TV fast -- Week 1

We have completed our first week of what we are calling our TV fast. Brenda and I decided about a month ago that our family would forgo any and all television in the house starting with the day after Easter thru the last day of the school year, May 28. We prayed about it and really felt it was something God has blessed. Our reasoning is that the "Idiot Box" (as my Dad calls it) has become a constant source of aggravation and tension; as well as a GINORMOUS time waster and cause of procrastination. So, no TV (no videos, no movies, no sports, no SpongeBob, no nothing) for six weeks.

I understand that there are those in the world who would consider this cruel treatment; that we are depriving our children one of their basic human rights. But it is most likely those same people consider SpongeBob Squarepants to be educational programming -- so their opinions are not to be considered. Nothing bad can come from going without TV for a few weeks.

We had let the girls in on it a full two weeks before it started. There was the initial weeping and gnashing of teeth, (one of them even curled up into a fetal position and cried) but they accepted it -- until Easter day. That's when they proceeded to panic. Cecily even got up out of bed on Sunday night and told us she "just couldn't take it" if we didn't watch TV. Our response was, "That attitude is EXACTLY why we ware turning it off. Now go to bed!"

Well, believe it or not, the idiot box has stayed off for the entire first week -- and the girls have not melted or gone insane. The house has been amazingly peaceful; Cecily has finished her homework each night; there is much less arguing and fussing in general. Remarkably, since we quite often listen to the local NPR station from Ball State University, the girls have actually discovered the beauty of classical music -- particularly Beethovan. Corinna loes to stand in front of us and pretend to conduct while Brenda and I play pretend instruments. Wow!! God REALLY performed a miracle!!

I don't know if everything will go as smoothly in the coming weeks, but I know that we are sticking to it. I have no doubt that God will continue to bless our family as we spend less time turning off our brains and more time enjoying one another.

More later.