Life Lessons

In the Riddle house, we try to be creative with our punishments, er persuasions. One way we try to encourage Lexi to head to bed on time is the threaten her with "mommy and daddy shows" if she chooses to stay up. This means no Dora, no Backyardagains, no kid shows. She gets the news, ESPN or some other extremely boring programming to help convince her that she's missing nothing by going to bed.

Last night, we happened to be watching a cake baking competition. During commercial breaks, the channel would air promos for it's upcoming, new shows. One of them highlights people who have weird obsessions and fetishes.

One guy is in an intimate relationship with his car. We get to see him washing, rubbing and even french kissing his car.

Another is a woman who drinks nail polish.

The other eats cat treats.

As this commercial is coming to a close, I look to Lexi and say in my most stern voice, "Don't you ever do that stuff. Ever."

She looks at me, horrified, "MOM! They are not using those things in the right way! Why are they doing that!!!?!!"

So I told her: "Lexi, they are crazy. You will see a lot more crazy people on TV than normal people."

The lesson is so true: There are a lot more crazy people featured in the media than sane people.

I hope Lexi can remember this as she is bombarded with images and sayings of the world. I hope she will remember that those chosen to represent the masses are many times the minority. Media is the absolutely WRONG place to turn for guidance about what is right in this world.

Flashy they may not be, but the gospel living, good people doing the right, and often seemingly boring, thing day after day are who we should turn to help guide us on our way.