Good Decisions

Today was our annual 9th grade "6th Commandment Retreat" (otherwise known as the Sex Retreat)! I think it's one of the most important things we do with the youth-- helping them think through sexuality and how they make their decisions about when and in what context it's okay to have sex.

We looked at Scripture passages, watched video clips from tv shows and movies (Glee and Twilight), and listened to popular music ("Moves like Jagger" and "Just a Kiss") to see the many ways that media influences us when it comes to sex and relationships. We also did activities around what character traits are most important to us in a partner and around gender stereotypes. Most of the activities happened with just the youth, but some happened with their parents at the end. The event is always such a joy-- a blessed, awkward, clumsy, helpful joy...

But one of the things that has stayed with me today is something that guest presenter Becky Hulden said. Becky is a labor & delivery nurse, and she talked very candidly, patiently, and graciously about healthy sex and relationships. Among some of the more colorful things she discussed was the brilliant summation that:

"You can make good decisions, or you can make decisions good."

MAKE:
GOOD DECISIONS............
...........DECISIONS GOOD

She pointed out that most people assume the hardest and most important part of a decision is what happens before and as you make it. In the "making" of the good decision. But, too often we don't realize that what really counts is what we do once we've made the decision. We have lots of power and choice to take any decision we've made, and turn it into something positive or negative. So, even when we don't make a good decision, we can make that decision good in the end.

Such a helpful tool when it comes to relationships. We try to do the best we can to make the most informed choices and decisions we can. But ultimately, we will never make ALL good decisions. Ultimately we make mistakes. But, even so God is working in and through us to help transform us, to help make a way, to help find the joy and hope in any situation. So when we think we've messed up, we can trust that we can always find the good (because we can always find God) in any decision.