12 Examples of Modern Day Idolatry

Exodus 20:5, "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me."

I've been thinking a lot about idolatry in our society today. Even though in Acts 15 we are clearly instructed that we are not to commit idolatry we still do. It happens so often that unless we open our eyes and LOOK for it, it seems to pass us by unnoticed. Here are some examples I've been thinking of...

1. Waldorf Education and Graven Images

When studying the Norse myths, the Greek myths, or cultures like Egypt we often have children draw pictures of these stories and their gods. As an alternative you can read the myths and discuss their context culturally and historically but have your children draw pictures of the people from the culture, the architecture, the animals or the landscape instead of the gods.

2. TV and Media

Shows like American Idol are clearly idolatry but watch out for other pop culture icons like Hannah Montana or Justin Bieber. If it's a real person or character played by a human and they are on your children's PJs, or bedding, the "like" of this character may be staying dangerously close to idolatry.

3. Comics and Toys

Comic characters such as Thor are based on pagan gods but others are more subtle. Figures that appear as "all powerful" that insight worship-like attitudes in your child (where they MUST own every thing related to it, they must collect it or they must own "all" of it) I think are best avoided. People have hurt each other in stores over things like Dancing Elmo dolls and Furbies. This is subtle and dangerous idolatry. We should discuss this with our children.

4. Heroes

I caught myself just the other day saying "So-in-so is my idol." Nope, not cool. Gotta knock that off.

5. Statues, Posters and pictures

When we decorate our house what are we decorating it with? It's fine to like movies, stories, characters and art but if they are filling the imagery in your home instead of the imagery of home, family and God then you may be putting your emphasis on the wrong things. Be careful when buying statues for decorating places like gardens. Some examples are Aphrodite, Buddha, Cupid, etc.

6. New Age and Native America Idols

Yoga has some stances which relate to the Sun God, some Tarot cards feature pagan gods as do some necklaces and art on book covers. Native American gods have been reprinted in art, books and logos. While a picture of a buffalo isn't a problem if that buffalo was created, labeled or intended to be the Lakota god Tatanka then it's an idol. Also some people may choose to avoid ceremonial items such as dream catchers or engraved stones.

7. Company Logos

The Starbucks logo is the Goddess Astarte. The Chicago Bulls logo is a red bull (quite Satanic), same with the drink Red Bull. Many liquors feature Roman or Greek gods.

8. Language

"Holy Cow!"

"Great Zeus!"

"By Neptune's beard!"

...and the like. Also our calendar and days of the week is based on Roman gods. When convenient you may wish to use a Jewish calendar.

9. Literature

The Percy Jackson series revolves around the idea that the Greek gods are real and other fictional stories, particularly in the sci fi fantasy genre utilize other gods in their plots.

10. Boy Scouts

Oddly yes, some Boy Scout camps and mascots are named after mythical gods and some badges require the making if things like totem poles.

11. Statue of Liberty, Scales of Justice and other American Symbols

The Statue of Liberty and the Scales of Justice are pagan gods. There are also pagan gods featured on monuments such as Thomas Paine's grave, the Statue of freedom atop the Capital building, the statue of the god Mars in the entrance to the capital building, and the Spirit of Justice in the Great Hall of Justice.

12. Sports

The XFL team the San Francisco demons.
XFL Las Vegas Outlaws is a bull skull with red eyes.
The Rugby team the Melbourne Storm depicts a god-like figure throwing thunder bolts form a cloud. The NCAA Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils logo is a devil.
The NBA Golden State Warriors features a guy wielding power over a thunderbolt.
NCAA Arizona State Sun Devils.
The Utah State Aggies is a bull with a human like body.
NCAA Duke Blue Devils.

Even when sports team logos aren't specifically other gods or devils any logo can be used in a fanatical and idolatrous fashion so caution is needed.



Things I personally don't consider idolatry

Symbols Loosely Associated with Paganism

While the depiction of another god is quite clearly problematic often the symbols are not. Many cultures borrowed symbols from each other and many symbols have modern implications that didn't exist 100 years ago due to movies, books and media. Suns, stars, pentacles, pentagrams, sunstones, spirals, chevrons, fairies, gnomes, trolls, dragons, etc unless depicted specifically as a god are really not a problem in my view and many of these symbols have deep roots in Christo/Judaism.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter does depict witchcraft however no other gods are mentioned and they celebrate Christmas so I think clearly it's not idolatrous.

Learning from the Amish

 

About an hour long this is The Secret Life of the Amish and it gives an intimate look into the life of an Amish family who consented to be filmed.

What I learned or remembered....

- Tell your children "God Bless you"
- Honor your husband
- Smile while working hard
- Be self sufficient as much as possible
- If you take time with you children today they will have time to meet your needs in the future
- Life isn't about rules, it's about Christ
- Play with your children
- Sing your children to sleep
- Keep a clean home and enjoy your work

 

 The World's Squarest Teenagers. Several hours long this follows five Amish teenagers touring through England and spending time with "normal" teenagers. I learned soooo much from this one I don't think I could list it all but here are some highlights...

- Education is about teaching the heart of your child to value real things, not whether or not they know the names of celebrities.
- We must teach our children to be apologists for Christ not just shelter them
- Look to the Bible for all things and when in doubt call your mom
- Raise kids who work in a barn and they'll prefer it to video games
- Work, work, work with your children, outside preferably
- When you dress immodestly and cause a man to lust after you in his heart you are part of that adultery that is committed through thought
- You cannot help it if a bird lands on your head (a bad thought) but you can keep it from making a nest (harboring bad thoughts).
- Siblings should stick together and watch out for each other
- Drunk people really do look ridiculous
- Rock  music when played next to plants will kill them, what must it be doing to your body?
- If someone asks you what your favorite part of the Bible is, have a lengthy answer from your intimate knowledge of it and time spent with the scriptures
- Encourage your friends toward righteousness
- Avoid conflict and arguments at all cost but spread the gospel whenever you can

Watch these. Be inspired. Then get up clean and work hard :)

Spending More Time With My Children

I'm a stay-at-home mom. I also home school, so to say I spend a lot of time with  my children is an understatement LOL

But I still love to find ways to spend more time with them. Recently I looked at my life and decided bedtime needed to be longer. Our normal bedtime routine is PJs, brush teeth, stories and prayers but I decided to add about a half hour of singing songs to that. This means I have less "me" time as it cuts a half hour off my time I have to goof off after they have been put to bed but the memories we are making, the trust and relationship we are building is worth far more to me.

I shouldn't be in a rush to get them in bed. I should be enjoying my time nurturing them. These are moments we can't get back.

A Productive Child is a Happy Child

  Children need productive, hard and valuable work to do. In our current society most children spend the ages of two to eighteen just sitting around and killing time waiting to be adults. For most of them when they do hit eighteen they take off like a rocket for good and sometimes for bad trying desperately to fill this aching void inside themselves. Autism doesn't exist in the Amish community and some say it's diet, some say it's a lack of vaccines, and I'm sure those play a role but I think a lot of it is lifestyle. What our society calls mild autism, or sensory issues might just be children not living a valued life full of meaning and close to nature or the symptoms of mild autism might disappear or become lessened when one feels like they are an important member of their community.  As our modern society progresses children are not treated or seen as valuable, productive members of their community and hence they act like it. They are restless, they are bored, they are numb. We have life so easy now it seems like there is little we can find for a child to do to keep them busy and productive.  We might have them make their bed or empty the dishwasher but these things are small time and petty and the child feels that. We aren't relying on them, they aren't needed. We must convince children they are needed in order for their self worth to flourish.  Invest in it a bit. Get them work aprons, work gloves, work shoes if you can. So here are some idea for children to help out around the house.  

Boys

 

Sweeping (rooms, baseboards, porches, garages, etc)

Shoveling (snow, dirt, digging holes, etc)

Feeding animals and/or making food for animals

Move furniture for mom to clean under

Weed

Mow the lawn

Trim the hedges

Haul the garbage

Clean outside cans, tools, pots, storage areas, etc

Polish and sort tools

Simple repairs

Wash the car, vacuum it out, change the oil, check the tires

Build, mend and paint fences and gates

Fertilize and water lawns and plants

Chop wood

Break rocks either to get out of the ground or for landscaping

Polish furniture

Build small useful items like stools, benches, clothes lines, etc.

Mix soil, transplant plants, dig garden beds, lay sod, etc

Wash and wipe down appliances like the fridge, washer and dryer, etc.

Managing finances, anything from a  grocery trip to balancing the check book and paying the bills

Managing, rotating and storing dry goods in your food storage

Polishing shoes

Building and tending a fire

Trimming trees

Whittling useful objects like baby spoons, buttons, toys, etc.

 

 

Girls

 

Planning and preparing family meals

Organizing shopping lists

Baking

Mending and making family clothes

Tending to smaller children

Washing floors, walls and windows

Doing dishes

Organizing cupboards

Laundry, folding, ironing, etc

Clearing the table after a meal

Washing counter tops

Organizing service projects

Reading to younger children

Making the beds, washing and replacing the linens

Hanging the clothes on a line

Feeding and grooming the animals

Vacuuming, sweeping and shampooing floors

Cleaning furniture

Cleaning toilets, bathtubs, fixtures, sinks, etc

Gardening

Helping little ones get dressed, bathed, etc.

Polishing silverware

Dusting

Knitting useful items like potholders, scarves, blankets, etc

Decorating the home to help it look pleasant

Picking out Daddy's clothes for him to wear

Washing table tops, chairs, high chairs, etc.

Cutting up old clothes for rags

Cleaning out cupboards

Beating out rugs

Sewing pillows

Choosing nice music to play in the home

Hosting a friend or family member for tea or dinner

Helping with visit teaching

Service projects

Cleaning the stove and oven

Making dentist and doctors appointments for family members

Organizing photos, scrap books and family history

 

And my favorite chore for either gender, butter churning! You don't need a churn either. Buy a mason jar, fill it with heavy whipping cream and you're ready to shake your way to butter! Burns energy and kids LOOOOOVE making their own butter. It's often cheaper too and fresh butter is heavenly!

 



Daily and weekly rhythm is the key to kids who do their chores willingly.

If your children are young (under 10) you are most likely going to have to do these chores with them in order to get them to do them and do them correctly. Don't shy away from hard work! Your house will be cleaner and more organized and you and your children will save money, sleep better and fight less and most important your children will know they are vital to the function of your family! :)

New Town, New Meal Plan

So I've been working on getting together an easy meal plan for our new Southern Utah home. With different prices, different stores, etc. I  am still figuring out what is available here and for the best price.

I also need to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. I have waaay too much to do so crock pot cooking is a must!

Everything is real food and is gluten free, soy free, sugar free, dairy free, carrageenan free and except for the chicken soup it's also vegetarian. This menu plan costs me about $100-150 a week for my family of 6. Tip: Buy in bulk (Azure or Costco) and shop stores that put older produce on a sale rack and day old bread on sale too.

Monday

B - Ogre porridge
L - Every lunch is the same, all week. Left overs from the night before served with a side salad. I also have the makings for PB and J on hand for when we have to run an errand or have a field trip during lunch time.
D - Chicken soup, slice of toast
S - Cauliflower "popcorn"
Ds - Warm cup of Pero with raw honey

Tuesday

B - Oatmeal for the kiddos, Nutmeal for mom
L - Left overs and salad
D - Pinto beans, salsa, sprinkled with lemon juice served with organic corn chips
S - Apples and peanut butter
Ds - Fried, mashed bananas with maple syrup

Wednesday

B - Southwest scramble (eggs, beans, salsa)
L - Left overs and salad
D - Chickpea, lentil, and veggie stew spiced with tumeric
S - Carrot sticks
Ds - Warm cup of Pero with raw honey

Thursday

B - Ogre porridge
L - Left overs and salad
D - Rice noodle lasagna layered with grated squash, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, tomato sauce, and nut meal left over from making almond milk topped with nutritional yeast
S - Celery and peanut butter
Ds - Chocolate almond milk (sweetened with maple syrup)

Friday

B - Cabbage and potato hash browns
L - Left overs and salad
D - Free night (serve left overs or switch out for a meal found on sale or a meal otherwise skipped this week)
S - Apples and peanut butter
Ds - Pecans with almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt (tastes like pecan pie)

Saturday

B - Peanut butter pancakes
L - Left overs and salad
D - Split pea soup
S - Oranges
Ds - Warm cup of Pero and maple syrup

Sunday

B - Oatmeal for the kiddos, Nutmeal for mom
L - Left overs and salad
D -  Baked beans (coconut oil, pinto beans, ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper) over rice
S - Organic corn chips
Ds - Chocolate almond milk

**Note: All my dinners are served with a side of home made sauerkraut for vital probiotics.

Shopping List

Organic, Short grain, Brown Rice
Grass fed Butter or butter alternative
Kale
Lemon juice
Maple Syrup
Almonds
Sea or Himalayan Salt
Gluten free bread
Peanut butter
All fruit Jam
Free range Chicken with bone
Cauliflower
Pero
Raw Honey
Oatmeal
Organic Raisins
Salad greens
Dressing
Bananas
Organic Apples
Pinto beans
Salsa (preservative free, not canned)
Organic corn chips
Free range Eggs
Chickpeas
Lentils
turmeric
Carrots
Rice noodles
Squash (summer or winter)
Cabbage
Organic Potatoes
Organic Tomato sauce (jarred not canned)
nutritional yeast
Organic Celery
Fair trade Chocolate powder
Coconut or olive Oil
Pecans
Vanilla extract
Split peas
Oranges
All natural Ketchup
Pepper
Mustard
Onion
Garlic
Organic Red Peppers
All natural Bullion cubes

What Preschool Should Really Look Like

We are a culture OBESSED with more, bigger, better faster. So obsessed that we forget how to live and how to blossom. One of the sad aspects of our modern lives is how we thrust our goals, our ambitions on our children before they are ready and thus we quite literally rob them of not only their childhood but also their most crucial, natural, mental development.

We see the commercials about teaching your baby to read and more often we compare our children to those of our neighbors, friends and family. We wonder why our three year old isn't talking at the same level, why our four year old can't spell their name like little Johnny can. We contrast and we judge our children and other children by adult standards of "excellence." Probably more disturbing is that we fear other adults are judging our children and in the case of insensitive friends or family, sometimes they really are.

This can be a special issue for stay at home mothers. Often we allow our children a more natural development. Without preschool attendance they aren't drilled every day into memorizing their ABCs at the age of two. We don't force crayons into their small fingers and make them write their names over and over again. Our children sometimes seem "behind" their preschooling peers but nothing could be further from the truth!

When you see a two year old singing their ABCs, or a three year old writing their name or any other sign of "academic" progress remember this one thing....

That child has not LEARNED anything, they are COPYING something.

We have to get this straight right away. Children under the age of 6 mimic. That's all they can do. They do not have the mental development to strictly "learn" and then apply that learning the way adults or even older children do. They are born with an instinct to copy and whether they are copying their mom, dad, brother, TV or a teacher, before the age of six, they are only COPYING.

 I remember the first time I "came out" as having a five year old who didn't know his ABCs. Intellectually speaking I knew he couldn't really learn symbolic language and processes it yet, his mind was too young. I wanted him to actually learn his ABCs thus improving his cognitive skills, not simply copy his ABCs but I fell pray to social norms that would have said my child was "behind" so I down played it.

One day I thought, to heck with this nonsense, my child is developing appropriately and I am going to be proud! I'm proud that I waited to teach my children until they were mentally ready to really learn and absorb a topic rather then teach them to parrot and mimic like a monkey.

By allowing the academics to wait I allowed more important lessons to be taught. Lessons that can only be taught as a child takes his natural place along side his or her mother in her daily activities within the home and family.

What lessons were my children learning between the ages of two and six?

Cooperation Within a Family Unit

They were learning how to get along with siblings both older and younger. How to take care of younger children and babies as well as how to respect their older siblings and take direction from authority.

Kindness

By my side they helped others both within our family and in our community. They learned the value and importance of giving and serving others the way the Savior would. They developed a heart of compassion and kindness for others.

Strength of Character

They learned who they really were in the absence of peer pressure. They were allowed to follow their strengths and develop their weakness in a supportive environment. Free from the burdens of bullies and trends they reached the age of six with confidence and a sense of self love and appropriate pride.

Polite and Confident Interactions With Others

Instead of sitting in a classroom hearing stories about going to the post office, going fishing, celebrating cultural events, etc. my children were actually out with me doing those things! They learned how to buy a stamp, how to post a letter, how to fish, how to plan and help with events, how to speak to others, etc. in a real world setting.

Responsibility

At the age of two my children are given chores. They learn along side their siblings how to cook, clean, take care of animals, garden, etc. As I type this blog post my ten-year-old and three-year-old are putting clean sheets on the beds and my six-year-old is putting the wash into the dryer.

Managing Stress and Difficult Situations

Under loving family guidance all day my young children learn early how to manage tough times, work out strife and settle arguments.

Listening to the Guidance of the Holy Spirit

One of the most important things I can teach my children is to listen to that still small voice inside of them that will guide them well their whole life. That listening skill starts early and grows strong in a loving family relationship.


So then I pose this question, what is more important? What skill set will serve my children better in the real world and at their future profession? Is it the skill set that allows them to learn cooperation, kindness, character, politeness, confidence, cleanliness, responsibility, stress and conflict management, and listening to the Holy Spirit? Or is it the skill set that teaches them to mimic adult standards of academic success when their brains are too young for it?

Still some moms may be at a loss to know what to "do" with their preschooler at home and want to feel like the activities they are planning are going to nurture the child authentically. So here is a list of ideas....

Cooking
Singing
Visiting friends and family
Dishes
Bathing
Dusting
Sweeping
Polishing
Organizing
Washing windows
Laundry
Pretend Ironing
Tending to baby dolls
Building (blocks, sticks, trains, roads, etc)
Sorting
Yard work
Story telling
Playing in water
Nature walks
Prayer time
Parties / Birthdays
Church or Worship Services
Making and giving gifts
Dramatic play
Painting
Coloring
Reciting poems
Puppets
Games
Decorating
But most important just plain old fashion PLAYING!

5 Inside Summer Boredom Busters

 

Some things our family has been doing...

1. Table Top Air Hockey

On a flat, smooth surface such as a table or wood floor, create an 'air hockey' game using a bottle cap as a puck and cups to push the cap back and forth.

2. Big Chess

Save old cardboard rolls from toilet paper or paper towels. Draw chess pieces in them. Create a chess board outside with chalk or use the tiles in a kitchen or bathroom. Also works for checkers so long as you have two different objects to use for each team. Try nature things for checkers too such as stones, river rocks, or pinecones.

3. Big Tic-Tac-Toe

Using painters tape create a tic-tac-toe board on the floor or table. Use bottle caps, old cans, paper plates, pinecones, rocks, pieces of paper, or whatever, for the Xs on Os by taking a permanent marker and drawing "X" and "O" on them.

4. Baking Day.

Have a baking day. Collect three new recipes. Buy the ingredients and have your children help out in the kitchen. (The mess will be worth it!) Kids are more likely to try new things if they make them themselves. It's a great chance to add healthy food to your child's diet. Tell the children they are your tasters and have them review the food.

5. Parlor Games!

Our family is LOVING parlor games. We've been researching them and trying them out. They are so much fun, we often collapse into heaps of giggles! Try a parlor game!