Crista Kae

exploring. growing. sharing.

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Vanquishing The TV to the Tool Shed

Thirteen days ago, I mentioned on Facebook that I had moved our television out to the shed. I had resolved that we would break some bad habits over the summer! Hurray!

Twenty-four hours later, I reluctantly brought the television back into the house, plugged it in, and let my girls binge watch for a few hours. *facepalm* Oh dear.

Let’s get some back-story…

I grew up watching lots of TV. I won’t get into the details as to all the why’s, but the fact remains… I watched waaay too much during some years. I left my parents’ house at age nineteen with the mindset that I did not want to own a TV.

Upon marriage at twenty-one, I believe my husband brought a TV into the mix (if I remember correctly). I didn’t care for it, but I also didn’t make much of a fuss. One day, during the first six months of marriage, I came home from work and went about my business doing chores, making dinner, etc. Hubby had to tell me that he had thrown out the TV, as I had not noticed. HA HA!!!

For the next ten-ish years, our family went without a TV. We watched movies on laptops or the main PC. We had added three children to the mix, and I was soon pregnant with number four. Husband decided he wanted to purchase a TV, and in came The Monster. 😛

Over the next three-ish years, through another rough pregnancy, much sickness, and the craziness of a bunch of young children, we fell into some bad habits of watching waaay too much TV. The poor behaviors and bad parenting that resulted from the irresponsible use of this particular object were hurting all of us. I’d had enough and knew I needed to change things.

Back to two weeks ago…

The TV came back in because I came down with a stomach virus the very next day after The Vanquishing. I’d read books to my girls for a few hours, but when some serious dizzy spells made it hard to do anything, I caved. Husband had taken the big boys to work with him for the day, and I didn’t have anyone to take over watching the girls while I tried not to pass out from the room constantly spinning. During a reprieve, I dragged myself out to the shed and brought back The Monster.

The very next day, I re-vanquished our TV to the shed, where it remained for a week.

During that week, the many requests for shows and movies were denied. Eventually, the requests died off, and the children began to get more creative with the use of their time. Instead of staring at a movie after dinner, they spent time outside catching fireflies! SCORE!

I found myself frequently wanting to watch TV due to the force of habit as well. It was ridiculous! But as the week went on, the relief and productivity that grew was confirmation that I had made the right move. The Monster had become a crutch, a (sometimes) lazy parent’s solution, and a highly unproductive pass-time.

At the end of our first week without The Monster, we decided we could have family movie night! We got it all set up, everyone was settled in to watch a fun movie, and it wouldn’t work. For some strange reason, the TV wouldn’t connect to our internet. Though frustrating to all, I secretly found it very amusing. I mentally smirked and shook my head, looking around to see God watching us. 😊

The next day, we were able to watch that movie. As soon as the movie was over, I promptly moved The Monster back to the shed.

Our Second Week of Vanquishing

The next seven-ish days were considerably easier. Very few requests for The Monster came from the children, and I didn’t have much desire to indulge in it myself.

I did watch an episode of Little House with my youngest one night (via computer) because she was up past bedtime after a super late nap. I was working on a few things while we watched, and it was a nice way to spend that half hour.

We have all seen significant benefits from not having such an easy crutch in the house. Creativity and imaginations are blooming, exploration of the outdoors is increasing, and mama is having to become a better parent. Attitudes are improving, and we’re working on establishing good habits to replace the bad ones. Case-in-point: sleeping in, and allowing the children to watch a show while I shower, instead of rising before they wake to shower and dress for the day. *cringe*

What was sometimes an act of desperation due to me (and others) being sick so often had turned into a bad habit that took a long time to wake up to. Thank God we’re all awake now.

I hope that sharing our story provides motivation and inspiration to you, and not condemnation. I’m a very matter-of-fact person and prefer to say it how it is… which means I won’t sugarcoat my failures. Charity, grace, and long-suffering are good and right, along with being realistic.

If you feel guilty, do something about it! Don’t let this be another stone on your back, but instead, let it be another drop in the bucket towards positive change. If you’ve never gone down this path, praise God! Please encourage us and others to keep up the fight and to use our time wisely for the Glory of Him who made us.

Notes:

  • I haven’t created any rules for this vanquishing. I’ve simply removed the TV, and we’re avoiding the use of it. We are free to have a movie night, etc. The point of the vanquishing is to break bad habits, not ban usage.
  • Placing The Monster in the shed and having to retrieve it for usage has not been a pain. It’s good exercise, and it helps us with self-control. Do what ya gotta do to achieve the goal!

I’ll update in a few more weeks, or perhaps at the end of the summer. 😊

-Crista

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Simple Stepping Stones: Tending His temple

 

*The following was written in March, 2018.*

Nearly seven weeks have passed since we moved into our new adventure home, and the adjusting has not ceased. I’m truly thankful that we didn’t take on anything more challenging, as we have dealt with an onslaught of sicknesses and health issues that have severely hampered progress on anything.

As a matter of fact, I’m currently laid up in bed, on the third day of fighting either a very nasty bug, or something more serious. The time in bed has given me an opportunity to think and pray. Staring at the boring, cheap white walls of this manufactured home, my thoughts returned to last week…

I was listening as my oldest watched a video on YouTube, giving an overview of the book of Haggai. The words I heard cut right to my core, and I could not shake them off. God was speaking straight to me through His word. I knew it.

I spent a few minutes stunned, then began reading Haggai 1:1-11 for myself.

Verses 2-9 reads:

2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord‘s house should be built. 3 Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Source

In Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, the Chapter contents state:

“Haggai reproves the Jews for neglecting the temple.” Source

And a section of Henry’s commentary, which clarifies what grabbed my heart so strongly:

“1:1-11 Observe the sin of the Jews, after their return from captivity in Babylon. Those employed for God may be driven from their work by a storm, yet they must go back to it. They did not say that they would not build a temple, but, Not yet. Thus men do not say they will never repent and reform, and be religious, but, Not yet. And so the great business we were sent into the world to do, is not done.” Source

I have a spot in my closet that I’m preparing as a prayer area. I had high hopes for it aesthetically when we first moved, but that means nothing in the way of simply using this space for its intended purpose: to tend to the Lord and His temple. As my closet has been neglected for more pressing matters (hello, garage contents littering the entire kitchen and sewing room), I have told myself that I will begin spending time reading, writing, and praying, “but, not yet.“

I have been driven from my work by the “storms,” but not returning to the most important work between those storms. Yes, I must make my home a safe place for my little children to live. This time dealing with the mess after a move would be a “storm.” No, I do not need to spend great effort on beautifying my home for my own satisfaction and enjoyment.

Still more from Henry:

“They neglected the building of God’s house, that they might have more time and money for worldly affairs. That the punishment might answer to the sin, the poverty they thought to prevent by not building the temple, God brought upon them for not building it. Many good works have been intended, but not done, because men supposed the proper time was not come. Thus believers let slip opportunities of usefulness, and sinners delay the concerns of their souls, till too late. If we labour only for the meat that perishes, as the Jews here, we are in danger of losing our labour; but we are sure it shall not be in vain in the Lord, if we labour for the meat which lasts to eternal life. If we would have the comfort and continuance of temporal enjoyments, we must have God as our Friend. See also Lu 12:33. When God crosses our temporal affairs, and we meet with trouble and disappointment, we shall find the cause is, that the work we have to do for God and our own souls is left undone, and we seek our own things more than the things of Christ. How many, who plead that they cannot afford to give to pious or charitable designs, often lavish ten times as much in needless expenses on their houses and themselves! But those are strangers to their own interests, who are full of care to adorn and enrich their own houses, while God’s temple in their hearts lies waste. It is the great concern of every one, to apply to the necessary duty of self-examination and communion with our own hearts concerning our spiritual state. Sin is what we must answer for; duty is what we must do. But many are quick-sighted to pry into other people’s ways, who are careless of their own. If any duty has been neglected, that is no reason why it should still be so. Whatever God will take pleasure in when done, we ought to take pleasure in doing. Let those who have put off their return to God, return with all their heart, while there is time.“Source

My spirit is broken. Thank you Lord, for your faithfulness and patience.

-Crista Kae

Simple Stepping Stones: Tending His temple

  *The following was written in March, 2018.* Nearly seven weeks have passed since we moved into our new adventure home, and the adjusting has not ceased. I’m truly thankful that we didn’t take on anything more challenging, as we have dealt with an onslaught of sicknesses and health issues that have severely hampered progress […]