Jackson's Big Debut

I have to admit, I am a proud papa. Like most daddies, I think my kids are pretty special. It's in the job description. But today, I am especially proud. My son, Jackson is the reason.

Yesterday was a big day at our church. Pastor Scott spoke on sex. And to be honest, he spoke boldly and fearlessly. (is that redundant?) He used just the right amount of honesty to make you a little uncomfortable and the right amount of humor to make you completely comfortable, if that make any sense.

We finished the service with the song "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns. (On a side note, that is the 19th Crowns song we've done at church! HA!) I remember the first time I heard this song how powerful it was. It is in a minor key and very ominous. It just sounds dangerous. The verses start with the lines of an old children's song, Be careful little eyes what you see, feet where you go, ears what you hear, lips what you say. The point of the song is that your life doesn't crumble in a day. That you allow thoughts turn into choices which will eventually destroy your life. Near the end he writes, "People never crumble in a day, Daddies never crumble in a day, Families never crumble in a day." The song ends with a child singing:

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see.
Oh be careful little eyes what you see.
For the Father up above is looking down in love.
So be careful little eyes what you see.

It starts in the minor key that the song is in and it resolves to the relative major. It really feels like the song goes from danger to saftey. From guilt to innocence. From a man singing to a child. It's the beauty of the song.

I remember when I was a child in Dodge City, Kansas singing that song in children's church. At the time I had no idea I was singing and learning how to keep myself from sin. This is an important kid's song. I sang it, but didn't know what I was singing. My son sings it now because we leave music on while he's sleeping and he hears "Slow Fade". He doesn't sing it at church. I don't know what is worse, not understanding what I was singing, or him not singing it at all. But here's what I know....our kids need to be singing songs like these. Songs that tell them how to live. I will talk to my boys about this song and what it means. How they should live.

The reason I am so proud of Jackson is that on Friday, we went to the church and filmed HIM singing the last four lines. He sang "Oh be careful little eyes what you see" a capella. It the right key. Finishing on the right note. On Sunday, at the end of the song, right on cue, the video played. He nailed it! It affected me and almost everyone who saw it. THAT'S MY BOY!