of proms and things....

A question was asked recently about the prom....did my boys not go by choice, or are they not allowed. I will try to answer that.

9 of my kids are "youth age", which in our church is 12 years old to 35. That is the age they are allowed to go to meetings specially geared towards their age group, and go to all other activities that the the youth are involved in like volleyball, other sports, trips, ect.

All of my youth kids are involved in these things except for Benjamin, because when he was 15 or 16 he started to not want to be along in them. He has his own friends, and frankly, he has the most difficult life of all my children, it seems.

Anyway, I am sure those of you who read your bibles know it is written to "flee youthful lusts"....and that Jesus said, "he who looks at a woman with lust has commited adultery in his heart"....these are serious things. To keep oneself pure in the teenage years is quite possible. These kids who choose to be along in the youth group, and live whole-heartedly for God simply do not date. They use their time for more wholesome things. They are thus spared the heartache and nonsense, not to mention the sinful possibilities that all that brings. Then, if and when they marry when they get older, they have kept themselves pure, which is a precious thing. My kids who have followed this course are very happy and well-adjusted, though I am sure they have had their share of battles and temptations.

So: the prom. Emily actually went to the prom with some of her cousins, all girls. They had fun doing manicures and curling their hair. They wore no make-up, but were lovely. My boys, ouldn't picture them going. Benjamin went, but he has had a girlfriend for quite a few years now.

So the answer to the question: if they wanted to go, we would let them. We would, and have, though, have certain rules regarding bringing boyfriends and girlfriends here, as we would rather not have the younger ones think it is a good thing. Benjamin was with his girlfriend for over a year before we let him bring her around. This may seem harsh, but we do not think it is good or right to just have boyfriends/girlfriends like that, and if we allow it in our home, we are saying it okay. It also seems harsh that we tell our younger ones that we don't think Ben is making good choices, but we do love him anyway, and we actually really like his girlfriend, too.

So, that is what we believe, and it it goes well.