This week, my husband bought yet another garden hose. Apparently, two of our current hoses are leaking, potentially leading to a sinkhole in our middle yard. At least, this is how the matter was explained to me. So on Friday, we can expect delivery of what will be the 557th garden hose purchased this season alone.
And it’s not just hoses gracing our doorstep in the form of quaint little Amazon boxes. We’re fielding the receipt of garden tools, greenhouse materials, specialized tree care apparatuses, plus a smattering of odd pieces and parts to keep all of these items ship-shape.
Am I concerned? Heck, no. I see the bigger picture. My husband has shorn down his local studio work hours in order to enjoy a summer at home with family. He aims to be more present and available; to make the most of this fleeting warmth we Montanans get to enjoy for mere weeks.
To perform at his best as a husband, father, and friend, he needs a task to keep his hands and mind focused. A purpose toward which to throw himself so he can feel fully useful, invigorated, and challenged. With that in mind, it’s easy to support and uphold his mission.
Keeping this big picture in mind also makes it easier to determine where not to push for growth and development this season. Most other pursuits and projects are on the back burner for now, and that’s as it should be. We’re establishing a thriving dreamscape of edible flora.
Knowing our intended outcome makes every decision simpler.
Hold onto that choice morsel, because we’re headed somewhere crucial…
When I had kids, I realized decisions would have to be made. Some of them were easier (sleep schedules, food choices), others were more difficult (vaccines, preschools). But the overarching goal always remained the same: keep this sentient being alive. That premise guided every choice I faced.
As my littles grew into mediums, survival became a less present battle. They could walk, dress, and feed themselves. Slowly but surely, the central focus shifted from “how do I keep them breathing?” to “how do I keep them from killing each other?” Conversations abounded regarding managing our emotions and communicating respectfully.
Somewhere along the way, I began to see glimpses of the mighty man and wonder woman hidden beneath the veneer of goofy hair, sprawling limbs, and awkward braces. Suddenly, my days with them feel rather short. But there remains so much to impart!
Because now, I can see all the more clearly a Big Picture mission set before me from the day I first brought them home: to train up my children in the way they should go.1 There is a ripe harvest waiting just outside these doors, and our task — should we choose to accept it — is to prepare and send out workers willing to get their hands dirty.2
What will they find?
An outright assault on all things TRUE.
They will be enthusiastically encouraged, even pressured, to uphold their every pressing desire as “truth.” They will be immersed in film and media that push powerful agendas opposing truths we see in the gospel. They will see truth itself labeled as passe.
Meanwhile, social media will slowly erode their sense of self-worth and ability to deeply connect with other humans. And on the horizon, they (and we) face an even greater challenge in the rise of “intelligent” AI. It is already pulling sensitive souls into an orbit of gross self-service and manipulation leading to suicides, ChatGPT-sanctioned divorces, and cultic practices.
So how do we prepare them?
Now more than ever, we need to model strong discernment for our children.
Chief among the many tools they will need to survive and thrive in this modern era is the ability to determine not just right from wrong, but right from almost right. Thank God we are not left to decipher these things on our own. We are given a powerful guide in the Holy Spirit, who through His word, helps us to navigate life’s ever-expanding gray areas with peace and confidence.
Still, training our kids in discernment will require practice. This Spirit-powered skill is “trained by constant practice” through the persistent intake and digestion of Biblical truth; through the determined application of this truth to the situations and choices we face; through the practice of petitioning the Holy Spirit for the wisdom and insight He tells us are already ours for the asking.3
(Okay, whew. Let’s bring it all together.)
If we want to raise up a generation of faithful Jesus freaks (I say that with love), they’re going to need DISCERNMENT. This will require us, the parents, to routinely pray for and practice discernment. It will also mean that we need to give our kids something bigger to live for than just cars, money, fancy houses, and influence.
It’s time for those of us who are slower on the uptake (talking to myself here) or simply haven’t thought it over to recognize (or finally take hold of) OUR influence over OUR own kids. It’s time to make our faith our own, take back the time being stolen by social media or television or fill-in-the-blank and wield it with purpose.
Our kids need a faith they can take hold of. They need to see the part they play in a larger Story of redemption that is not just fables or felt board fairy tales. Instead of social justice protests, online influence, or empty fame, they need to recognize a battle truly worth fighting — one that is already raging all around them with an enemy who is targeting them whether they acknowledge it or not.
We have a greater mission than self-sustaining backyard gardens or producing kids who graduate from Harvard and earn six figures.
If WE live like it, they will, too.
In the coming weeks, I’ll share more about some helpful ways that I (and other trusted mom friends) strive to impart to our kids discernment grounded in Biblical truth. Honestly, more than math, science, coding, or basic communication skills, I can’t think of a more crucial weapon against the overwhelming challenges they face.
Onward to victory!
the dirty laundry show 
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