Surely you knew I was going there.

SURELY you did.
Let me give you a disclaimer up front.


This post is not fun to read. It's not filled with humor, cuteness from Abi, etc. I have never been more serious in my life.


I'm sure you've seen or heard of this video by now. If you haven't, let me explain before you watch. These are SEVEN YEAR OLD girls, at a World of Dance competition in California. If you haven't seen it, prepare to have your heart ripped out of your chest. If you HAVE seen it, please watch it again.


WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM, FOLKS!
So, all the people who have thought I was off the deep end about my stand against premature exposure to media and entertainment, HERE'S EXHIBIT A!!!!


The definition of pornography is "the depiction of acts in a sensational manner so as to arouse a quick intense emotional reaction." Well, hmmm... seems like the video above exemplifies this definition, dontcha think?
I am on FIRE about this, peeps.


My heart is broken.


Those little girls that are just performing a dance routine they learned have no idea that their parents have sacrificed them on the altar of culture. It literally makes me want to throw up.


There's MANY things I don't know in this life. I have no idea which Transformer toy to buy for boys' birthday parties. I know nothing about nuclear fusion, how to change a tire, or how the heck a Target bag gets recycled into a coffee cup.
But I know girls.


Let me tell you this. Seven year old girls don't naturally gravitate toward lingerie and pole dancing. They pretend they are mommies, teachers, and nurses. They like Barbies, swings, tea parties, coloring, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They cry alot, they laugh alot, and they play alot. They skip, they run, they dress up, but they DO NOT KNOW HOW TO THRUST THEIR HIPS AND SHAKE THEIR CHESTS!


As many of you know, we just finished up a series on family relationships at church. One week, my parents (the pastors) were talking about the lack of real love in the majority of parenting today... how girls are crying out for love and will find it one way or another. They reported to us about a EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL who was having sex with an adult male because she "wasn't getting love from home, so had to look elsewhere." EIGHT. YEARS. OLD. Not long ago, right here in our small town, an 11 year old gave birth. Not too many years ago in Atlanta, a 10 year old did the same. None of them were raped.


When are we doing to wake up and take this seriously? When are we going to stop letting our kids live beyond their years? When will we have enough of sexual overload in our media and entertainment choices? I have news for you, moms and dads... it's not going to get cleaner. We're WAY more concerned about cleaning up the earth than cleaning up our entertainment. And since the world around us is not making any effort to protect our kids' eyes and hearts, it's our job to do it within our own homes.


In our home, we have made the decision that Abi won't be allowed to wear a bikini. Now, I'm not hopping down this trail to preach at you about swimsuits. Those are your choices in YOUR home. But in our home, our thoughts are that we don't want her to wear basically a bra and underwear in front of others... that she will be saving those types of things for her husband only.


"But Jill, everyone else wears them! It's not a big deal!" It is to me.



See, I have other moms' sons in mind. I want to protect their eyes and their hearts. I have Abi in mind... to protect her for obvious reasons. And I have Abi's husband in mind. I'd like to think that as best we could, we protected what will eventually be his from other men's viewing enjoyment. (I know boys will be boys regardless, but I want to do all I can to lessen their ability to take advantage of her and to be taken advantage BY her on my shift!)


All I'm asking is that you evaluate your own home and see where you can tighten up. Weed through your TV shows. Filter through the questionable friends. Put your foot DOWN about activities that may be condoned by the world (like the dance group), but are clearly not condoned by God.


We aren't called to live underground or in a bubble. After all, we are His representatives in the earth, so we must have relationships with those we are representing Him to. However, we can't have a foot in both worlds. Our place has to be clear, our stand must be certain.


Make your own choice... but as for me and MY house, we will serve the Lord.