February 1, 2011

i have a dream

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. at school...

Oh Finny!

I can only imagine the look on his teacher's face when she saw Finn's grandiose dream. Though I am sure she is quite accustomed to the Star Wars frenzy with boys these days.

Lately Finn has been playing "Star Wars" at recess with his friends. Whatever that entails. Pretend light saber duels???

He used to only play soccer and football at recess. Here's how it went: whenever one team starts to lose, the boys on the losing team gradually defect over to the winning team until there is only 1 or 2 players left on the losing team. If it weren't so dishonest, I would find it very clever. It totally upsets Finn. He thinks they are such cheaters.

"Why do you continue to play with them?" I ask. Find some nice friends who do not cheat.

And so I am thankful Finn has found some nice little Star Wars friends to play with.

Finn recently made a "Baby's First Alphabet" book, Star Wars version, o'course. Here is a representative sampling of this educational little ditty.

Teach your child the entire alphabet, Star Wars style! Peruse through his collection, A-Z.

However, I do think Finn and Calvin have gone a bit overboard with Star Wars these days.

The other night at dinner, I was quizzing them about the bible story I read with them earlier that day. Their response was composed of rather unenthusiastic mumbles.

"We are failing them as parents!" I wailed to John. "They can quickly ramble off the most obscure Star Wars facts."

He agreed. "No Star Wars movies for a week!", he decreed.

Which is a start but not a solution to their problem. When I read the book Idols of the Heart, I remember discussing idolatry with my older sister Jessica. She said that she talks about it with her girls all the time. Her girls are able to point out idols in their own hearts and lives. I was impressed.

So, the boys and I have been talking a lot of idols. How Star Wars can be an idol to them when it's more important to them than learning about God.

We talk about how it's an idol when it's ALL they can talk and think about.

We discuss how the force is not real but how God's power IS real.

And we certainly discuss how God is WAY more powerful than Darth Vader and Darth Maul.

And I don't think there is anything wrong with my boys enjoying Star Wars, so long as it's put into proper perspective.


15 comments:

  1. going to the living room to show this to scooter right this instant.

    ReplyDelete
  2. this post resonates with me. My son's one constant dream through his entire childhood so far has been plain and simple.

    to fly.

    Not in an airplane. Not in any other contraption. Just to run fast enough with his arms out and take off flying.

    He also gets obsessed with things like star wars although through his stages of childhood he has gone from one obsession to the next. First it was dinosaurs, then it was transformers, then it was star wars, now it's bakugans. It must be a boy thing because God must have known that males would need to be able to focus so intensely on just one thing like if they were to go to battle for their country as where females have to be multi-taskers so that we can take care of 10 babies at once. We talk about idols too though and obsession and addiction. I love when Emilee says in reference to her brother's passions "oh, he's just addicted." like he has some drug addiction. It cracks me up. I always have to clarify for strangers that she's referring to toys, not drugs or beer. =0)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love his drawings! And get the whole star wars thing as my boys love it too.

    Years back I totally saw one of the pastors (star wars fan himself) at VBF use star wars in his sermon.

    Check out this link http://blogs.starwars.com/rebel-ramblings1977-1983/11

    ReplyDelete
  4. Davi you're doing a GREAT job with your boys! Thanks for sharing this with us! You teach me so much!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I enjoy you..... We to are dealing with the same problem. But right now its all about Lego Star Wars WII. I have had to take it away many times in order for Eli to stop asking me to play it 24 hours a day. The idol conversation is tricky, especially when you have a little "know it all" 3 year old. I have been encouraged by you this morning - Thanks!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would have loved to see his teacher's face reading that! Oh my goodness that is pretty classic, hang in there girl!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love it!
    Did you know they actually sell alphabet cards that use Star Wars. Like big ones. I think I saw it on etsy? maybe? But I have seen them and they are adorable. just so you know. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. OMGoodness, D, I about died over Finny's MLK paper-hysterical! And the flashcards! He'll have Twinkie and Ollie reading in no time!

    His writing is amazingly good-and so is his spelling.

    And those heart idols-they have a way of popping up and catching you when you least expect them. Good job keeping on guard.

    ReplyDelete
  9. ohmygoodness. that is the cutest thing ever. EVER! little finny! my nephew braden is so into star wars too. it must be a 6 year old boy thing (is finn around there? i forget.) anyhoo. i think it's just swell. kids have the darndest imaginations :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. that is so funny!!

    i couldn't tell you a thing about star wars..i have never, and will never watch it..lol..not my cup of tea!

    Their so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Saw this and thought of your boys. So cute.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0

    ReplyDelete
  12. this is the most adorable thing in the world!

    *aren't boys SO fun>?!

    ReplyDelete
  13. We were talking about idols in bible study the other day and I started thinking about how I need to start teaching the girls about it. The world is so full of idols...things I never even think about. I love his drawings though. I'm also thinking it might be a good thing that I don't have boys because I've never even seen Star Wars! :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is fabulous.... my son is nearly four and is just beginning his Star Wars journey!! Thanks so much for sharing.... super cute xoxo

    ReplyDelete