I love how she is with the kids. Jacob and I took her to the bowling alley where Sam and his 6th grade team were bowling for the end of the year celebration. She was so sweet when she laid her head on her big brothers shoulders and patted him as if she was telling everyone that he was hers. Precious.

I look outside and it is a dreary day. The rain is pouring, Elizabeth is fussy because she doesn't feel well, Jacob has a cold, I have had 3, maybe 4 hours of sleep and the morning has been a little on the difficult side. Yet, for some reason, it has brought me to thoughts of God. I laid beside Elizabeth thinking about the new hit movie, The DaVinci Code. It burdens me, aches my heart, and truly cause me to fear for those who are decieved by its lies. I rejoice in the things that God has shown me about who He is and what His word says. I realize that it was not too long ago that I was walking in the darkness and was blinded to the truth of who Jesus Christ is and what God has done for me. It's movies and books that are so riveting that are so masterly used as one tool to decieve us. It is the excitement of mystery, deception, and conspiracy that lures us into reading or watching something. We live in a world that draws us with things that are exciting. No longer are the days of sitting and relaxing with a novel filled with morals based on the bible acceptable. We need more and more to fill our needs. The media industry has grabbed ahold of the things that excite us and ran with it.

It scares me for our children who are bombarded with the messages.... that there are no absolutes; that God is what you want Him to be; that if it feels good, do it; that if you are ok with it, then it is ok to do it; that sin is relevant; that getting to heaven is based on a loving God who would never turn you away because you are "good"; that Jesus Christ is merely a man..... the battle they face, we face, everytime we turn the tv on, read the news, talk to our peers, watch our "hero's", go to the movie, step outside our door, go to school... the battle is everywhere. It is a battle of good verses evil... of truth verses lies... of God verses the enemy. It is a warfare, one that can not be seen with the naked eye. But a warfare that is more intense then any war man has faced on earth.

So my thoughts, that begun on this dreary day, have made me question where I am in this battle. There was a time I felt like I was on the frontlines, but I realize that I have retreated to safety lately. It is time I begin marching towards the battlelines again. Christ will return; I wouldn't be surprised if it is sooner rather then later. I believe it is imminent. I'd rather be on the frontlines getting wounded when He returns then retreating. My prayer for my children has begun to more seriously focus on equipping them for this battle. It is books like the DaVinci Code that could draw them away from the truth if they are not prepared for this battle.