Swing Life Away

What does it mean to live the simple life? I think it means having a child-like excitement about the everyday things.

I was recently introduced to the song Swing Life Away by Rise Against. The words that really jumped out at me are as follows:



We live on front porches and swing life away.
We get by just fine here on minimum wage.

Maybe nothing too profound. Except that no one seems to get it.

"We live on front porches and swing life away." I have this amazing memory from my childhood. This memory is of sitting on my friend Nancy's porch swing, drinking lemonade, and enjoying conversation with this sweet older lady. I have plenty of other memories of spending time swinging on her porch swing, enjoying the breeze on sunny days. Simple. But why does that memory stay when so many other childhood memories are gone? It was special to me as a child, and still is.

So living the simple life may mean having a child-like excitement about the things in life. But the problem is, I think even kids today are missing that. Working at a children's party facility opened my eyes to a whole world of materialism that I never would have imagined. To say it's wrong to have a fun birthday party jumping on inflatables with friends is not my goal, nor do I believe that. (I've had my fair share of parties there, and I enjoy the environment ; ) ) But coordinating the parties for two year olds with 30+ gift bearing friends is an experience. As the mom carries out a load of battery run gadgets, video games, and bicycles she often calls out, "Thanks! We'll be back next year!" I always wonder what will be left to give that child on his third birthday. A cell phone? What about his 10th birthday? A car?

It also makes me wonder if the two year old has any concept of the fact that a fun day can consist of sitting in a sand box with a cardboard box and a stick for hours on end. Or sitting on a porch swing drinking lemonade with an older lady.

A few months ago my friend Ray, an older gentleman in my church, was telling me about his birthdays as a child. He described walking down the stairs on the big day, his excitement growing with each step. The source of this excitement? When he got downstairs into the kitchen, his mom would give him a kiss, smile and say, "Happy Birthday. I love you!". And maybe, if it was a good year, there would be a cake in the oven.

I compare this to the chaotic party room filled with jealous, crying two year olds and the birthday boy, covered in a pile of expensive toys, who can barely open another gift because of the overwhelming environment. I compare a kiss on the cheek and a happy birthday wish from a loving mom to a party that eventually adds up to several hundred dollars EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. And it makes me wonder what is wrong with us. We've forgotten the joy of simplicity. Not only have we forgotten it, we have robbed our children of it.

"We get by just fine here on minimum wage." Contentment is not often the forte of the American people seeking the "American Dream", and beyond. But nothing is as satisfying as being content in "whatsoever state you are in". (Phil. 4:11) Maybe kids require a more extravagant birthday party every year because their parents require a more extravagant lifestyle every year. Maybe kids are discontent with their toys because parents are discontent with THEIR toys (a new car here, a new house there). Kids have been taught that happiness can be bought. And they've been taught that by example. In case you didn't know, happiness can't be bought. And that's why materialism never ends. We think, "Oh if I could just have or do THAT , I'd be happy." And once we have or have done THAT there is always another THAT to have or do. And so true happiness always barely escapes us because we throw out the contentment that happiness requires. Children have been blessed with a natural appreciation for the simple things. Let's learn from that instead of training them out of it.

My hope for my friends and family is that you would all love living simply and find happiness in the everyday things. I hope the kids in my life know what to do when they're handed a cardboard box. I hope they have experienced a world made out of rocks. I hope they know that a Weeping Willow tree can provide days of happiness and entertainment and that a sandbox is where the real fun happens. I hope they realize that a kiss and "Happy Birthday. I love you!" from mom is worth excitement in every step to get to it. And I hope they know that to swing life, or the afternoon, away on a porch swing with a glass of lemonade is happiness.

"... Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands..." 1 Thess 4:11

Love me or hate me. Take it or leave it. My thoughts on Twilight.

Twilight. As the next movie gets closer, I see the excitement rising from many of my girl friends. And shockingly, from some of my guy friends too. The guys I don't really understand, but I understand the following this series has from young women. I get the teeny-bopper girl appeal. Edward (in some sick way) is what girls want. He is a mysterious man who comes out of nowhere to love and rescue his girl.

I read all four books and I saw the first movie three times. That's when I started to realize that my Twilight obsession needed to end. Actually, that's not true. I realized my Twilight obsession needed to end a little ways into the first book. But Twilight, for me, was addicting. And it was the kind of book that I HAD to know the ending to. I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed it. Yet even as I enjoyed it I read it with a nagging feeling that maybe I shouldn't be enjoying it. I gave up the Twilight series- movies, books, Team Jacob fan club membership- all of it.

What do I have against Twilight? This could be a book.

I am no feminist, but I hate that the "heroine" is portrayed as weak and clumsy and that she finds her worth in a man (if you can call him a "man"). I hate that the book is so poorly written but somehow draws its readers in. I hate that Bella is so annoying. I hate that Edward sparkles. I hate that Jacob falls in love with a baby. I hate that Bella constantly has guys chasing her down. I hate the hundreds of millions of times that Bella refers to Edward as "god-like", "angelic", and "beautiful". I hate that it's somehow OK for Edward to switch moods and become angry for no reason. I hate that Jacob never seems to be able to find a shirt (we wouldn't want him to rip another one!). I hate that Bella is suicidal when Edward leaves her. I hate that Edward would like nothing better than to eat Bella because she is somehow extra tasty. I hate that Bella would be alright with being eaten. I hate that Bella uses guys to her own advantage and ditches them as she wishes. I hate that the human men in her life were not enough for her. And I HATE the "spida monkey" quote.

As you go to watch Eclipse, let me just give you a little food for thought. There are only two things I PASSIONATELY hate about the Twilight series.

The first is that for some reason the Christian community has adopted this series as pure and even as a Christian series.

Why? Because they wait until after they're married to have sex. But please tell me that we don't have that skewed of a view of purity. Purity is a lifestyle, before and after marriage. Purity does not equal not having sex before you're married.

Edward and Bella do not live a lifestyle of purity. They want to 1. have sex and 2. eat each other (perhaps another portrayal of sex, in the guise of sucking blood). The only thing that keeps them from this is Edward's morals, because Bella doesn't mind not waiting. They may have waited, but certainly not from a lack of dwelling on it.

In the 80s as homosexuality started creeping into our media and entertainment, Christians were concerned and made a stand. Now as occult, blood sucking, people/animal attraction themes enter our media and entertainment, Christians find a way to make it Christian! What will be next? And will we even notice?

Twilight is about lust. It is about lusting after what is forbidden- the forbidden fruit that has always haunted us and caused us to sin.

The second thing that I passionately hate about Twilight is that many say it has a prolife message. This, quite bluntly, makes me ill. Bella becomes pregnant with Edward's child- half human, half vampire. The baby is attacking/eating her from within but she "chooses life". PEOPLE, what is WRONG with us?! There are a lot of things I could say. But let us STOP comparing a monster vampire eating its mother from the womb and born in a blood bath to the prolife message. This does not help the prolife cause. This is not a prolife story. And to be honest, I'm offended when I hear that Twilight has a prolife theme.

All of that said, I actually don't have a problem with people going to see Eclipse. We all make movie choices daily. My personal choice is to stay away from Twilight because from past experience I know how involved I get in it. One thing I ask of the Christian community- please do not make the assumption or claim that Twilight is a good or Christian series because its pro abstinence and prolife. I would like to think that the Christian young women of today have purer thoughts and hearts than the so-called pure Bella Swan. I would like to think that the Christian young men of today are stronger leaders with more pure intentions toward their Christian sisters than the so called pure Edward Cullen. And I would like to think that the prolife movement has much more to stand on than the life of a monster baby eating its mom.

Oh, and I prefer UNsparkly men who actually wear shirts.

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.