Livid in the Library

**Added disclaimer: Please note that this post contains material that may be inappropriate for children to read.**

I just returned home from our local library, where I’d taken the kids this afternoon, to pick up some history tales and biographies. It was a disturbing visit this time, a first for me at this library… I’ve come to expect that we’ll (obviously) sometimes be faced with plenty of contrary opinions in such a public arena of published thoughts, and the ensuing questions that then result from our visits have usually been fodder for great discussions and learning opportunities. It just goes with the territory, right? Fine. and. Dandy. I’m just glad that I didn’t have to discuss this one with the kids, though I did with the librarians… but I’m getting ahead of myself.

So, after I’d stacked the baby’s stroller high with the books on my list, I wandered down past the “Junior Biographies” section, heading over towards where my twelve year old son was, near the children’s computers. I was just passing my nine year old daughter, as she was searching for a book “about Arabian horses”, when, as I strolled along, contentedly enjoying the warm, fuzzy learning vibe the library always brings us, I happened to glance over at the shelf next to me, a bit below my own eye-level, and thereupon: did a double-take. Huh?! What’s that book laying there sideways, where someone else (a child?) has presumably hastily discarded it (in embarrassment, perhaps) SAY?

It glared back at me unapologetically, with bold red letters, reading “Boys and S*x“. Huh? That’s a bit pointedly blunt, even for a secular book about s*x education for young (ages 9-12, according to Amazon) kids, isn’t it? It almost sounds like a game, doesn’t it? Well… this book certainly attempts to be the instructional manual, apparently treating it as such. I almost put it back in line with the other books, to at least hide the double-daring title, there being very young children around and all. But then, thick as it was… I wondered, just how much is there to be said on this topic anyways… and to children at that?! And so I hesitantly picked it up and, looking around to make sure that my kids wouldn’t see me blushing, nor the offending title, opened it randomly to just past the middle of the book… curious, and then upon seeing who the author was, even filled with an expectant dread.

I am not queasy, nor naive, when it comes to talking about purity, and the opposite s*x issues with our kids… Well, maybe I was a bit woozy at the thought at first, before we broke the ice… Come to think of it, there’s a funny story there I have yet to blog about. But I digress, will have to share that in another post. Anyways, our 12 year old son has had “THE talk”, which has now become more of an on-going dialogue. We’re pretty casual in conversing about the birds and the bees (as well as the enemy’s distortions, debasements and attempted marring of our God-given s*xuality) as necessary and questions are asked openly around here, though always respectfully. Our 9 year old daughter knows as much as she’s interested in and ready for as of yet. S*x is good, it’s a beautiful thing within the Biblical parameters of a loving marriage, life-giving~ literally, as our Creator meant it to be. So, let the record show: I’m not afraid when it comes to parents teaching their children about these matters.

Even so, I was not prepared for what I read, regardless of the fact that I’d knowingly made note of the fact that the author is none other than the co-author of The Kinsey Report… Kinsey having been a *ahem* shall we say- disturbed, degenerate, pedophile/pseudo-scientist, credited with normalizing the s*xual revolutuion, and legitimizing h*mos*xuality. Yeah, well, apparently, this book I held in my hand, that my son had just walked right by moments before me, is a children’s version of another book Pomeroy had co-authored with Kinsey himself. Um, yeah…

Where was I? Oh yeah, what I read… but I can’t tell you all of it anyways, since this is a family-friendly blog, and I was tainted all day having read it, especially considering its intended audience. Grieved in my spirit… Let it suffice to say that it was quite descriptive, giving detailed directions (more graphic than even a diagram could have been) as to how a “teenaged boy” can m*st*rb*te to find pleasure after “he has been left unfulfilled by his partner”…or if willing, how his partner can give him fulfillment (after explaining that this meant to have *rg*sm) by doing it for him?!

At this point, I was standing there in disbelief, trying to pick my jaw up off the floor. I was just plain stupefied, but not so much that it was there – in print, written to children (as sad and twisted as that is, it’s a sign of the times, I’d given mental assent to that already, one does tend to get desensitized) but more that it was right there, in our library, mere feet away from my children who were innocently perusing the very shelf I’d snatched it from. And I couldn’t believe what I was reading, p*rnographic smut, right there in my kids’ section of the library. Did I say that already, “the children’s section”? Had my son curiously opened it up and read the little snippit I’d just read, his conscience would have surely been violated. That quick.

Illustration from The Boys Own Annual

I was livid. In that moment today, the realization – that the battle for our children’s hearts is being fought every day – was crystallized for me in seeing how close to home this strike was aimed. As I stood there, holding one of the enemy’s weapons of choice in my own hands, I was reminded-once again- that in this world, there is no escaping the darkness that pervades the age, it’s everywhere. The destroyer, the enemy of our children’s souls is alive and well, and his handiwork is peddled as educational- even at our own little town’s library… I had let my guard down… Upon second thought, no, I hadn’t let my guard down, I was very watchfully aware. I just wasn’t sitting on top of my kids, requiring that they let me first examine everything they laid their eyes upon, trusting God to catch my slack. At some point, we have to let our older children move into more freedom. Don’t we? Of course we do. I cannot hold my 12 year old son’s hand in the junior section of our library. *smirk* No, but the Lord can, and does.

My Shepherd by Sheri Doty @allposters.com

Just so happens, I have a case in point that I was reminded of later. On the way to the library, N had popped in a cd that we haven’t listened to in quite awhile, the “Prince of Egypt~ Inspirational“, and one of the songs on it (but not in the movie), The River, by CeCe Winans, always pulls on my heart strings (actually it gives me chills), but especially so today. And so, there I was – as we were driving to the library- prayerfully singing along with fervor, asking for God to watch over my son as he’s growing up into a young man. Coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidences.

The river flows from the depths of my soul
Save your son from harm and danger
It’s killing me, still I’ve gotta let him go
Trust in You cause You’re not a stranger
You are a spark, Misses joy
Now save my innocent boy
I’ll leave forever in your cradle
I’m talking to ya river
I know you’re able to deliver
Won’t you take him with ya river
Take care of him
That’s my heart, my heart
Familiar friend it’s your hand that he’s in
Carry him with blessed assurance
Don’t let him go til you know that he’s safe
I pray to God the Father for amazing grace
I gave you all that I’ve got now save him
Now save him from Pharaoh’s plot
Of killin’ each child that’s born a man
I’m talking to ya river
You’re able to deliver
Won’t you take him with you river
Take care of him; that’s my heart, he’s my heart
Now that I put him in the water
I pray for you to do what you’ve got to do
With my son, yeah
Let him go, let him go…

Movie still from The Prince of Egypt

I’m talking to you

I’m talking to ya river
I know you’re able to deliver
Won’t you take him with you river
Take care of him
Take care of him, my baby
I’m talking to ya river
I know you’re able to deliver
Won’t you take him with you river
How could I let my little boy go
Let him go , let him go
My baby boy…

That is my heart’s cry as I homeschool my kids… that He would deliver them to His Promised Land… realizing that I cannot. He IS ABLE to deliver our children from the enemy’s plots to keep them in bondage as slaves to sin and deception. I am praying that His Holy Spirit, that river that’s carrying them where I know not, that I must release them to, would bear them- these little ones- to somewhere that they can and will be free! It is my prayer that He would guide me as I shepherd them, and ultimately that they will look to Him to shepherd them one day, and that they would follow Him, Salvation, who came to deliver us all, to the Promised Land.

I have no doubt that today, as we unsuspectingly walked into the library, our Lord was shepherding my children, even when I could not… guarding their eyes, and thus their hearts… that it was I who picked up that book, and not them. I only pray that the librarians, whom I brought the book to and adamantly shared my concerns with, as I politely pointed out to them the one inappropriate, disturbing page I’d read, along with a bit about the Kinsey report and the author, also feel the fervor to do something about it, like permanently pulling it from the shelves (if they even can). They were surprised, a bit embarrassed as well, and quite apologetic that it was there.

Over the years, I’ve grown more lenient with my kids at the library (though not without prayer and trepidation, well aware of the fact that there’s a lot of falsehoods and alluring twaddle in print), letting them wander the aisles (of the junior/kids section of the library), perusing through the rows of books at will… I’ve surmised that my readers (now 12.5 and 9.5 years old) are pretty well grounded in their faith and strong in their beliefs. We discuss all sorts of topics and I usually welcome opportunities to share with my kids how our Christian worldview applies to opposing opinions and belief systems. I have also been delighted to hear their own thoughtful observations as they critically evaluate what they hear and read. Thus, I have absolutely no problem with them reading about other religions, evolution, mythology, liberal politics, etc. within limits appropriate to their understanding and spiritual maturity levels… However, today, as I was given a strong dose of reminding as to why we homeschool, and what much of our world considers acceptable and normal for a 9-12 year old audience, I was also reminded to stay ever-prayerfully-vigilant… even at the library. I would like to urge you all to do the same, as you venture forth with your charges into the halls of learning this year, as well as in the years to come.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

I would like to end this post by recommending to you of a couple our favorite purity books for the 9-12 year old age range: The Princess and the Kiss for girls and The Squire and the Scroll for boys, both of which I blogged about here. They’re both good for boys and girls though- our daughter loves the latter and our son enjoyed the Princess book for years before we got the Squire book. These truly are living books, as they’re really appealing to all ages. We’ve also enjoyed the Life Lessons devotionals that have since been published to go along with each of these beautiful books.

Update: Click here to read my follow-up post: update concerning *that* book

Embracing the adventure,

(This post was originally published on August 25th, 2008 at the brew*crew adventure.)