I had never seen her face before. I did not recognize her name on the news.
And yet, this singer was an inspiration to many…
because she was transparent about her life, and her 3 failed marriages.
And now she’s gone.
She is in an eternity without hope.
Is this what has become of our society?
I know that it is. But it is just so sad and disheartening.
I was very sheltered as a child. Even my husband attempts to protect me from the horrendous. And I appreciate both. Parents and husbands are there for the protection of their families.
In turn, I shelter my own children. Some may even say I smother their awareness of life in the world. But I will not apologize for that.
In studying life and health and having a strong immune system, I have found that the best way to strengthen a life is to limit it’s exposure to germs-
limit, but not exclude.
You see, in order for our bodies to build an immune system and thus be able to fight illness, they must be exposed to illness-on a small scale.
If I were to protect my infant from all exposure to all germs {somehow!} for the first months to a year of his life, the first stray cold germ that came around would sent him the hospital because his body would have no defenses against it.
But I cannot parade a newborn through a quarantine tent and expect us to all be unscathed.
And there are some diseases that children can fend off easier than adults… but mostly- mature, healthy bodies stand a better chance of surviving an onslaught of illness.
The same is true of the spiritual and emotional life.
I must shelter.
But we also dance that fine line between too much and too little. And God’s Word, His Spirit’s leading, listening to my preacher all work together to help us in our endeavor.
I am not sure exactly from where all this came, or how my thought process brought me from this dead singer to my children being sheltered; but it did.
I have been criticized from both sides… I do not shelter enough… I shelter too much….
But I tend to believe that if God puts His peace in the heart of my husband and myself, then we are doing what He wants, and that is all that matters.
God is so very gracious to children and women in providing this safekeeping, though I realize that because of sin many do not have the option of accepting it; but still, so many brush it aside to their own detriment.
And for the record: there are a multitude of times I have been abundantly appreciative for the shelter of my parents and the protection of my husband. And I wish my voice reached more people and mattered and could make a difference to others.
brunette thoughts 