This month's Bottom Line: God loves everything about me.

Virtue PATIENCE - Waiting until later for what you want now.

Miley is regretting her decision big time.

But haven't we all regretted decisions at one time or another? That's why this is a great opportunity to discuss decision-making with our kids. (Note: I've included discussion questions with a scripture passage below)

Here's the skinny: Last week I was surprised by an email from a blog subscriber telling me that Miley had just taken some shots of herself in her underwear and one shot of herself pulling her shirt down exposing her green bra. I didn't post anything because there was some debate as to whether it was truly Miley or not. No statement was issued.

Well... this morning a new set of photos have emerged... and it's no secret. Associated Press spells it out:

Miley Cyrus is taking issue with a photo of herself that's going around, and it's not another amateur, truth-or-dare Internet snapshot - it's the handiwork of Annie Leibovitz.

"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," Cyrus said Sunday in a statement through her publicist. "I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."

The photos, appearing in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair, were taken by Leibovitz, a renowned celebrity photographer whose edgy, silver-toned portraits have included subjects such as Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson and a naked, pregnant Demi Moore.

The picture doesn't show any nudity, but it shows the shirtless Miley covering her front with a blanket and showing her bare back to the camera. Even though this picture isn't pornographic, it disturbed Disney and Miley enough that they both issued statements. And most people agree that Miley had been duped so Vanity Fair can just sell magazines.

Obviously this makes me sad. Miley is one of the few superstars that I've felt pretty good about kids watching and listening to. She seems to have a faith, although I've never heard her talk too specifically about it (Remember people, just because she said "I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" at the recent awards, that doesn't mean anything. Don't ask me to list the people who have said those exact words receiving awards). But, her parents are once again proving to demonstrate questionable judgment.

THOUGHT FOR DISCUSSION WITH OUR KIDS:
So what can we as youth workers and parents do about this? I think that this issue like many issues is a jumpstarter to dialogues with our kids about decision making. I'd use this statement from Cyrus in the Associated Press article:

"I think it's really artsy," she told the magazine at the time. "It wasn't in a skanky way. Annie took, like, a beautiful shot, and I thought that was really cool. That's what she wanted me to do, and you can't say no to Annie."

CNN expands on this:

And you can't say no to Annie. She's so cute. She gets this puppy dog look and you're like, 'O.K.'"

then this...

"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," Cyrus said Sunday in a statement through her publicist. "I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."

Then I'd ask our kids:

1. Why do you think Miley changed her mind after she saw the pictures?
2. Have you ever made a decision and regretted it later?
3. When we make decisions based on "what feels right at the moment," are those decisions always right?
4. What guideline should we use for making decisions?
5. The world sometimes puts on a lot of pressure to do wrong. Miley said that it was hard to say no to Annie... with her puppy-dog-look she was very convincing. Is there someone it's hard for you to say no to?
6. How can we equip ourselves to make good decisions even when "the pressure is on" to make bad ones?

Tonight after supper, the girls were eating some Teddy Grahams. Mara held up one of the bears that had it's hands up and said, "Mama, this one is Praise Bear."

I thank God for a church that is helping me teach my girls to praise Jesus. And thank you to all of their teachers.....they really are getting it!

Carrie

This past Sunday I had an opportunity to spend some time with our Zone kids in their large group worship time. Our virtue this month is Joy and our memory verse is: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4. We had just finished our virtue song and Lesley asked that I stay for a minute while the kids "sang" our Bible verse. Without any music or prompting, the kids rang out in full voices (you know the tune...):

"Rejoce in the Lord always,
Again I say Rejoice.
Rejoice in the Lord always,
Again I say Rejoice.
Rejoice!
Rejoice!
Again I say Rejoice.
Rejoice in the Lord always,
Again I say Rejoice."

With tears in my eyes and God warming my heart, I walked from large group that day as proud of those kids and loving them as much as I do my very own. It was truly a "kiss" from the King and a wonderful ending to a chaotic week.

Thank you Lord for Lesley and her servant's heart and for the opportunity to serve your children in such an incredible way!

This is a story told by my 4-year-old....

"Once upon a time there was a man named Goliath.""Now Goliath and the Phillistines didn't like Israel because they didn't like what the shepards said." "They were fighting...then Junior came and knocked down Goliath and he didn't get up again."" Israel won the Resurrection Day!""The End"

Ok, so she's got several stories confused here, but it sounds like Good News to me!
Carrie

I've noticed two trends out of numerous musical artists and celebrities lately.

1. Become more sexualized
2. Care about the world

Why not do both? That's what Madonna is proposing (along with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland) in her new song "4 Minutes."

The video speaks for itself, and the words of this catchy song convey a message that Madonna has been preaching for years. "If you feel it, It must be real." Isn't that good advice? Get in the back seat with your boyfriend/girlfriend and go with "what feels right" at the moment.

Here's an excerpt from a Madonna lyric site:

Madonna and Justin:
If you want it, You already got it
If you've thought it, It better be what you want
If you feel it, It must be real just...
Say the word, and I will give you what you want

Madonna: Time is waiting
Justin: We only got 4 minutes to save the world
Madonna: No hesitating
Madonna: Grab a boy
Justin: Grab a girl
Madonna: Time is waiting
Justin: We only got 4 minutes to save the world

So, are our kids actually listening to this? The answer is a recordbreaking "yes."

"4 Minutes" sits in the #1 spot on iTunes right now in "Top Songs" AND "Top Videos" AND "Top Ringtones." This song helped Madonna surpass Elvis Presley from his standing as the artist with the most top 10s (This is Madonna's 37th top 10). Billboard reports that "4 Minutes" jumped from 63 to #3 last week on their Hot 100 chart. That was spurred by over 200,000 downloads the first week of it's release along with Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" (surprise surprise).

MTV.com has the highly sexualized video readily available on the front page. iTunes has the song and video, along with a pre-order for her new album Hard Candy (already ranked #9 in downloads right now, and it's not even available yet... what's that tell you?). YouTube has it. Verizon had it as a "Verizon Exclusive" digital download... and yes... if you haven't figured it out by now, most kids now have it in their phones and iPods.

Hmmmmmm.

Food for thought as we talk about the influence of media.

After much frustration from hearing grief from my older boys for doing my duties as Mommy, we had a heart to heart talk. Now, this idea had to be from the Great Counselor because I would never have come up with the idea on my own. I did not even plan it. I opened my mouth and the conversation started before I realized it.

I asked them do they think I am being mean when I won't allow them to do something (i.e. eat a sugary snack, play video games, go outside in the extreme cold without a jacket.) Their immediate response was "no." I went on to explain that I always want the best for them. There is usually information that is beyond their grasp or knowledge (ie, we are going out to dinner soon, I'm saving their 'screen time' for a special movie later in the day, temps are 22 degree, etc.) We did discuss proper responses when they recieve disappointing news, but they should above all know that Mom is looking out for their best interests.

The best part of the lesson was the Holy Spirit prompting me with "now you are getting it, Lesley." My heavenly Father always wants the best for me -- just because I want something doesn't mean it is the best for me. He knows information that is beyond my grasp or knowledge.

A verse we have been focusing on lately is:

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Thank you, Lord, for your patience with me and teaching me. I praise you for your unending kindness!

Lesley

Lesley shared this article with me in September as we were praying about God's vision for family ministry and for our church. I stumbled upon it last week and thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy!

THOUGHT FROM HISTORY

Woodrow Wilson served as 28th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921. Wilson wrote and spoke about faith and religion more extensively than most of America's presidents. The following quotation comes from a 1904 speech, delivered while Wilson was president of Princeton University:

"Religion is communicable, I verily believe, aside from the sacred operations of the Holy Spirit, only by example. . . . no amount of didactic teaching in a home whose life is not Christian will ever get into the consciousness and life of the children. If you wish your children to be Christians, you must really take the trouble to be Christians yourselves. Those are the only terms upon which the home will work the gracious miracle."

And you cannot shift this thing by sending your children to Sunday-school. You may remedy many things, but you cannot shift this responsibility. If the children do not get this into their blood atmospherically, they are not going to get it into their blood at all until, it may be, they come to a period of life where the influences of Christian lives outside of the home may profoundly affect them and govern their consciences. We must realize that the first and most intimate and most important organization for the indoctrinating of the next generation is the home, is the family. This is the key to the whole situation. This is the reason that you must get hold of the whole family when you get hold of the children in your Sunday-school work; that your work will not be half done when you merely get the children there, and it may be, their mothers. You must include the fathers, and get your grip upon the home organization in such wise that the children will have the atmospheric pressure of Christianity the week through."

(This speech was published in a 1905 publication, "The Young People and the Church," and was included in "The Papers of Woodrow Wilson". This excerpt was taken from "The Faith of America's Presidents" by homeschool graduate Daniel Mount.)

Virtue JOY - Finding a way to be happy, even when things don't go your way.

Memory Verse Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Weekly Focus
April 6: The Last Supper, Luke 22:7-20

April 13: The road to Emmaus, Luke 24:13-35

April 20: Jesus appears to the disciples, Lukle 24:36-48, John 20:19

April 27: Jesus restores Peter, John 21:1-17, Acts 2:14,22-25,36-41

This month's Bottom Line: I can love God.

This month's Memory Verse: "I love you, Lord." Psalm 18:1

April 6: Philip & the Ethiopian, Acts 8:26-35

April 13: Paul prayed, Ephesians 1 & 3, Matthew 6:5-13

April 20: Paul's travels & letters, Acts 13, Romans 15, I Cor 1:1-2, 16:21

April 27: Paul & the jailer, Acts 16:22-34

This was on one of Focus with the Family's broadcaste where Jill Savage was the speaker. It was shared with me by a wonderful mom and I thought I'd pass it along to you too.

"You know you're a mom when you count the sprinkles on each kid's cupcake to make sure that they are equal.

You know you're a mom when you only shave one leg at a time.

You know you're a mom when you hide in the bathroom to be alone.

You know you're a mom when you hope ketchup is a vegetable because it is the only one your children will eat.

You know you're a mom when you use your own saliva to clean your child's face.

You know you're a mom when you hire a sitter because you haven't been out with your husband for ages and then you spend half the night checking on the kids.

You know you're a mom when your kid throws up and you catch it.

You know you're a mom when you say at least once a day I'm not cut out for this job, but you know that you wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."

Enjoy!