7thHeaven.

I used to love the tv show 7^th Heaven. It is a show that is based around the family of a church minister who has five children and by season three, two more.  Each week they face a different issue such as steeling, popularity and dating issues.

Growing up I attended Wednesday church programs with my best friend. I did not realize until high school that this did not make me a Christian, but at the time, that mixed with being baptized as a baby made me believe I was. I used to learn a lot from the show and thought it was the ideal family situation. Now, not so much.

Recently I have been re-watching the show, I bought the first five season used for a wonderful deal and was excited to relive some of my childhood. Now however, as I am well into watching them there are a number of things that do not sit well with me.

Yes the girls for the most part dress modestly, and they do not believe in sex before marriage and the parents have a wonderful open relationships with their children and a great marriage. However on the other hand, they are dating at age 11, making out at age 12, and the lack of talk about God and trust in Him shown among the children is shocking. They do not understand even the basic concepts such as prayer and it makes you wonder a bit of how much attention they pay at church every Sunday mixed with why the parents do not find it an important part in life. 

A part of me loves how it in some ways shines a real light on the lives of Christians as the family would go out of their way to help others, they become friends with those in need and that they also stumble with real life temptations and pressures. The downside is that the actual God part of the equation is rarely there.

I am enjoying re-watching them and am even considering looking into finding the last five seasons cheap somewhere so I can see it all the way through, however I am not sure it still holds that special place in my heart and I am a little disappoint that the memories do not hold up to the actual show.