids and Bryan were off to school, I did a quick workout and got ready for my outing. I was just filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude yesterday morning for all the wonderful people God has brought into my life over the last couple years.
At 11, I hopped on a commuter train to Paris and caught the metro to a lunchtime AA meeting. It was just filled with wonderful people, some with lots of wisdom and sobriety. I really saw the beauty yesterday in how the Spirit works once again as a meeting starts with a topic and the Spirit leads people to speak. It is always something you need to hear. I am astounded at this God of ours who rescues us! This God who comes to our aid and continues to love us even when we cannot fully comprehend his nature! This God who does not condemn us when we are still learning what prayer is all about! This God who allows us to put him in a box called 'cosmic universe' or say things that express our hurt done by others in the name of Jesus but still allows his Spirit to work slowly, carefully, lovingly! Sometimes he heals in incredible, wonderful immediate bondage breaking ways, but more often than not, permanent life lasting bondage breaking is a slow, sometimes very painful, process. Sometimes not. Sometimes it is: boom, boom, boom immediate! But it is the refusal to see one or the other that prevents us from seeing Christ in some really amazing relational circumstances. Sometimes our individualistic nature makes us think it is all about 'freedom as fast as possible' instead of thinking of God as a very patient, loving personal being who believes that relationship and fellowship are an integral part of this freedom.
In fact, I feel the injustice that Jesus followers do by leaving AA when they feel they have found "their healing." As if our healing is over when we get healthy! I feel the injustice in denying the work of God in twelve step meetings when Jesus is right there in our midst! How can we deny programs like AA and run and shelter ourselves in 'churches' when the thirst for the Gospel is so clearly right there! In some ways, I am preaching to myself here. I have been guilty of sheltering myself in the church in the last couple years. I have been guilty of listening to those who kindly make the suggestion that I need to move past AA, that I am no longer an 'alcoholic', that it is a label that is restricting my 'freedom'. I have to wonder if buying into that on a subconcious level in church culture, ironically, has restricted my freedom or ability to bring freedom through Jesus to others? What happens if we begin to think of freedom not only as individual paradigm but a corporate paradigm? Jesus was full of paradoxes. This seems to be one of those interesting paradoxes.
I no longer am an alcoholic (as an identity) but I am a recovering alcoholic (who can easily forget the power of God that is the center of my life) and must not forget my story. It evolves, it changes, it matures but I cannot forget where I came from and how God has redeemed it and folded it into his Grand Story. And I cannot drink again because doing so undermines the miracle that God did in my life and continues to want to do in and through me to draw others into relationship with Him and with me. It feels so nice and warm and fuzzy to safely talk about Jesus at a distance (regardless of your faith or background, you probably think he was worth emulation), go to church conferences, and reach out occasionally to those "in need." Certainly, fellowship with other Christians is imperative, and I would be absolutely nowhere without their prayers and love in the last few years. I can say without doubt now that our God operates in an incredibly personal and supernatural way. Nevertheless, when we try and separate ourselves too much from where we came from we can miss out on our central calling in life. We can miss out on the greatness of God precisely because we 'overidentify' with a 'label' instead of truly knowing and following and identifying with the One Who Redeems Us and Makes Us Whole. But you have to know Him and emulate him first: do you? Or rather, do you know that you can? Do you? Do you have any familiarity with why the Holy Spirit was sent? Do you come from a background like mine that talked much about the Father and the Son but not of the Holy Spirit? Do you fully live a life in community with the Trinity of the Godhead? Search. Ask. Pray when you are ready, and this wisdom shall be given to you. It might not come overnight, but it will come.
Wow...that was more than I planned to write about that. Sometimes it just comes, and I just keep typing. Bear with me. That was as close as I get to evangelism mode, but I am so excited about how lives can be transformed because we have a very personal relational God! He isn't some abstraction or universal force that sits out there. It literally hurts my heart that so many of us don't have the opportunity to know him and experience changes, real changes, heart changes, in our lives and to participate in the lives of other.
He misses you. He loves you. He desires to be close to you. He longs for you. He needs you. Yes, you!
Continuing on...
After the AA meeting, I strolled down the Champs Elysees and then proceeded to catch a Metro to Notre Dame. It is a magnificent, beautiful church. I have come to appreciate the art so much more now that it is part of my story or rather, that I have been folded in to God's story. I wander the church and see all the tourists taking pictures and I wonder how many of them truly see what is there. Art is spectacular for art's sake. But knowing that you are a part of the art and beauty that surrounds you; well, that is always awe inspiring for me.
In the evening, the language school had a Thanksgiving meal that was very nice. Even though we brought our own meat and had chicken, there was stuffing, mashed potatoes, yummy desserts and pumpkin pie. Someone found a couple pumpkins (oh-so-hard to find here) and made them from scratch. There were so many students there, lots of kids running around, and good conversation. It was the best Thanksgiving meal I have ever had. Funny how being nostalgic and homesick turns things like this into incredible life giving events. I am longing even more, even more, for the Great Banquet. And even though I couldn't drink all the incredible wine that was out last night, I know there is some awesome stuff waiting for me, waiting for all of us who wish to partake, right now and to come!
The night before, I had made the decision to go into Paris by myself, take myself to an AA meeting and spend the afternoon walking around Paris while the kids and Bryan were in school. I prayed the night before for adequate energy and for an extra special wake call from God. "Please, please, please," I pleaded, "get me up and get me out the door to do all that I need to do tomorrow." Because he is so faithful that it makes me chuckle, the kids (both of them) ran into my bedroom at 7AM and made me get out of bed. (instead of the usual me and Bryan trying to get the kids up at 7:30) Once the kids and Bryan were off to school, I did a quick workout and got ready for my outing. I was just filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude yesterday morning for all the wonderful people God has brought into my life over the last couple years.
At 11, I hopped on a commuter train to Paris and caught the metro to a lunchtime AA meeting. It was just filled with wonderful people, some with lots of wisdom and sobriety. I really saw the beauty yesterday in how the Spirit works once again as a meeting starts with a topic and the Spirit leads people to speak. It is always something you need to hear. I am astounded at this God of ours who rescues us! This God who comes to our aid and continues to love us even when we cannot fully comprehend his nature! This God who does not condemn us when we are still learning what prayer is all about! This God who allows us to put him in a box called 'cosmic universe' or say things that express our hurt done by others in the name of Jesus but still allows his Spirit to work slowly, carefully, lovingly! Sometimes he heals in incredible, wonderful immediate bondage breaking ways, but more often than not, permanent life lasting bondage breaking is a slow, sometimes very painful, process. Sometimes not. Sometimes it is: boom, boom, boom immediate! But it is the refusal to see one or the other that prevents us from seeing Christ in some really amazing relational circumstances. Sometimes our individualistic nature makes us think it is all about 'freedom as fast as possible' instead of thinking of God as a very patient, loving personal being who believes that relationship and fellowship are an integral part of this freedom.
In fact, I feel the injustice that Jesus followers do by leaving AA when they feel they have found "their healing." As if our healing is over when we get healthy! I feel the injustice in denying the work of God in twelve step meetings when Jesus is right there in our midst! How can we deny programs like AA and run and shelter ourselves in 'churches' when the thirst for the Gospel is so clearly right there! In some ways, I am preaching to myself here. I have been guilty of sheltering myself in the church in the last couple years. I have been guilty of listening to those who kindly make the suggestion that I need to move past AA, that I am no longer an 'alcoholic', that it is a label that is restricting my 'freedom'. I have to wonder if buying into that on a subconcious level in church culture, ironically, has restricted my freedom or ability to bring freedom through Jesus to others? What happens if we begin to think of freedom not only as individual paradigm but a corporate paradigm? Jesus was full of paradoxes. This seems to be one of those interesting paradoxes.
I no longer am an alcoholic (as an identity) but I am a recovering alcoholic (who can easily forget the power of God that is the center of my life) and must not forget my story. It evolves, it changes, it matures but I cannot forget where I came from and how God has redeemed it and folded it into his Grand Story. And I cannot drink again because doing so undermines the miracle that God did in my life and continues to want to do in and through me to draw others into relationship with Him and with me. It feels so nice and warm and fuzzy to safely talk about Jesus at a distance (regardless of your faith or background, you probably think he was worth emulation), go to church conferences, and reach out occasionally to those "in need." Certainly, fellowship with other Christians is imperative, and I would be absolutely nowhere without their prayers and love in the last few years. I can say without doubt now that our God operates in an incredibly personal and supernatural way. Nevertheless, when we try and separate ourselves too much from where we came from we can miss out on our central calling in life. We can miss out on the greatness of God precisely because we 'overidentify' with a 'label' instead of truly knowing and following and identifying with the One Who Redeems Us and Makes Us Whole. But you have to know Him and emulate him first: do you? Or rather, do you know that you can? Do you? Do you have any familiarity with why the Holy Spirit was sent? Do you come from a background like mine that talked much about the Father and the Son but not of the Holy Spirit? Do you fully live a life in community with the Trinity of the Godhead? Search. Ask. Pray when you are ready, and this wisdom shall be given to you. It might not come overnight, but it will come.
Wow...that was more than I planned to write about that. Sometimes it just comes, and I just keep typing. Bear with me. That was as close as I get to evangelism mode, but I am so excited about how lives can be transformed because we have a very personal relational God! He isn't some abstraction or universal force that sits out there. It literally hurts my heart that so many of us don't have the opportunity to know him and experience changes, real changes, heart changes, in our lives and to participate in the lives of other.
He misses you. He loves you. He desires to be close to you. He longs for you. He needs you. Yes, you!
Continuing on...
After the AA meeting, I strolled down the Champs Elysees and then proceeded to catch a Metro to Notre Dame. It is a magnificent, beautiful church. I have come to appreciate the art so much more now that it is part of my story or rather, that I have been folded in to God's story. I wander the church and see all the tourists taking pictures and I wonder how many of them truly see what is there. Art is spectacular for art's sake. But knowing that you are a part of the art and beauty that surrounds you; well, that is always awe inspiring for me.
In the evening, the language school had a Thanksgiving meal that was very nice. Even though we brought our own meat and had chicken, there was stuffing, mashed potatoes, yummy desserts and pumpkin pie. Someone found a couple pumpkins (oh-so-hard to find here) and made them from scratch. There were so many students there, lots of kids running around, and good conversation. It was the best Thanksgiving meal I have ever had. Funny how being nostalgic and homesick turns things like this into incredible life giving events. I am longing even more, even more, for the Great Banquet. And even though I couldn't drink all the incredible wine that was out last night, I know there is some awesome stuff waiting for me, waiting for all of us who wish to partake, right now and to come!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Making a Joyful Noise
The other day I saw a woman interviewed on France 24 (a cable news network) that must have recently published a book on cooking. She said, holding up a wisk and an apron, "Every French woman owns these and knows how to use them." I questioned myself, "I think I know how to use a wisk...don't I? Unless there is some hidden French secret?" (and there probably is) I said aloud to Bryan, "Well, I am not officially French yet because I don't have the apron." Upon which Isabel asked, "What is an apron?" I have a long way to go.
Life is moving along. We received our first formal noise complaint last week. One of the men upstairs complained to the language school (which owns our apartment) that the kids were being too noisy. It drives Bryan bonkers that the neighbors are offended by it, and it makes living here uncomfortable as it feels like we're walking on eggshells all the time. We already felt like we were severely limiting them in what they could and could not do.
It kind of creates a feeling of helplessness as you want to be respectful of your neighbors, but at what point do you throw your hands up in the air and say, "I don't know what more I can do?" Bryan has a tendency to panic and say, "We're going to get kicked out, we're going to get kicked out," but we really can only do so much to keep our kids from being, well, kids. I know that this is, anthropologically speaking, an American statement as the French kids can go hours without making a peep, but I guess I fundamentally believe in allowing a certain level of behavioral freedom in children. I read in a book that from a purely cultural anthropological perspective the French believe in "society first, children second" while Americans believe in "children first, society second." I can see where both can go wrong. It makes you stop and think about perspective.
Last night we played Singstar Pop. If you are ever in a bad mood, get out a singing game and play it with your children. You cannot help but laugh. I watched Ian sing, dance and try to follow the words of the songs in karoke like fashion. We were singing and laughing and making (Bryan approved) noise. The neighbors are going to think we are not only noisy, but crazy. Maybe that will work to our advantage somehow.
Life is moving along. We received our first formal noise complaint last week. One of the men upstairs complained to the language school (which owns our apartment) that the kids were being too noisy. It drives Bryan bonkers that the neighbors are offended by it, and it makes living here uncomfortable as it feels like we're walking on eggshells all the time. We already felt like we were severely limiting them in what they could and could not do.
It kind of creates a feeling of helplessness as you want to be respectful of your neighbors, but at what point do you throw your hands up in the air and say, "I don't know what more I can do?" Bryan has a tendency to panic and say, "We're going to get kicked out, we're going to get kicked out," but we really can only do so much to keep our kids from being, well, kids. I know that this is, anthropologically speaking, an American statement as the French kids can go hours without making a peep, but I guess I fundamentally believe in allowing a certain level of behavioral freedom in children. I read in a book that from a purely cultural anthropological perspective the French believe in "society first, children second" while Americans believe in "children first, society second." I can see where both can go wrong. It makes you stop and think about perspective.
Last night we played Singstar Pop. If you are ever in a bad mood, get out a singing game and play it with your children. You cannot help but laugh. I watched Ian sing, dance and try to follow the words of the songs in karoke like fashion. We were singing and laughing and making (Bryan approved) noise. The neighbors are going to think we are not only noisy, but crazy. Maybe that will work to our advantage somehow.
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