Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Lent...day 1

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season.  My church does not observe Lent...I have come to think that in trying to be so different from mainline churches, we sometimes "throw the baby out with the bathwater".  The observance of Lent seems to me to be a wonderful way to truly focus on the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. 

 So, I plan to observe the season and fast from a presence in my house that truly demands my attention...and one that I so easily give into.  This presence is with me from the moment that my feet hit the kitchen floor and stays until I put my head on my pillow.  It calls to me at different times of the day to stop whatever I'm doing and visit for awhile....I give it attention before I give my time to the Lord....I loathe that I do this....I am drawn to it...it has become a habit.  What is this presence that controls me so?  It is my television...the box that sits in almost every room of my home.  The box that shows the best of God's creation and the sin that permeates every corner.  This will be a difficult thing for me to do...I do not sit before it for hours on end...it usually whispers to me in the background, the news in the morning, a show at lunch, evening spent watching favorite shows.  I do try to be careful at what I put into my mind (heart), but I spend more time with this box than I do with my Lord.  So, I start today....(I miss it already)....but prayerfully I will miss it less and less each day as I spend time with my Creator, drawing near to Him as He draws near to me in preparation of experiencing the greatest sacrifice....

Kitchen TV
Living in His grace,
Jody

2 comments:

Jodi said...

I bet it will get easier with time. Our family gave the TV up for a year or so. It was hard at first. But then we came to enjoy the quiet. When we plugged it back in, it almost seemed jarring. But then we got used to it. Maybe it's time for us to unplug again. Lord bless your efforts.

Jody said...

Thank you, this is the start of day 3 and it is getting easier.