Tonight I took my son to the local Wal-mart to get him a birthday cake. While we were waiting our chance to check out, he was standing on the side of the cart checking out the surroundings. As I was standing there dozing off, I realized that kenan had his eyes locked on a magazine. When I looked to see what he was looking at I was completely embarrassed, not only for what I would have to say but also for women and Wal-mart, For our entire country for that matter. The cover of this magazine had a ton of almost naked celebrity women on it. "Best and worst bod's" is what it said. At first I didn't even know what to say to kenan. Just stumbled over my words and said "What are you looking at?" Like I didn't already know. Kenan responded and pointed. "Why are those lady's showing their butts"? "Ummmm I don't know"---------I went on to say that people were taking pictures of them and they didn't know it. Kenan kept looking and making comments. I finally turned the two magazines over and told him we don't need to look at things like that. Not really knowing how to handle the situation.<besides pray for wisdom.
I am totally saddened by this.
The entire time I worked in the salon business it has been smut magazines. Everyone comes to get their hair done and catch up on the "Gossip". I remember so many of my clients saying "Got anything new? I got to catch up on the gossip.". And at one time I was in that trap as well. We would have some magazines delivered weekly and we would all want to get a fresh look before taking it out to the mag post. It has really changed the way I look at things now. I have never really bought them cause they were always at the shop. And now when I see them I think of all the crap they are filled with. Anymore I think that there is maybe 1 magazine that have an ounce of truth to their stories.
The main reason I don't read or look at them much is because I do feel that I have conviction in my heart about them. I know that in my heart this can not be right. Even if it's just fun here, fun there. I don't feel right anymore. ^It's not ok to read about someone getting a nasty divorce. I can't explain "why" in detail. I just know. For the same reason it is not right for a magazine covered with almost naked women to be right in an area where I am taking my little virgin eyes.<I don't care what any one says. I shouldn't have to talk to my 5year old about sex. But I have to because it's everywhere. It's even in kid movies.
I ask myself. Are there a there hundreds of other people who walk buy the magazine stand and think the same thing? Are there people who are more aware of it when their kids are present? Is there someone out there who had the guts to call up some CEO and give them a piece of their mind. (Cause right about now this christian lady would like to.) WE ARE RAISING KIDS HERE PEOPLE!!!!!!!! Just saying.
One thing I read in a very worldly viewed magazine once. It was talking about the price a celebrity has to pay for being one. And it was more or less attacking the consumer. I cant remember it word for word but it said that a Celebrity can make millions, yet will pay for it with more then money can buy.< It went on to talk about the private moments that a Celebrity is robbed of. <I am not taking a side here just trying to look at the bigger picture. So those of you that would like to protest to this statement. The opinion is yours.
^I want to go on to say also, that as a woman who prays . I feel that it is up to us to pray for these people in these magazines. They are actually human even though sometimes we can't see them as that. And also for the companies that claim to be family oriented. I am also going to pray for these magazines to be removed from this particular area of the store. <But I can take anything to the throne can't I. So I'll just be praying that it just be removed all together
. I get a little riled now and then. I guess you did read it though. ;)
Ditto, Brie. I am constantly challenged by things we see EVERYWHERE to share the truth with my sons and the preserve my girls' sense of worth. It is VERY sad. The biggest challenge for me is to try to explain that the human body IS a beautiful thing God made to be enjoyed (just in the protection of marriage), while at the same time explaining why it is right out in front of them to view. Kids are so literal, so adopting this kind of idea when they SEE it everywhere is so hard to drive home. The last thing I want is for my sons to feel ashamed 'cause they are caught looking at the magazines in the Wal Mart isle, because it's perfectly normal for their flesh to find half-naked women attractive. It is helping them put the truth in their hearts and help them learn to self-police in a broken world that is so, SO hard and awkward for me as a mom and makes me, like you said, very sad. We have had some pretty interesting conversations in the check-out isle in Wal Mart over the magazines. What is even more sickening is when Maddie started asking me what some of the sexual cover story titles meant. Can't say I've even come up with a creative way to handle that one yet. I have told her those topics are definitely not appropriate for the checkout isle at Wal Mart. I am scared to death, though, that my lack of creativity in dealing with it will cause her to stop asking questions of me about tough topics completely. Candy, chap stick, smut magazines...is the checkout isle of Wal Mart hell on Earth for a mama?! I think so!! LOL. Love you, Brie. I'll be praying specifically about this topic, too. It matters.
ReplyDeleteWow I appreciate your sensitivity to this. We get so used to sex being everywhere that we almost become blinded to it (as women at least) but seeing it through a child's eyes definitely brings the trash into focus. And also the trash being so available on the internet will I'm sure be changing the future generations more than we can imagine. It's so sad, and so hard to stay away from.
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