Macy's Heart

Whew!  I promised my special post about Macy to be here 6 weeks ago!  That was before I looked at my calendar!  We have had a whirlwind trip to DC to speak, our presbyter &  missionary retreat in Missouri,  applications and document process for FBI background checks, appointments for passports, and tax document prep.  Geez.  Busy, busy!

So...finally I re-visit sharing my story about Macy's heart today, and hope to get back on my usual blogging schedule.
-----

DISCLAIMER: I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON GIRLS BEING BOY CRAZY AS JUST BEING PART OF GROWING UP....HOWEVER WE WANT TO TRY AND INSTILL IN OUR GIRLS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THAT A RELATIONSHIP WITH A BOY IS NOT SHALLOW...AND THAT GOD HAS DESIGNED US FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL.

SO - THIS IS JUST THE WAY WE FELT LED TO HANDLE THIS TOPIC IN OUR HOME!

A few months ago I found a paper Macy had been writing on that talked a lot about a little boy in her class last year.  It mentioned seeing his private parts....   Yikes!!!!  I wondered what she had heard or seen at school.  We are VERY careful about what she watches on TV.  Even if is a "kid" show - if they are constantly talking about kissing and making out - we DO NOT watch it!  So I decided that the time had come to be proactive about teaching her purity.  This was in October, so she was only 7 at the time!

I did some prep work first.  I PRAYED.  I asked God to show me a way to communicate to her the proper respect for her body and her heart.  And here is what He gave me:

I went to Wa-Mart and bought 2 little gift card tins that were identical.  In one I placed a $10 bill.  The other one I beat the mess out of with my hammer and stomped it into the mud.  (I really took out my anger at having to teach my 7 year old about purity!)

I also went to the Christian book store and looked for SOMETHING like a little figurine that would help me teach this lesson...  and found the perfect thing...

Then I picked Macy up from school that day for a special Mommy & Macy date.  We went to Chili's and had some nachos....I knew if she didn't EAT - she wouldn't hear a word I would say!  The girl is starving as soon as she gets out of school each day!

Next, we went down the road to Cross Church, which has a beautiful campus with a little lake, fountain, and 3 giant crosses.  I told her I needed to talk to her about something.  I showed her the paper I had found, and she got really sheepish.  After I questioned her relentlessly about if she had seen anyone's private parts, or if anyone had touched her (as someone that was molested as a kid - I know these are important questions), I could tell that she had just been exposed to kids teasing about showing their private parts.  I could also tell that she innocently didn't really understand the joking, and the other kids may not either for that matter.... but the door to curiosity had been opened.  So it was time to DIVE in!

We talked about how God had created our bodies and that certain parts are private....and that when you get married you share your heart with your husband.  I showed her the two little tins and asked her to pick one.  I asked her why she didn't pick the dirty, smashed up one....  "because it is yucky" was her response!  I then shared with her that when we talk about our private parts or let people see or touch our private parts - that is like making our heart for our husband all dirty.

Me:  "Do you think that your future husband will want a dirty yucky heart from you?  Or will he want the clean one?"
Macy:  "The clean one!"
Me:  "If you talk about your private parts with boys or show each other your private parts - that is not saving your heart for your husband.  God has created you as a very special girl, and he has picked out a very special boy to one day be your husband.  You need to protect your heart from boys.  You don't need to be boy crazy and talking about kissing them or seeing their private parts!  You need to save your heart for your future husband!  Do you think daddy wanted to get a clean heart from me?  Or did he want my heart to be all dirty?"
Macy:  "Daddy wanted a clean heart! I want to keep my heart clean for my husband".

We then prayed that God would help her to keep her heart pure for her husband, and to help her to know how to handle when kids at school talk about things they shouldn't.

After we got home that night, Brad and I together gave her a gift to help her remember this day and this lesson. (We wanted Daddy to be a part of this conversation too!)

We gave her a really pretty figurine of a girl holding a heart.  We told her that this was to help her remember how important it is to protect her heart and keep it safe for her future husband. (Seeing it also reminds us to continue the conversation and ask her about boys, school, etc...)