Things I Don't Love

I wasn't sure if we were going to continue with the Monday Morning airing of grievances or not, but I thought of something else.  I am always amazed as I sit waiting in the pick up line at school, how many cars have these horrible stickers on them.  The stickers of a silhouette of an undressed woman with an angel halo over her head, and a devils' tail. I'm sure you've seen them.  Big rig truck drivers sometimes have them on their mud flaps. But I really go into shock mode when I see them on a car window at our elementary school and there is a mom driving the car. Especially when it is a dowdy-chubby-housewife kind of mom.  It almost seems worse and even sadder when it's one of those, than if it had been a partying-Momshell type.  That type with one of those stickers would still cause disgust, but wouldn't surprise me.  It's the other, that surprises me.

I always end up staring after these women and wondering what could they be thinking.

Don't they know that it's demeaning, vulgar, and in plain old poor taste? Don't they feel bad exposing their children to something so crude? Don't they worry about the effect this may have on their children?  I feel embarrassed when other children walk by and see them, and worse when I see daughters climb into their car. 

There are two other vehicles at our school that are also a source of amazement and, even despair.  One is a traveling tattoo service.  Tattoos are painted on the sides, along with a phone number. The father who drives this car has a son in Erin Leigh's class.  A very sweet little boy, too.

The other car is a black suburban with the word Lingerie painted on the back window alongside a phone number. I always hope the kids who walk by won't be able to pronounce the word, and even Erin Leigh has asked if it says, "lingering." (Yes, honey, it sure does, now look away.)

It is so sad to me, when I see these things.  

A few months ago our Stake President had all of the youth in our Sacrament Meeting stand.  As they stood, he pleaded with them, very sincerely and movingly to share the gospel with their friends.  That they must do this.  He told them to look around, and see the piercings, the tattoos, and the behavior, and to know that their friends need them, and they need The Gospel.

I think it was the best talk I have ever heard given to the youth. (He always gives a good talk....long many times, but good.)  It was earnest, and sincere, and I agreed with him.  It also made me think of  my own self and that I need to speak up, and give what I know to others. (This is easy for me to do with my kid's friends, since I can be the bossy-motherly type. Mallory had to buy a dress for homecoming and her nonmember friend, Hope, who I love, and reminds me of Cammy, said when she tried it on, "Oh, Mal, this is a good one.  It's up to your Mom's standards.")

The older I get the more frightened I am of this world and culture.  I know we're not supposed to be and that we should be hopeful, but sometimes it's hard to be.  Especially in California!