Early Influences

Young children form lifelong worldviews at a very early age.  That's why we say teach your kids before the World does.  That window is small.  Here's an example that you will enjoy.  

When I was 5 years old, I had just started collecting baseball cards with my brother.  I remember being at a rando Orlando flea market and I somehow bought a 1979 Rod Carew card.  I remember buying it because I thought the player's stance in the photograph was very cool compared to the other cards.  It was special to me because it was one of my first cards.  I remember my Dad telling me he was a good ball player (eventual Hall of Famer) and presto - he became my favorite player.  And he was on the California Angles - so they were now my favorite team.

For no real reason, I decided that I liked a player I never watched and a team that was 3000 miles away.  What is interesting is that I ended up following Carew, and the Angels my whole life.  I traveled to Anaheim for the World Series in 2002.  I bought hats and jerseys. As bad as they have been, I have been loyal.  Nobody can talk me out of it.  The Angles and Carew became a part of my identity all because of a little baseball card. 

Early influences are powerful.  Think about your kids or grandkids. What will they pick up as part of their identity that they will retain for a lifetime?  It will defiantly be something.  We hope its Jesus. We hope our doll will help be a visible presence and a tool that you can use to talk about Jesus.  We hope its God, not Rod - and real Angels!  

Dave