Summer is quickly approaching. To paraphrase Charles Dickens, "It is the best of times and the worst of times." Temperatures will reach unbearable levels with just the occasional rain shower. But on the other hand, we will be once again in the midst of baseball which makes me happy. Busy will be the key word for this summer. My daughter and her best friend are preparing to depart for their first year in college. I am trying not to think about that much. There is still one thing for me to do with my daughter prior to her leaving. Let me warn you that much of what follows is going to be controversial. Maybe you will get through reading this to catch my point.

This summer completes a journey my daughter and I began eleven years ago. We were living in New Mexico when I took her and some friends to the first Harry Potter movie. The last film is being released in a few months before she heads for college. We saw each movie when it came out in a theater somewhere. We also read the books together. This is no small feat as the last novel was over 700 pages in length. Trailers for this last story are now finding their way into the public. Odds are pretty good that it may set all kinds of records at the box office since there will be no more Potter movies. Perhaps it is good to say that we grew up together sharing these adventures as father and daughter. It will remain one of those great memories that bind us together.

I realize that not all believers are keen on Harry Potter. Not everyone understands how I can take in these stories as they are written against the background of wizardry. My only problem is with those critics who never make the time to do first hand investigation. If you read the books or watch the films at least your decision is an informed one. I realize my logic falls short in other areas of life. My point is that we made it work for us without being overcome by the tools of story telling. We talked often about the books with their sinister settings. My goal was and still is to enable my daughter to think critically while holding to her faith. Literature almost always projects ideas into setting that are not explicitly Christian. It is the discerning believer who can separate the truth as the tale unfolds. I was intrigued at how a single mother developed these stories for her children then found a publisher to print them. The author claims some level of Christian faith but her meaning may be vastly different than ours. I do know that the ultimate conclusion to Harry's story demands a loving sacrifice in order to triumph over the evil one. She uses his journey to talk to us about our faults as well as those greater ideals that propels us to heroic action. Do not think my opinion is unaware of the potential dangers for those who cannot move past the setting. Nor will you read of my advocating that every believer can or should read the novels. Every person must work out their personal faith while being careful not to go astray.

My personal view is to indeed avoid some things which have no real value. Telling my youngest today that a CD he wants has bad words in it did not go over well. This is an example of knowing where a line must be drawn. I have no need to gamble, watch bad movies and the like just for education sake. But my daughter is able to catch the greater themes within the Harry Potter story while rejecting a lifestyle of evil. Here is where parents can communicate with children on what is right and what is wrong. It never seems to me that isolating my children is a healthy way to help them think on their own. I can point out the dark portions of the story while discussing the other values such as loyalty, sacrifice and love. This is what works for us. One of my proudest things about her is she has the knowledge to operate from a Christian worldview even in the face of things not so obviously holy. We will finish our cinema bonding in a few months. Lessons were learned during open conversation between father and daughter. I do not imagine this approach works for all. But let me be clear that I am very grateful it does for us.

Bro. Trey