on children and fears

Sometimes at night when I am tip-toeing up the stairs with a sleeping baby draped over my shoulder I am tempted to believe that they are mine; that I can protect them; and I can make sure that no harm ever comes their way.

I'm cuddling my little guy and administering regular doses of tylenol to make the cold and fever go away, but how do I teach him about the least of these--no medicine.  no full bellies.  and definitely no mama cuddles.

I'm making our sassy girl all cute and putting bows in her hair, but will she ever know what it's like out there for so many beauties?  We tell her that her beauty comes from a love that is inside her, from being made in the King's image.  Will she be heartbroken when she finds out that so many like her are told lies from the enemy-- that men only want one thing, and to be desirable is to give it up or worse, sell it to the highest bidder.

The truth is, my biggest fear is that the only thing I teach my children is that the American dream, wrapped in a picket fence, a college degree, and 1.86 children, is all there is.  Every day we walk the line between wanting our children to have every opportunity, and wanting them to be willing to give it all up for the calling of Jesus.  Don't get me wrong, the suburbs need the gospel.  I just don't want to fool myself into thinking that the gospel needs the suburbs.

We are still new at this, so the question remains:  Will giving our children every thing cause them to miss out on everything?