Proverbs 22: 6

So last night, I watched Knocked Up. Its characters are focused on creating an environment to bring a child into. There is a bit of a montage at the end where they are taking their daughter to the park and swinging with her on the playset, but mainly, it stops where the real parenting begins.

Then today while driving back from flag football practice and scrimmage, I was thinking how much I love playing football and how that love has influenced decisions in my life.

I played little league football when I was in Fourth Grade (side note: there is not a Grade Four in Ukraine) in Wheeling, IL, a suburb of Chicago. I was part of the Wheeling Sooners and rode my yellow mountain bike with my pads hanging from a one handle bar throwing off my balance to every practice. I guess for my dedication, the coach chose me to run through the paper hoop first for our "homecoming" game. The actual event was not as glamorous as I had hoped, as I tripped on the hoop and ran for about fifteen yards with my torso parallel to the ground trying to get my balance before I did a little forward roll. This was the start. I played offensive line and line backer and we went 1-9 that season.

My next organized play was in Doland, SD in 7th and 8th grade. These were the salad days, and we were a pretty good team on our Monday afternoon games. Then the summer after my eighth grade year I decided to be baptized because I wanted to be part of the Remnant before the 12 o' clock hour. High School football games are generally played on Friday nights (the start of Sabbath). So in order to continue my athletic career and my spiritual walk, I decided to go to DAA where I wouldn't have a conflict between the Sabbath and football, even if it was just flag.

Eight years earlier Hans Widicker, my current boss, was playing high school football for Bowdon High on Thursday nights, an arrangement made specifically for him, and his brother who was two years ahead. Hans also played basketball and missed District games that were played on Saturday. From what I can gather, Hans was talented enough to play after high school at least at a small college. But college ball is played on Saturdays, so to maintain his witness to a community that broke traditions for his Faith; he went to Union. This is still a bit of a sore subject with Hans, and understandably so.

Back to my thoughts during my drive home from practice:
Considering my history, how do I raise my child to navigate the conflict between their passions and their faith? Do I bring faith to them at all, or do I fuel their hobbies at the exclusion of God? And separate from their hobbies, How do I incorporate spirituality, if I decide to, at all?

My present answers to these questions:

I will let them choose how to blend their faith and vocations. I will introduce faith and God as someone who they can always turn to when everyone else has let them down or isn't around for support. I'll lean on the church as an institution to help incorporate spirituality, while encouraging them to question and search for their own answers.

I'm interested in what your answers are to these questions, especially those that are married or are planning to be.