Star Wars: Outlaws makes its debut, Rings of Power returns for season two, and grandparents are the unsung heroes of the legacy of faith. But first:
Song of the Week
Shaboozey sits right at the crossroads of hip-hop and country music—two genres battling it out for cultural dominance. His hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” leans more country, with an emphasis on acoustic guitar and a beat that perfectly lends itself to line-dancing. At first listen, it might seem to be just another country song glorifying escapism via alcohol. But the song also emphasizes the value of community found in shared spaces—including at the bar. For the lyrics, click here (language).
Three Conversations
1. Powering Down
What it is: The first season of The Rings of Power was met with mixed reviews from J.R.R. Tolkien fans and television critics alike. The second season of the series has debuted—with some notable changes.
What to know about it: Season two of The Rings of Power picks up where the first season left off, with the evil of Sauron revealed and the beginning of the forging of the story’s infamous rings. The Lord of the Rings novels and movies have always had intricate plotlines, characters, violence, and dark themes, but The Rings of Power has upped the ante in basically every way. Established characters like Galadriel, Elrond, and Sauron are given more psychological depth, and the violence on-screen feels grittier and more in-your-face than in Peter Jackson’s films. But these additions don’t necessarily make the show feel deeper, more complex, or even any more entertaining than previous on-screen adventures in Middle Earth.
Continue the conversation: Do you think The Rings of Power will be as iconic as The Lord of the Rings? Why or why not?
2. An Open World
What it is: Star Wars: Outlaws, which debuted last week, is the first game from the franchise that features a completely open world to explore.
What gamers are saying: The highly-anticipated Outlaws release has been controversial in the gaming community because the only playable character, Kay Vess, is female. Some Star Wars fans wondered if this was forced in by Disney executives to make the sci-fi franchise more gender inclusive, attempts that they feel hurt the entertainment value of Star Wars products and experiences. However, plenty of other fans see Kay as a strong, resourceful, and engaging lead. From a gaming perspective, Outlaws focuses on completing heist missions, beating up bad guys, and unlocking skills. The storyline emphasizes personal reputation and the consequences of individual choices, and includes mild profanity, gambling, and battle scenes with melee combat.
Continue the conversation: Do you think there is a “culture war” in gaming over issues like gender? Why or why not?
3. In Grand Fashion
What it is: This Sunday, some families will celebrate Grandparents Day by making phone calls, reminiscing, and otherwise being grateful for the impact that grandparents have had on their lives.
Why it’s catching on: “Grandparents Day” is not simply the latest hyped-up “holiday” to get thrown on the calendar in an attempt to sell cards and flowers. Grandparents Day was actually first recognized as a national holiday in the US back in 1978. It was the culmination of years of effort from activist Marian McQuade, who herself was the grandmother of 43 children. Economic, cultural, and sociological factors are contributing to a rise in multigenerational households—and people are living longer, too—which means that the role that grandparents play in families is being revisited.
Let’s go a little deeper on this one…
Young Simone Biles wasn’t set up to become a history-making athlete. The most-decorated Olympic gymnast started her life in a household where substance abuse and food insecurity were the norm. Things got so hard that Biles’ biological mother lost custody of Simone and her siblings, and Simone was placed in foster care at three years old.
But Simone’s story took an incredible turn when her grandfather, Ronald, and his wife, Nellie, stepped forward to adopt Simone and her sister, Adria. This couple had already raised children to adulthood, but were more than willing to welcome two little girls into their home to start the process over again.
The Biles’ story of remarkable generosity enabled a talented gymnast to fulfill her great potential—and in doing so, to change her sport forever.
Not every story of a grandparent’s love and dedication plays out on the Olympic stage, but grandparents play a definitive role in shaping and influencing the next generation. Millions of grandparents provide hours of weekly childcare, contribute financially to their grandchildren’s needs, act as cheerleaders (and chauffeurs) at athletic events, and so much more.
In Christian families, grandparents can be spiritual leaders, offering the kind of seasoned wisdom that only experience can provide. These grandparents often act as prayer warriors on the grandchildren’s behalf, a role that’s as important as it is irreplaceable.
Psalm 103:17-18 tells us that God’s steadfast love offers hope that extends beyond our lifetime and becomes a legacy of its own. His love extends “from everlasting to everlasting,” and its impact can be passed down “to our children’s children.” Even if we feel overlooked or forgotten, the Lord assures us that the faith journey that we’re on matters to our kids, to their kids, and beyond.
For a full “translation” of everything in this issue, check out our Monday Roundtable podcast on Spotify or Apple. In the meantime, here are three questions to spark conversation with your teens:
Continue the conversation:- Who is the most influential person in your life?
- What do you look forward to when you think about getting older?
- What is a way we can tangibly thank an older person in our family or church?
Parenting together,
The Axis Team
PS: This week we posted our podcast interview with Nancy Pearcey on The Toxic War on Masculinity. Check it out here!