Peanut Butter and Jelly and Spongebob!

Peanut Butter and Jelly and Spongebob!  That is what my 5 year old said when I asked my 3 youngest daughters what I should write on my blog this week.  Well I don't exactly know how to expound on that one, but man I sure love hearing such cute and innocent comments from the heart of such a sweet little girl.  My 14 year old chimed in saying "daddy, why don't you write about how you have changed your mind about letting me date."  Wow, it reminds me how fast they grow up!  
 
Our daughters are constantly told they are not complete unless they have a boyfriend.  Have you watched kids cable channels lately?  They show girls having boyfriends at a very young age.  Dads, it is important that they hear how wonderful they are from us and not some "boy".  Despite the pressure they feel to be smart, thin and pretty, we have the ability to make them feel beautiful, inside and out.  Look for opportunities to compliment them on character qualities we notice in them like honesty, intelligence, courage, a sense of humor, etc.  Please just spend time hanging out together...no agenda.  It's amazing what you will learn about them.  Maybe, just maybe, they might wait a little longer on the boyfriend thing.  (Did I say just maybe?)   

Our daughters are under great pressure to look, act, and be a certain way...in order to maintain a particular image.  They may drink, they may do drugs, and to make sure they stay thin enough, they will even stick their finger down their throat to throw up the food they just ate.  They are told how important it is to have the latest greatest clothes, shoes, hair style...you name it.  Their self-worth is often tied up in these things.  We dads have a huge influence in helping our daughters in these areas.  We must get comfortable saying things out loud to our daughters that are affirming to them.

To give you an idea of what's going on out there in their world, check out the following stats and then PLEASE watch the short video at the end of this post..."Lifehouse Everything - Drama".  This video is awesome!  I warn you in advance...you may need a tissue.

½ of Youth are not virgins
Over 1,500 youth kill themselves a year
1 in 4 Youth use illegal drugs
40% of youth have self inflicted wounds
1/3 of youth have been drunk in the last month
1 million are pregnant
1 in 5 youth have thought about suicide
8,000 youth get an STD everyday

It’s time to take a stand!  Help her to not conform to the influences of this generation!  Dads, we must stand "in the gap" for our daughters.  But even when we don't, it is comforting to know there is an ultimate father in Jesus who will stand in the gap for them.