Media:God - You in?

Today my Sunday School lesson (which I'll admit I didn't study for) was about our media usage.  Interesting that this is the very area in which I've been convicted about this week...  In a world of TV, DVD, cell phones that do all but wash your car, radio, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, even Blogger, we spend, er, waste so much time and then when asked to do something we don't feel like doing, such as read our Bible and pray, we simply say, "I'm way too busy and can't seem to find the time."  We blame it on everything.  Kids, jobs, housework, school, spouses! and even go as far as to blame fatigue.  The real culprit?  Media induced laziness and a sinners heart.  So now what? 

If I were to ask you to give up your least favorite show that you mindlessly watch (think Spongebob as one example), to make time to read the Bible and pray instead it would be NO problem I'm sure.  What if I ask you to give up your absolute favorite show?  Or Farmville?  Or Facebook chat with the bestie? to pray instead???  That's a bit tougher, huh?  So lucky for you, I'm not going to ask you to do either.  Now what God asks of you is a whole different story, and maybe this challenge will help you to know what God is asking you to do.

I challenged my youth girls to spend equal the amount of time that they spend on media per day, on God.  I also challenged them to replace their secular music with UPLIFTING Christian music (reminder, not all "Christian" music is uplifting.  Focus on the lyrics to decide) for at least a week and see what God does in their lives.  This is as much a challenge for me as them, and even you.  Laziness and sin doesn't just stay within our teenagers, you know.  So basically, if you want to watch your favorite show that lasts an hour long, then you should be focusing on God for at least an hour.  Say, afterward, you decide to get on Facebook for a half hour, that's another half hour with God.  How much time do you spend playing Farmville a day?  No, really, don't lie.  Wow, so if you spent that three and a half hours on God instead of on Farmville, what could He tell you in that time?  Is it that much of a stretch to say that you use five hours a day on some sort of media?  I bet that you're sitting there thinking, "ok, so you want me to MATCH that time with time in prayer and in scripture?  That's TEN hours of my day!  I'll never get any sleep!  And forget a job!"  Here's my question, if this challenge seems like a stretch for you, what does that tell you about your life?

I cannot even begin to guess the things God will speak to me about in this next week.  I know what I plan to talk to Him about though, so that's a good start.  When I think about the possible ways this plan can affect my life, I see a lot of wonderful things.  Let's just see what I expect in my own life:
1. My media usage and dependency will go WAY down.
2. My productiveness will go WAY up.
3. My relationship with God will mature and I'll gain new sense of direction.
4. My children, husband, and friends will see a change in me.
5. I'll learn that I can live without a cell phone in my pocket every moment of every day.
6. By listening only to uplifting music I won't have to worry about what my kids may hear, what gets stuck in my head, or how I'll feel.
7. I'll learn more scripture and more about God in general and be ready to share about Him.
8. Since so much of my time will be focused on God, then the times I'm not actively praying or reading my bible, when I'm doing daily activities, my thoughts will still be on Him. 
9. I'll realize just how much time I waste daily when I'm tracking the numbers and make serious changes that will affect not only my week, but my lifestyle.

There are so many more possibilities that I haven't even considered.  I can't wait to report back at the end of the week to share.  I invite, even beg you to join in this challenge.  So I guess this means now that I've got an hour to spend focusing solely on God.  Oh, and don't expect to get away with rolling all of your media usage together by watching TV while you Facebook, talking on your cell phone and playing Farmville in another window all in one hour.  See you next week!

** "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" **

I Wanna be Loved Like That

One of my favorite songs of all time is "I Wanna be Loved Like That" by Shenandoah.  Seriously, check it out, beautiful song. 

I don't know much about my grandparents relationship at the beginning.  I just know what it was like to witness it and hear about it in the short amount of time I had with them.  You didn't have to know the history to know that my Grandpa loved Nana with all his heart, or that Nana fully trusted Grandpa and felt safe with him.

I've always felt, or maybe just hoped, that my relationship with Aaron is like my grandparents relationship.  The were married for 50 years before my grandpa died.  He was holding on to life to make sure they got that 50 years together.  From my perception, Nana had quite a bit of spunk for such a little woman!  Kinda reminds me of someone, though she was far more petite than I am, and I'm sure Aaron wouldn't call me "spunky" exactly...  Grandpa always struck me as being so strong and faithful. 

When I picture Aaron and I after 50 years of marriage I can't help but see my grandparents.  I don't know if it's because that's what we are, or just what I want us to be.  I want our love for each other to be obvious in the little things.  I know that the only way that can happen is if we push through any fights, or worldly ideas of what marriage is or should be. 

My family's told Aaron that Grandpa would have liked him.  I think that's because they are alike in some ways.  I only wish Grandpa had gotten to meet Aaron.  I wish he could have seen that I'm happy with a good man and amazing kids.  Grandpa died when I was 15.  I wish before he went home that I spent more time with him.  I was too busy being a "cool" teenager that I missed the last few years of his life.  He and I were always so close and I missed an opportunity to get to know him better.

I didn't make the same mistake with Nana.  I tried as often as I could to see her, of course I still wish it had been more.  She died in October 2007.  I have a picture of her holding my sweet baby Braeden when he was only a few weeks old.  I'm so glad she got to meet him.  I wish she could have met Reesey.  I'm sure she'd have been just as much a sucker for those dark brown eyes like the rest of the world. 

The hardest part about my Nana passing was that she, knowing how close I was to my Grandpa, never felt she measured up.  I wish I'd have made more effort to tell her I loved her just as much, and that though Grandpa and I were close, she and I had an amazing relationship.  I loved getting to talk to her as an adult and hear her take on life and hear her advice to me.  Maybe it was those conversations that gave me a great look into my grandparents love and marriage.  So yes, I do hope I can not only be loved like that, but love like that.

Aaron, bear with me when I'm being, well, "spunky" to nicely put it.  You are my strong and ever faithful husband.  We'll see our 50 years and Jesus, whichever comes first.  I love you.