The Redemption of My Physical Body: part four

I want you all to know that I am not writing this to be give a formula or anything. I think all my life I just wanted the Christian walk to be formulaic. If I do x and y then I will end up being z ... I didn't want to have to depend on and walk with God. So I don't want you to read this thing and think, oh, I just need to do what she did. No! You need to seek the Lord, walk with him, trust him with what you have and give up or lay down only what HE calls you to do.

I just wanted to say that.

Something the Lord has literally called me to lay down is the television.

We don't have a TV in our home, not because I don't like the TV, it's because I LOVE the TV. I could watch it all day, I have before. I've wasted weekends and evenings in front of the tube. Tube is a good name for it, because it sucks your time away. I am also blessed because Ben (my husband) is not interested in the TV. He would much rather play computer games or just DO something. Since meeting Ben I have lost over 40 pounds. I will say I think the weight loss was a combination of many many things, but I think that not having a TV to watch played a major role.

Some of you are really freaking out as you read this. Give up my TV? Not have it on while I clean the house? Not watch it after a tired day of work and kids? Not watch it during dinner? I'm going to be so bored, it will be too quiet.

Again, I am not wanting to be formulaic. This was an individual thing for me. But I will suggest one thing: if this caused a freak out moment for you, is it an idol? ... I'm just asking the question and asking you to pray about it. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less.

One thing I do to help me fill my day is listen to podcasts. I listen while I'm doing laundry and cleaning. They help me keep my mind busy and just keep working, but I never have to stop and see something (you know like you are tempted to do when you are watching a show?) These are just things that are true in my life, it may totally not apply to you!

Okay, one more thing.

This is what would discourage me the most about watching television. On the shows there were impossibly thin women. I could never be that skinny. They are attractive and amazing. They are strong and disrespectful of men. They also sleep around a lot. And they are attractive. And I want to be like them. Okay, maybe not if you asked me outright, but I think deep in my subconscious I totally wanted to be like any of the desperate housewives, Jordan on Crossing Jordan, the CSI women, the Gilmore Girls, and especially the Laguna Beach girls... Oh man, I've probably got a dozen more shows, but you get the point. So, I was watching them and then I would get some nice commercial breaks where they are flashing delicious pizza and burgers and all kinds of food in front of me. Thought process: "Oh man, I'm so hungry. Oh man, I'm so fat... I'll never be like one of those girls, I might as well enjoy life and get me a bag of chips..."

Does that make sense? I don't know, I think I realized this one day. It was like I was shooting my self esteem down and drooling over temptation all within a matter of 5 minutes.

This is why we will never have a television in our house.

I will get onto my story, I just had to take a break and write about this. I hope it was thought-provoking. If you have any arguments against me, feel free to leave a comment! I would love to hear your thoughts.