I love to read, I love my shows, I love movies, and I love music. Every once in a while though God has to get my attention and tell me to evaluate how I'm spending my time. To consider what I am putting into my heart and mind. It hasn't been a once or twice conviction..it happens a lot.
I have learned the tell-tell signs to know I'm spending too much time in one of these 4 areas, but I'm sure God will show me other ways to know I'm "out of bounds".
For shows and movies there is always the convicting "Would you watch this with your children". I try to always be careful of what is going into my children's minds, but the last several months I have become more and more convicted of what is going into my mind and heart. DTWS has been one of my favorite shows, it should really embarrass me to tell you that!! Women (read in there ME and my daughter) struggle enough with body image without the help of half naked, nearly perfect women on my T.V. The talk they use to analyze the dances..the sexier the better. These should have all sent me running years ago. It took blatant homosexuality flaunted on the show to give me the push. I'm disappointed with my choices, I'm confidant my Jesus is too.
One of the other tell-tell signs I have learned in the last year when it comes to movies and shows....We love detective shows. It got to the point though where I had set shows I watched at night and re-runs of other shows I watched during the day while doing house work. I became sad, depressed, unsettled, angry, having out-burst. When shows were over or Rick was still watching and I would try to sleep I couldn't sleep. Sometimes anxiety would take over other times I would just be so restless and have nightmares. I knew I was watching too much death, kidnappings, and just shows with a lack of respect for human life. I had to do a serious cut back and when those feelings come back I know to think about what I'm watching.
Music...I love me some country music but lets face it you have to be careful. When I catch myself singing that song and paying attention to the words....and gasp, was I really singing that WITH MY KIDS?!?!?!? I know then way to much secular music has made it's way into our day recently. I love worship music and I love to sing with my kids I have to be the parent and make sure that is what is pumping through our speakers.
Books, oh goodness I love to read!!!!! It is my escape. That's the problem. I learned years ago that I can read very little non-Christian fiction. I don't want the cussing, the sex, and the ungodly story lines. So I switched to Christian fiction. I still have to be careful though. Too much reading, even Christian books, and I will check out of my life and into a "happily ever after world".
The Bible says in Matthew 12:34 "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" When I'm reading all these touchy-feely books A LOT I find myself getting moody, unhappy with how my life is, unhappy in my marriage, unhappy with my kids, unhappy because reality stinks. The result is unhappy things coming out of my mouth, undeserved anger at my husband and kids and my friends. Let's be honest we love the "Cinderella" story, but we know it isn't our life so to get sucked into someone elses "life" feels good (even if we can tell ourselves it's just a book). Then when our life doesn't go along with the "happily ever after" we get unhappy in our day to day stuff/routine/life.
I have had to learn to make getting into God's Word a priority. Then find a balance between Christian fiction, devotionals, and books that will help my Christian walk.
I have not come even close to mastering any of these areas, it is a work in progress, my guess is it always will be. I get the right and the wrong choices out of balance often and God has to send me those tell-tell signs I was telling you about to get my attention.
This is what has been on my mind and heart lately...what heart overflow is coming out of my mouth????
What has your attitude been like lately? Does it have anything to do with what you listen to, watch, or read?
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think on THESE things." Philippians 4:8
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