For the past several weeks I have been participating in a Bible Study with some sweet friends. The book we've been reading is Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. Its brutal, to be honest. It has smacked me in the face the entire time. It has really challenged me to get honest with myself and find what it is that is getting in the way of time with God. For some it may be shopping, or eating, housework, or children. For me........it's TV. There I said it. All my dirty laundry laid out for all the world to see. Or atleast the 16 blog followers I have :) I AM ADDICTED TO TV!!!!!!!!!!! I can't help it. I love nothing more than to sit on the couch when the rest of the family has gone to bed and watch Real Housewives of Jersey Shore or the (Not-So) Real World. I have even found myself fussing at my daughter because it was more important for me to hear who was kicked off the island than it was to hear my best girl describe a picture she had drawn for me. So I am here to say no more. Honestly whats the worst that could happen? A few years ago Kris and I were die-hard LOST fanatics. Then something happened (I can't even remember what) and we missed several episodes in season 4 and never picked it back up. And (GASP) we survived! So this week I will be driving down Burnside to Cox and turning in our cable box. We will be going from roughly 300 channels to 23. I am hopeful that this "adventure" will help us be more creative as a family and more engaged as parents.
Another thing that spoke to me during the Bible Study has been "what are you willing to give up for God"? If God told Kris and I to move to Napal to tell people about him would we do it? Or would we try to hide and negotiate our way out of it? If he asked us to take up our cross would we say "Uh Yeah I would, but.....I have this purse full of junk to carry and I'm not really wearing the right shoes for a long walk". So in that spirit we are simplyfying our lives. We are purging our lives. We are bringing it down to bare bones. Sacrificing our comfort. I know thats silly to say that having a kitchen full of dishes or 2 hand mixers or 38 bottles of Bath and Body sprays is comforting me but it is. I mean really, do I need 3 different sets of cereal bowls? Or a linen closet full of bedding, We only have 2 beds in the house? Or what seems like a bajillion bath towels? Do I need 14 pairs of flip-flops? What is this "stuff" giving me? What are we "gaining" from all this "stuff"?
The answer: NOTHING. And thats why its gotta go.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
John's writing has a way of "smacking you around" and I thank God for it! God bless your study.
ReplyDeleteUh, I went to Basic Training... That's what interrupted Lost. I can't believe you forgot. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book. I've actually been reading something similar. I think God will bless you for your obedience. You probabaly won't even miss that cable box too much after a couple of days. Although, I am glad it's a Cox cable box you are returning instead of an Eatel box. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post Melissa...and thanks for your honesty. People think that Jesse and I are crazy when we tell them that we have ZERO cable...yes ZERO! Havent had it for 2 years! And...we LOVE it and wouldn't change it. We are in total control of what Kam watches...and believe me, she has a ton of parent-approved DVD's so its not like she's deprived in any way.We do watch television occasionally...at the gym on cardio equipment mostly. We also enjoy renting movies on the weekends and going to the theater. She would prefer being outside or drawing than watching television. We love not having the distractions...however, with that said...I tend to let housework get in the way with my time with God. I am a total neat freak and I get overwhelmed when chores don't get done. This is definitely an area that I need to improve on, so thanks for bringing this to my attention. I want to read the book...sounds great!
ReplyDelete