There is no way around it - some scripture is just hard to swallow.
I recently stumbled across one that got lodged pretty good.
"I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless."
Chew on that one a while. It doesn't go down easily.
I've been chewing on this chunk of scripture for days... weeks...MONTHS. Slowly and carefully evaluating where I spend my time & energy. EVERYTHING is being considered. Homeschooling, housekeeping, church activities/involvement, my online presence (tweeting/facebook/blogging), my hobbies, my entrapenourrish dabbling's. I'm still evaluating in most areas. I think I always will be. Mostly because there is an ebb and flow to life. I'm certain I'll never fully figure it all out. As time passes and things change modifications will be made as I realize what poor choices I am making despite my best intentions.
Remember back when we decided to pull the plug? Since then we reconnected to the web and after a while we reconnected to netflix. Before long an occasional movie night turns into an addiction again. My brother got me hooked on a t.v. show {Burn Notice} and thanks to netflix and hulu I was able to watch ALL the past seasons and am anxiously awaiting June 14th {except you know, its now after June 14th and I'm just now publishing!} to find out what happens to Fiona. Josh likes to watch 24 and before you know it we are rushing through the kids bedtime routines so we can snuggle up in bed and watch 1 to 2 hours of television a night to see Jack Bauer save the world {again.} My guilty pleasure is Drop Dead Diva. Anxiously awaiting to find out if the Deb in Jane will ever get her Graeson is a little harmless mind numbing fun that I 'deserve' after a long hard day. Right? Not really. Its an addiction. It's wasting time that is precious and short on something that is completely worthless. It is choosing to find comfort and peace in an idol instead of casting my cares on the Lord and letting HIS words rejuvenate me after a long day. I have decided to cut the plug again. My new personal rule in this area is no t.v. / movie unless it is with kids/friends/family and is being specifically used as tool. Now since t.v. does not usually lend itself well to bonding/witnessing it is and should be rarely used. I plan to never know how in the world Jack Bauer finished saving the world... I think I will survive. But I'll be honest, it kinda sucks. I miss it, but I keep reminding myself. "Nothing that is worthless." Keep reminding me when Survivor season gets here in the fall...
Another change I have committed to make is no more entrapenourrish dabblings or extra ministry related work right now. Much prayer and time in the Word has confirmed in my heart that this season of my life is not the time for such. My time is to be invested in one thing alone right now and that one thing needs ALL my time and attention. There are things in my life that this is not the time for. I know that when the time is right I can return to them. If the time is never right, I'm ok with it. The only exception here is that I am continuing to work on my photography for the time being and I will continue to help my Mom when she needs me with her sewing. I'm prepared to step away from even these if I am asked to. I am sacrificing things I enjoy doing, things I think I do well, things I think help a lot of people, and to minister to a lot of people. I am saying no to the good and YES to the one thing I know without a shadow of a doubt that only I can do right now. It is oh so hard, but I know when my life and my body has been utterly spent I will not regret pouring all of me into those that will outlive me.
These are the biggies for now, but I'm sure there will be more for...
he's still working on me.
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars.
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient He must be
'cause He's still working on me!
2 comments:
He who starts a good work in you will see it to the finish.
Devotion is something we all need to get back to at times, but remember, all things are for His glory and our good. God doesn't want us to have to make the time for Him, He just wants us to spend time with Him. As we set aside a time for Him, it's not that we can't take time for ourselves, we simply make Him the top priority.
I personally believe anything we doninnies not sinning can be done for the glory of God, it's all in the attitude and the heart behind it. Even in watching a simple tv show that brings us some since of satisfaction or tempory enjoyment. God can be glorified in our joy that He gives us, knowing that He takes pleasure in the joys of our life's. Plus you never know when a tv show can break the ice, that brings out your testimony, and spreads the word, the love, the person of Jesus Christ.
Just something to think about! Lol
Thanks for your comments Airgialie! I've said it before but I think it is worth repeating. Unplugging doesn't make me 'holier than thou', a 'better Christian,' or 'smarter' in any way. It is just what works for me to help me be a better steward of my time. I only have so many minutes left to live. I don't want to waste a single one.
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