A Year Without Entertainment

Lord willing we have a moving date! While we have a lease and the funds we never fully know the will of the Lord. So as James implores the believers: “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, :If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” - James 4:13-15

In the meantime we are making plans and preparing to move into a place of our own! It has been a long run, but we are finally close to the end of this road. Only weeks away and we will be unpacking boxes that have been in storage far too long, and refurnishing the empty pallet that awaits us. We are elated and nervous as we anticipate the deadline for the needed funding. We are at a point where we have to trust that the Lord will provide what we need. Though we know that our budget says we should be fine, the numbers are quiet daunting. So this time around- we are choosing to put the anxiety behind us and trust the Lord with our finances. I am quiet proud of the stand my husband is taking in this matter. The Lord is doing a good work in his heart. I’m seeing faith I’ve never seen before evident through his decisions, words and confidence. 

(It is such a blessing to have a husband that desires a relationship with the Lord)

There are going to be a lot of changes for our family in the next years apart from an apartment and a minimalistic approach on life. Starting the first of February, following my post :We Need A Radical Change, and many hours of prayer and discussion, we have decided to take a year long fast from ‘electronic entertainment’. It was not an easy decision by any means and we are far from prepared to embrace this drastic culture shock. However, it is far more important to us that we put aside from ourselves this mundane routine we have fallen into. We are determined to banish from ourselves this idol in our life- whatever it may take. 

We wanted to do more than put strict rules on ourselves (which by-the-way, are easily broken). We wanted to utterly destroy and sacrifice the very thing which we have until this point been unable to part with. So we are giving it all up...for not just a week, month,  or months, but for an entire year. We will be left with twelve beautiful months battling for something deeper in our relationships, lifestyle, and thinking.  

So as of February first, we will not have access to Netflix, Amazon movies, TV, video games, movies (except for on occasion as a family night), Wii games (except for occasional date nights or friend nights), Facebook scrolling, Pinterest scrolling, and so on. I will write for my blog but I won't be wasting time on media sights just glancing here and there.  Our phones will be for texting, calls, and emails only. We are putting our computers on a shelf in a closet and our TV will be set up so that in order to watch our occasional family movie we have to move our seating so that we can see the TV. We don't take lightly what we are trying to accomplish here. Call us extremists...it's probably true. 

Since my goal this past year is to be as honest with you as possible, I do want to note that while we are desperate for change in this area, I am terrified and anxious over what I may discover along the way. What on earth am I to do with myself? How will I pass the long hours of these early years of motherhood? What will I do in addition to cooking and housework? Have I gone so far into the modern world of entertainment that I have completely forgotten the richness of learning and discovering? Yes...I think to a point, I have. 

It does scare me to think of putting away all of our forms of electronic entertainment, but it also excites me; as if there is some grand adventure to await. As hidden gold, we are seeking out the riches and treasures of our own hearts and the heart of Christ. We are on an expedition to rediscover ourselves. No wonder the impending sacrifice is so tantalizingly daunting! 

As we wander this road and rediscover ourselves and our family, we want to share that part of us with you. We want to share with you the raw unedited version of our story. How greatly vexed we might become and the great unfathomable jewels we may stumble upon as we walk.  After all- I should have more time to write...and maybe something worth writing about. 

With an Earnest Love,

Leah