For quality control purposes, I am writing this throughout the Lenten season, but not posting until after Easter. So if you've been wondering why I haven't been posting, this is why. Keep an eye on dates.
Ash Wednesday, February 18
I'm feeling a little anxious. Today marks the beginning of Lent. According to Wikipedia, "the traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial." It is a commemoration of the forty days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert before he was tempted by Satan. There are a great many historical, theological, doctrinal, and denominational considerations when it comes to Lent, and over the years, it has come to mean different things to different people. But the common practice in the U.S. (or at least the part I'm familiar with) has been to focus on self-denial, such as giving up something treasured in order to bring one's self more in line with the will of God.
Of course, many of the people I know give up something like chocolate or soda almost jokingly or as an afterthought, and the sacrifice really doesn't make much of a dent in their lives. (I'm over-generalizing, I know. I'm sure you all gave up very personal things. Or you figured that, not being Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, or Lutheran, you really don't feel pressured to practice Lent.) I've done similar things in the past. I gave up soda a few years ago, and some years, I just didn't bother.
This year is different, and the reason why leads to the aforementioned feelings of anxiety. Pursuant to a previous post (Saturation Point), I feel compelled to give up something a little more dear to me. (In the interests of full disclosure, I'm also giving up soda again. Mostly because I need to. Sugar is bad.) You'll recall I was feeling overwhelmed with the sheer amount of input from media and internet sources. So I decided to do something about it. For the next six weeks, the time that I previously spent on TV and movies will now be devoted to meditating on God.
It's a good thing. But I'm trepidatious. I've never really thought about how much time I spend on movies and television. And YouTube. And funny videos on Facebook. And news reports. And Google doodles! Okay, so it's everywhere. And I'll be going out of my way to avoid it all for the next sixish weeks.
Friday, February 20
I'm going crazy. It shouldn't be this hard, right? But I think about it constantly. I almost unconsciously reach for the iPad or remote to watch a show. I didn't realize how pervasive it is. Or I did, but not to what degree. And it's not just television itself. It's the little videos on Facebook and the articles with illustrating video. Why can't I turn off my brain?!
Sunday, February 22
Yesterday was both easy and hard. It snowed, a lot, which meant there was no going outside, no errands, nothing but me in my apartment for ten hours straight. I had planned for this somewhat because I knew I needed to do some cleaning and organizing, maybe get rid of some things I don't really use.
But this is one of my issues. I'm a multi-tasker. I can't stand doing just one thing at a time. And for me, television is a way to quiet part of my brain so I can focus on something else while still fulfilling the requirement to do more than one thing.
So normally, I would pop in a movie or show and use that as my background for cleaning. This option being unavailable threw a wrench into the plan. But then I had a brilliant idea. I have some audio books that I've been meaning to listen to, and that usually means a car ride to Pennsylvania or Michigan. But this was the perfect opportunity. So, for seven hours, I listened to Cary Elwes tell me about filming The Princess Bride while I got my clean on.
It was wonderful.
Tuesday, February 24
I didn't just give up movies and TV and then sit around stewing about it. The point of Lent is not to focus on the thing you sacrificed, but to use those thoughts to point you to the One worth every sacrifice. So I've been reading through one of YouVersion's devotional plans designed for Lent, called ReThink Life.
Sunday's message was spot on. "We live in a world and a culture that is constantly pushing its agenda, and so many times it is pretty much the opposite of the life that God is calling us to live as Christ-followers." What we watch, what we consume, can have a profound impact on how we view life. And let's face it, most of what the world produces does not send a message we should be listening to. We can tell ourselves that we won't let it affect the way we live our lives, that we won't accept the 'bad stuff.' But we're just fooling ourselves. The more we allow it into our lives, the more we start to reflect the world's values.
Wednesday, February 25
I'm starting to not think about it all the time. Just every other hour. One of my issues is that I hate leaving things unfinished. And I'm in the middle of a lot of shows. Like, a lot a lot. Which should be proof positive that I needed the break. There are too many to keep up with. Really, I should only start shows that are already completed. Cliffhangers give me anxiety.
I've been pleasantly impressed with myself, though. I have resisted temptation.
Sunday, March 1
So, there's this tradition or dispensation or ordinance that says you can take Sunday off from whatever your fast is and indulge. It's like fasting from meat but eating fish on Fridays (or beaver tail, if you're from Wales - long story). This feels like cheating to me. It's like 'suffering for the Lord' during the week and then ignoring God on Sunday so you can get hopped up on whatever you're sacrificing. I don't judge others who indulge (okay, I do a little), but I don't want to get into that mindset where you allow just a little bit, and then a little bit more, and before you know it, you've bought the t-shirt and are drinking the kool-aid.
I may have mixed a few metaphors.
Monday, March 2
Did you know some restaurants have TVs? This makes life harder.
Tuesday, March 3
So not only can't I watch the latest episode of Castle. I'm also missing adorable cat videos, John Oliver's rants, and the new Avengers trailer. Truly, I am suffering greatly. But this is good for me. Really.
Thursday, March 5
Today's devotional thought was about priorities. I've been thinking a lot about that as I've been without television. Now, I don't watch what is commonly called 'appointment TV.' Gone are the days where, if you want to watch the latest NCIS, you have to be in front of your television at 8:00 on a Tuesday night. I can watch a day later or a month later. But TV still takes up time. I still prioritize it over other things. Is it eternally important? No. Is it therefore bad? Still no. But it's not, and should not be, the most important thing.
Saturday, March 7
So I've been talking a lot about how difficult it's been to not be watching television or movies. But I think I also mentioned that I had given up soda. And that's not been super hard. Until today. I had to wake up a bit early for practice, foolishly didn't eat anything, and then swung bells around for two hours. By the end, I needed a pick-me-up. It's the first time that I've craved something caffeinated since Lent began. I was not anticipating this particular struggle.
Sunday, March 8
Here's another good thought from the devotional: "When we submit ourselves to God, we position ourselves to be in alignment with what he desires for us. It allows us to say 'no' to the good and 'yes' to the best." This is also a Franklin Covey concept and the subject of the book "Good to Great." The idea is that we have to say no to some things that really are good ideas so that we can say yes to the truly great ideas. Think about it. If you know God is prompting you to do something, and you do something else, that doesn't mean he's done with you. And things may not totally fall apart, either. Following your own plan could be perfectly all right. But why would you settle for 'all right' when you can have fantastic? The world is constantly running after things that are just okay when compared with the truly awesome. So even when you fall away, you can still get back to the great - it just takes more effort and probably unnecessary pain.
Monday, March 9
Day 20. The halfway point. I was afraid I'd encounter a 200th hour situation. (Incidentally, this was the title of an episode of a show called The Unit, which was a pretty excellent look at U.S. Special Forces and their challenges in the field and at home. In this episode, Bob hits his 200th hour - the point at which you have trained so much that you get a little cavalier with your actions. You're on guard for it at the 100th hour, but by the 200th hour, you're not as prepared for it. Of course, Bob's 200th hour was accidentally grazing a teammate. Mine is a little less serious.)
I think I've finally reached the point, though, that television is not a reflexive action. This is a huge milestone. Don't get me wrong, this is still hard, and it feels like an interminable wait - especially when you realize that Lent is actually about 46 days, not 40.
Jessica shall prevail.
Thursday, March 12
Did you know that there are 10,080 minutes in a week? (And 525,600 minutes in a year. But that's beside the point.)
What do you do with those minutes?
You're actually asleep for a lot of them. Depending on whether you get the doctor-recommended amount of eight hours or a paltry five hours, you could spend between 2,100 - 3,360 hours sleeping. Let's split the difference. You're down to 7,350.
Now let's say you work an eight hour day. Granted, you do a lot during that day. But I like to think you're doing actual work. You're down to 4,950.
Then there's the necessary stuff - eating, bathroom, getting ready, etc. I ballparked these things at three hours a day. Maybe a bit generous, but include your driving time in that. You're down to 3,690.
What about errands? This could vary week to week, but let's top it out at three hours. 3,510.
We haven't even talked about church and quiet time, yet. I'll say 30 minutes/day for quiet time and two hours for church on Sunday. 3,180.
Now let's talk about television. The average American watches about five hours of television per day. Subtract 2,100 hours.
You now have 1,080 hours in which your life can be edified. That's 18 hours. But it's not 18 consecutive hours. It's 18 hours interspersed with the rest of your life.
Also, if you have kids, forget everything I just wrote. You have no time. Sorry.
How do you spend your 10,080 minutes?
Tuesday, March 17
Here's another good thought from ReThink Life.
Life is not a dress rehearsal.
There are no do-overs. No backsies.
You know how people experience something and then say, "Well, I'll never get that hour of my life back."
You're right. (It's also a really rude thing to say. Either don't do things you think are a waste of time, or shut up and enjoy the hard work that people put into something.)
The point is, you're never going to get that time back. It's been spent. So you have to make sure you're spending the little time you have on worthwhile things.
Wednesday, March 18
People can't see our hearts, but they can see our hearts by the choices we make.
I've talked about this before. I think. I can't actually find the post. It may only exist in my head.
Anyway, it's absolutely true. The things we consume will ultimately inform our actions, and our actions reveal our hearts. You can't convince me this isn't true.
Thursday, March 26
There was a plane crash. Now, the news has not strictly been a part of my no-TV ruling. But I've been staying away from videos and the like for the most part and strictly reading articles. But this was huge. So I dove headfirst into the online news networks.
And then the world went insane.
Correction: I rediscovered that the world has always been insane.
A good friend said something to me the other day that I have decided to adopt. I almost wish I subscribe to the pre-Tribbers philosophy so that I could believe followers of Christ will be missing out on the worst that is yet to come.
Alas. Alack. I do not. We're in for a rough ride.
But Christ has already won.
Tuesday, March 31
Last week. Home stretch.
I'm going crazy.
I am seriously going mad.
I was doing okay. Television is not the be all and end all of my existence.
But this week you'd think it was.
My brain keeps trying to justify watching 'just a little bit' of TV. "Go on YouTube" it says. "It'll be fun" it says. "What can it hurt?"
And the answer is: It probably wouldn't hurt a thing. I put this restriction on myself. No one is enforcing it. Just me and my willpower.
But if I can't even fight against my treacherous brain? I don't stand a chance against anyone else.
Sunday, April 5
So. We come to the end.
I'm not really sure this has been a coherent journey. I've done a lot of stuff since February 18. It's snowed at least twice.
I've come to a few conclusions.
1) It's impossible to go six weeks without seeing some kind of audio/visual content. Unless you live under a rock. Or deep in the woods without internet. Or cable. Or you're dead.
2) It is possible to go a few days without watching something. It's even enjoyable. You get all kinds of stuff done. Speaking of...
3) You have a lot of free time on your hands when you're not watching TV. Like, a lot a lot.
4) Not everyone will know you gave up TV and movies. This is a good thing. Not everyone needed to know. The ones who did know were really supportive.
5) It is a sacrifice. I missed out on some things. Poor Carolyn, I kept having to tell her no when she asked about going to a movie.
6) Withdrawal is awful. Spoilers help. So do recaps. I watch too many shows.
7) This was a good exercise in self-control. I feel closer to God. I feel compelled to manage my viewing habits better in the future.
Oh, and soda? Totally out.
Ash Wednesday, February 18
I'm feeling a little anxious. Today marks the beginning of Lent. According to Wikipedia, "the traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial." It is a commemoration of the forty days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert before he was tempted by Satan. There are a great many historical, theological, doctrinal, and denominational considerations when it comes to Lent, and over the years, it has come to mean different things to different people. But the common practice in the U.S. (or at least the part I'm familiar with) has been to focus on self-denial, such as giving up something treasured in order to bring one's self more in line with the will of God.
Of course, many of the people I know give up something like chocolate or soda almost jokingly or as an afterthought, and the sacrifice really doesn't make much of a dent in their lives. (I'm over-generalizing, I know. I'm sure you all gave up very personal things. Or you figured that, not being Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, or Lutheran, you really don't feel pressured to practice Lent.) I've done similar things in the past. I gave up soda a few years ago, and some years, I just didn't bother.
This year is different, and the reason why leads to the aforementioned feelings of anxiety. Pursuant to a previous post (Saturation Point), I feel compelled to give up something a little more dear to me. (In the interests of full disclosure, I'm also giving up soda again. Mostly because I need to. Sugar is bad.) You'll recall I was feeling overwhelmed with the sheer amount of input from media and internet sources. So I decided to do something about it. For the next six weeks, the time that I previously spent on TV and movies will now be devoted to meditating on God.
It's a good thing. But I'm trepidatious. I've never really thought about how much time I spend on movies and television. And YouTube. And funny videos on Facebook. And news reports. And Google doodles! Okay, so it's everywhere. And I'll be going out of my way to avoid it all for the next sixish weeks.
Friday, February 20
I'm going crazy. It shouldn't be this hard, right? But I think about it constantly. I almost unconsciously reach for the iPad or remote to watch a show. I didn't realize how pervasive it is. Or I did, but not to what degree. And it's not just television itself. It's the little videos on Facebook and the articles with illustrating video. Why can't I turn off my brain?!
Sunday, February 22
Yesterday was both easy and hard. It snowed, a lot, which meant there was no going outside, no errands, nothing but me in my apartment for ten hours straight. I had planned for this somewhat because I knew I needed to do some cleaning and organizing, maybe get rid of some things I don't really use.
But this is one of my issues. I'm a multi-tasker. I can't stand doing just one thing at a time. And for me, television is a way to quiet part of my brain so I can focus on something else while still fulfilling the requirement to do more than one thing.
So normally, I would pop in a movie or show and use that as my background for cleaning. This option being unavailable threw a wrench into the plan. But then I had a brilliant idea. I have some audio books that I've been meaning to listen to, and that usually means a car ride to Pennsylvania or Michigan. But this was the perfect opportunity. So, for seven hours, I listened to Cary Elwes tell me about filming The Princess Bride while I got my clean on.
It was wonderful.
Tuesday, February 24
I didn't just give up movies and TV and then sit around stewing about it. The point of Lent is not to focus on the thing you sacrificed, but to use those thoughts to point you to the One worth every sacrifice. So I've been reading through one of YouVersion's devotional plans designed for Lent, called ReThink Life.
Sunday's message was spot on. "We live in a world and a culture that is constantly pushing its agenda, and so many times it is pretty much the opposite of the life that God is calling us to live as Christ-followers." What we watch, what we consume, can have a profound impact on how we view life. And let's face it, most of what the world produces does not send a message we should be listening to. We can tell ourselves that we won't let it affect the way we live our lives, that we won't accept the 'bad stuff.' But we're just fooling ourselves. The more we allow it into our lives, the more we start to reflect the world's values.
Wednesday, February 25
I'm starting to not think about it all the time. Just every other hour. One of my issues is that I hate leaving things unfinished. And I'm in the middle of a lot of shows. Like, a lot a lot. Which should be proof positive that I needed the break. There are too many to keep up with. Really, I should only start shows that are already completed. Cliffhangers give me anxiety.
I've been pleasantly impressed with myself, though. I have resisted temptation.
Sunday, March 1
So, there's this tradition or dispensation or ordinance that says you can take Sunday off from whatever your fast is and indulge. It's like fasting from meat but eating fish on Fridays (or beaver tail, if you're from Wales - long story). This feels like cheating to me. It's like 'suffering for the Lord' during the week and then ignoring God on Sunday so you can get hopped up on whatever you're sacrificing. I don't judge others who indulge (okay, I do a little), but I don't want to get into that mindset where you allow just a little bit, and then a little bit more, and before you know it, you've bought the t-shirt and are drinking the kool-aid.
I may have mixed a few metaphors.
Monday, March 2
Did you know some restaurants have TVs? This makes life harder.
Tuesday, March 3
So not only can't I watch the latest episode of Castle. I'm also missing adorable cat videos, John Oliver's rants, and the new Avengers trailer. Truly, I am suffering greatly. But this is good for me. Really.
Thursday, March 5
Today's devotional thought was about priorities. I've been thinking a lot about that as I've been without television. Now, I don't watch what is commonly called 'appointment TV.' Gone are the days where, if you want to watch the latest NCIS, you have to be in front of your television at 8:00 on a Tuesday night. I can watch a day later or a month later. But TV still takes up time. I still prioritize it over other things. Is it eternally important? No. Is it therefore bad? Still no. But it's not, and should not be, the most important thing.
Saturday, March 7
So I've been talking a lot about how difficult it's been to not be watching television or movies. But I think I also mentioned that I had given up soda. And that's not been super hard. Until today. I had to wake up a bit early for practice, foolishly didn't eat anything, and then swung bells around for two hours. By the end, I needed a pick-me-up. It's the first time that I've craved something caffeinated since Lent began. I was not anticipating this particular struggle.
Sunday, March 8
Here's another good thought from the devotional: "When we submit ourselves to God, we position ourselves to be in alignment with what he desires for us. It allows us to say 'no' to the good and 'yes' to the best." This is also a Franklin Covey concept and the subject of the book "Good to Great." The idea is that we have to say no to some things that really are good ideas so that we can say yes to the truly great ideas. Think about it. If you know God is prompting you to do something, and you do something else, that doesn't mean he's done with you. And things may not totally fall apart, either. Following your own plan could be perfectly all right. But why would you settle for 'all right' when you can have fantastic? The world is constantly running after things that are just okay when compared with the truly awesome. So even when you fall away, you can still get back to the great - it just takes more effort and probably unnecessary pain.
Monday, March 9
Day 20. The halfway point. I was afraid I'd encounter a 200th hour situation. (Incidentally, this was the title of an episode of a show called The Unit, which was a pretty excellent look at U.S. Special Forces and their challenges in the field and at home. In this episode, Bob hits his 200th hour - the point at which you have trained so much that you get a little cavalier with your actions. You're on guard for it at the 100th hour, but by the 200th hour, you're not as prepared for it. Of course, Bob's 200th hour was accidentally grazing a teammate. Mine is a little less serious.)
I think I've finally reached the point, though, that television is not a reflexive action. This is a huge milestone. Don't get me wrong, this is still hard, and it feels like an interminable wait - especially when you realize that Lent is actually about 46 days, not 40.
Jessica shall prevail.
Thursday, March 12
Did you know that there are 10,080 minutes in a week? (And 525,600 minutes in a year. But that's beside the point.)
What do you do with those minutes?
You're actually asleep for a lot of them. Depending on whether you get the doctor-recommended amount of eight hours or a paltry five hours, you could spend between 2,100 - 3,360 hours sleeping. Let's split the difference. You're down to 7,350.
Now let's say you work an eight hour day. Granted, you do a lot during that day. But I like to think you're doing actual work. You're down to 4,950.
Then there's the necessary stuff - eating, bathroom, getting ready, etc. I ballparked these things at three hours a day. Maybe a bit generous, but include your driving time in that. You're down to 3,690.
What about errands? This could vary week to week, but let's top it out at three hours. 3,510.
We haven't even talked about church and quiet time, yet. I'll say 30 minutes/day for quiet time and two hours for church on Sunday. 3,180.
Now let's talk about television. The average American watches about five hours of television per day. Subtract 2,100 hours.
You now have 1,080 hours in which your life can be edified. That's 18 hours. But it's not 18 consecutive hours. It's 18 hours interspersed with the rest of your life.
Also, if you have kids, forget everything I just wrote. You have no time. Sorry.
How do you spend your 10,080 minutes?
Tuesday, March 17
Here's another good thought from ReThink Life.
Life is not a dress rehearsal.
There are no do-overs. No backsies.
You know how people experience something and then say, "Well, I'll never get that hour of my life back."
You're right. (It's also a really rude thing to say. Either don't do things you think are a waste of time, or shut up and enjoy the hard work that people put into something.)
The point is, you're never going to get that time back. It's been spent. So you have to make sure you're spending the little time you have on worthwhile things.
Wednesday, March 18
People can't see our hearts, but they can see our hearts by the choices we make.
I've talked about this before. I think. I can't actually find the post. It may only exist in my head.
Anyway, it's absolutely true. The things we consume will ultimately inform our actions, and our actions reveal our hearts. You can't convince me this isn't true.
Thursday, March 26
There was a plane crash. Now, the news has not strictly been a part of my no-TV ruling. But I've been staying away from videos and the like for the most part and strictly reading articles. But this was huge. So I dove headfirst into the online news networks.
And then the world went insane.
Correction: I rediscovered that the world has always been insane.
A good friend said something to me the other day that I have decided to adopt. I almost wish I subscribe to the pre-Tribbers philosophy so that I could believe followers of Christ will be missing out on the worst that is yet to come.
Alas. Alack. I do not. We're in for a rough ride.
But Christ has already won.
Tuesday, March 31
Last week. Home stretch.
I'm going crazy.
I am seriously going mad.
I was doing okay. Television is not the be all and end all of my existence.
But this week you'd think it was.
My brain keeps trying to justify watching 'just a little bit' of TV. "Go on YouTube" it says. "It'll be fun" it says. "What can it hurt?"
And the answer is: It probably wouldn't hurt a thing. I put this restriction on myself. No one is enforcing it. Just me and my willpower.
But if I can't even fight against my treacherous brain? I don't stand a chance against anyone else.
Sunday, April 5
So. We come to the end.
I'm not really sure this has been a coherent journey. I've done a lot of stuff since February 18. It's snowed at least twice.
I've come to a few conclusions.
1) It's impossible to go six weeks without seeing some kind of audio/visual content. Unless you live under a rock. Or deep in the woods without internet. Or cable. Or you're dead.
2) It is possible to go a few days without watching something. It's even enjoyable. You get all kinds of stuff done. Speaking of...
3) You have a lot of free time on your hands when you're not watching TV. Like, a lot a lot.
4) Not everyone will know you gave up TV and movies. This is a good thing. Not everyone needed to know. The ones who did know were really supportive.
5) It is a sacrifice. I missed out on some things. Poor Carolyn, I kept having to tell her no when she asked about going to a movie.
6) Withdrawal is awful. Spoilers help. So do recaps. I watch too many shows.
7) This was a good exercise in self-control. I feel closer to God. I feel compelled to manage my viewing habits better in the future.
Oh, and soda? Totally out.
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