30 days: TV fast coming to a close…

If you read my post a month ago (30 days), then you know that for the last thirty days I’ve been fasting Television (or at least I had intended to).  I believed a though I had to be a “moment of insanity” on the way home from a family function a month ago.  Since I do intend to write a book regarding how to handle such moments, I though it best to actually attempt the fast and keep track of the results.  So, how did I do?

I did great for the first two weeks.  I fasted all television and I spend the time I got back on Zander, Stephanie, work, and prayer – not in that order (but probably close).  After the first two weeks, we had a baby.  We were in the hospital for a few days and I did watch DVD movies with Stephanie during that time but still no regular TV.  Stephanie’s mom came in town and with Stephanie on total bed rest for the week before and all the time since the baby, I must say that I broke down and watched TV during the fourth week.  Greatly reduced from what I would have watched a month ago, but certainly not a total fast.

So the question that remains to be answered despite my failure to last the entire 30 days – was that crazy thought a “Moment” thought?  Absolutely!  I could not have known at the time that Stephanie was going to be put on bed rest and that I would need to be available to take care of her and Zander.  I could not have known that I was going to be working from home for the last three weeks.  By not watching TV, I spent more time “at the wheel” and less time on auto-pilot.  Stephanie looked at me last week and said how much she appreciated that I was there for her – and I am convinced that had I been glued to the screen I would have had a much different outcome.

You might be thinking, well you would have responded to the needs of your family whether you were fasting TV or not.  Maybe you’re right.  I should hope you are, but by not watching television, I didn’t have it as an escape.  My family needed me to be there and a mini TV-induced escape would not have helped matters.

Interestingly enough, I started a two week trail of Netflix a week ago and today in the mail I received “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair”.  LORD, I pray that You continue to send moments of clarity, that You grant me the ear to hear them, and the will to follow them.