In February, 1988, the Lord (you know...Jesus?) placed a burden in me, with regard to our young people, now known as Generation X.
What I saw, at that time, was a generation being raised with a lack of spiritual guidance and inappropriate behavior met with little to no consequence. I see it even more so, TODAY, and if you're not blind or just oblivious to your surroundings.....YOU see it too!
I must say, We WILL GO TO CHURCH, and attend....RELIGIOUSLY. Our children are there too; most of them, but somehow, somewhere the application of the GOSPEL has gotten lost. There's been a disconnect from the pulpit, to the pew, to the parlor of homes across this nation.
Over the years, great Men of God have risen and birthed great ministries. Many have wonderful Youth Outreach programs; but those outlets should be viewed as reinforcement in building esteem, well being and a moral compass in today's children, and NOT as the primary source.
School, church & other community activities attempt to serve as a bridge to the ESSENTIAL missing ingredient from a vast majority of homes occupied by our youth. Most folk tend to forget that the church and the schools are NOT the training ground for our Children – training STILL begins at home.
I wrote the article "When Did We Lose Control"© in 1988, at a time when I was contemplating starting a family. (contemplating starting a family....does anybody say that anymore?) I believe the article is more relevant now, than it was 22 years ago, because the very CHILDREN I was concerned about at that time, are now GROWN & SEXY and have children of their own, and in far too many cases, the cycle of dysfunction has only increased to a greater degree.
Children have SO MANY distractions! Cell phones, video games, Fly Clothes and shoes, Booty shakin', hootchie videos, the one eyed demon of TELEVISION that has systematically lowered its’ standards over time—and aah yes..... the Internet.
Most of these "conveniences" were not around in 1988, at least not to the magnitude they are today, and we have "convenienced" ourselves into a lackadaisical, hands-off approach to raising Children. Many parents, have let the enemy slowly manipulate his way inside our homes, and into the hearts and minds of our children. Purposefully? No, I'm sure it wasn't intentional, yet that presence is resident just the same.
I could quote scripture on “lack of knowledge” and “satan’s devices”, but those of us who know, and rehearse them with our lips are just as affected. Oh, the devil is slick....but he's STILL a LIE!
Every negative statistic surrounding our Children has QUADRUPLED in percentages since 1988. Teen pregnancy, child abuse, drop outs, HIV-AIDS, suicide, child abduction, sexual molestation, drug and alcohol abuse, criminal activity, MURDER! With ALL of that, we find time to debate which denomination is REALLY SAVED and God's Chosen, and have silly disagreements about what color to where on Women's day! SMH
Children are LEAVING HERE SWIFTLY... Here today...gone tomorrow, and it's NOT A JOKE and there is a REASON behind it!
With ALL these alarming statistics bustin' down our front door, Parents STILL have the tendency to want to appease their children, to not offend or upset them. Sending them "friend requests" instead of operating within their Parental Authority.
The long term effects of this permissive parenting style IN AND OUT of the church, is devastating UNSUSPECTING individuals, who commit to long term relationships, only to learn they ARE NOT on the same page. This has GOT to stop!
The night before Father's Day, I penned a note entitled "Mothers, It's Fathers Day....Let's be Clear" because I was SHOCKED and OUTRAGED by all the shout out statuses I saw and was saddened, but not surprised that some church leaders were participating in the practice, and even HONORING Mothers
on Fathers Day!
On Monday, July 5 on my Blog Talk Radio Show "SuccessSycles" http://blogtalkradio.com/connect2success, I, along with my guests Clinical Psychologist ReNina Minter and her Sister Delayna of Sisters Seeking Solutions, and Radio Personality Tazz of the Tazz Daddy show discussed "Single Moms; Dual Roles?" a spin-off from the controversy of Father's Day, and when you get a moment you may want to take a listen.
22 years ago, the article "When Did We Lose Control" © birthed the Quite AParent Organization.
It too was met, unfortunately with MUCH CONTROVERSY, especially from those in the "religious" demographic of our society. I was a young Christian, I'd only been saved a couple of years, and didn't understand and know, what I understand and know today.
I will post that article in a 3 part series. Once you read it in it's' entirety, you may or may not understand WHY I feel as strongly about my assignment as I do. As a Parent, you should be JUST as concerned....Single or Otherwise.
I'm still working on the edits for Pts 2 and 3,..... but Pt I. of When Did We Lose Control 2010 - The REMIX will be posted tomorrow!
praiZe
