Protecting Their Hearts

After listening to our girl's conversations and observing their mannerisms on a particular day, Seth and I decided that we needed to have a little talk with them.  As we were all cuddling in bed together, saying our prayers and kissing good night, Seth came in the room with a big heart in his hand.  He shared with the girls the importance of protecting their hearts, of only desiring friendships with boys and nothing deeper, of keeping their kisses for their husbands, ect.  Then he showed an example of what happens when we start having relationships with boys. (Notice the plural.)

"Oh, I like Billy.  He is so cute.", and then Seth ripped part of the heart off and gave it to Billy.  "I love Johnny.", then he ripped off another part of the heart.  He continued on like this with a crush on this boy, attraction to that one, until the entire heart was in pieces.  Then he picked up all the pieces and put them in one hand and pulled out another heart with his other hand.  He looked at the broken pieces and stated that yes, Jesus can put these pieces back together and mend the brokenness, but asked which one they would rather share with their husbands, a mended heart or one full and beautiful. 

At this point, mommy jumped in. I shared that there is nothing wrong with having a boyfriend.  A boyfriend can be a beautiful gift from God.  As they keep themselves for the ONE boyfriend Jesus has for them, the ONE man who will then become their husband, they will find so much love and blessing and wholeness in their marriage.  I shared with them, that God had protected mommy and daddy and when we got together we were able to present our hearts to each other without a lot of rips and tears in them.  "Mommy and daddy have such a blessed marriage with so much love, because we entered our marriage with a whole heart."  I also shared that it wasn't that we weren't asked to be in relationship with others, (I felt they needed to know the option was there), but God protected our hearts.

A few days later, after feeling confident that this conversation had gone well, Zoie and I were talking at the breakfast table.  As she was finishing up and clearing her dishes, she gave me a kiss.  But then her eyes got really big, "Uh-oh mommy,  part of my heart just fell off." 

Well, it seems we still have some work to do. :)

Our prayer is the Lord will protect our girls hearts, that He will protect the hearts of their spouses, that He will keep them, all six of them, innocent of evil, and when the time comes for us to give them away, there will be such joy and excitement because the day is untarnished by the hurt of brokenness.