Made to Live

Our kids might just be Hawk Nelson's biggest fans! We were listening to Hawk Nelson's newest album Diamonds a couple of weeks ago and now all they want to listen to is Hawk Nelson. After listening to the same album for many hours while driving I asked them if we could put on another CD.

My children: "Okay, but if we don't like it can we then put Diamonds back on?"
Me: "Sure, we can do that."

I pick out another CD that I'm guessing kids their age might like. We listen to the new CD for about five minutes, then my children have a question for me.

My children: "Can we PLEASE put Diamonds back on?"
Me: "Sure."

I put the Diamonds CD back in the stereo and then we listen to Hawk Nelson again for the rest of the day. I think two of Hawk Nelson's biggest fans live right here in Toronto. The Canadian Christian Rock band is all my children want to listen to at the moment, every time we are driving somewhere the most common questions are: "Are we there yet?" and "Can we listen to Diamonds?" I love my kids, they are the best in the world and so funny to spend time with! :)

The Ideal vs. The Reality

 

Diamonds are a girl's best friend. A diamond engagement ring is a symbol of love. The bigger the diamond is, the more your man loves you. These are some of the messages our modern culture has sold us.

 

 

 

The reality looks quite different. Time magazine did an article about the diamond industry this fall. In the Sept. 7/ Sept. 14, 2015 issue of Time magazine Aryn Baker/Tshikapa writes: "It's been 15 years since the global effort to ban blood diamonds. But the industry is still tainted by conflict and misery"

 

I find it really interesting that although we are more educated than ever we still fall for cultural trends and ideals like this one so easily. Although we know the diamond industry involves child labour, slavery and other kinds of misery we still happily buy our diamonds and consider them "symbols of love". In the 1820's rich people had slaves and didn't think that was wrong, today we buy diamonds and conflict minerals like gold and tungsten and don't think there is a problem with this custom.

 

At age 26 I myself was happily engaged with a big diamond ring on my finger, a few months later I happened to watch a couple of documentaries about the diamond industry. After watching the documentaries about the reality I felt disgusted by how I had let the cultural ideal decide what I believed about love and engagement rings. I realized that it's sometimes surprising and scary how much we conform to what the majority group is doing in our societies. We think we do things because we want to do them, but are we sure that's why we do what we do, or are we just trying to fit in and measure up to a cultural ideal?

 

After I had gotten married I started doing more research into the diamond industry and read up about the four major conflict minerals. Today I choose to avoid buying or wearing diamonds, gold, tin and other major conflict minerals. I'm always on the lookout for new brands that sell jewelry that is certified fair trade. I think that in today's world, where we buy almost everything from abroad, we have to be more alert and aware of what our shopping habits are supporting. Are we supporting fair trade or are we supporting an industry that continues to use child labour, slaves and involve all kinds of violence?

 

 

Diamonds out of dust

Hawk Nelson's song "diamonds" is one of my favorite songs to listen to in the middle of the struggles of life. It's comforting to be reminded of the fact that it's often in the fire that the most beautiful changes happen. I wish I could say that this isn't true, but looking back at my life I can't disagree with that fact. I have definitely learned a lot more from the uphill battles in life than I have learned from the days that everything is great.


I didn't understand why it's so important to not use people and break someone's heart until I experienced my own first heartbreak. I didn't think that it was that important to always show everyone around me appreciation and respect, until I experienced others treating me without appreciation and respect. I definitely come to God more often and pray more when I'm in the middle of a struggle than I do on a good day.


Although I don't like the struggles of life I know that I wouldn't be who I am today if I had not gone through what I've gone through in life. It's often in the fire that our character is refined the most. God has his way of creating beautiful diamonds out of all that dust. If we stay strong through our struggles and don't give up we will come out on the other side of each struggle more beautiful than we were before.