Before we gave up television, one of my favorite things to do after getting the kids to bed was to get a big bowl of ice cream, plop down in the recliner, turn on the TV, and watch some mind numbing comedy that would make me laugh. I think one reason some sitcoms are so [...]
Archive for August, 2007
Welcomed – but Unwelcomed Silence
Posted in Commentary, Spirituality, The Process on August 29, 2007 | 1 Comment »
The Pull of the Dark Side
Posted in Family, Kids, Parenting, The Process on August 28, 2007 | 1 Comment »
I yelled at my children this morning. I confess this neither because it is such a rare occurence that the room immediately fell into a shocked silence nor because I feel like a terrible and abusive mother that doesn’t deserve to live. I am telling you this because as I reflected on my behavior, I [...]
The Spiritual Value of Trying
Posted in Family, Kids, Parenting, Theology on August 23, 2007 | 1 Comment »
We spent the evening sitting on pins and needles with our eight year old son, Ben, as he tested to try to move from yellow to blue belt in his martial arts class: Taijutsu. Taijutsu is a traditional Japanese martial art which emphasizes self-discipline, respect and self-defense. We love the program because the instructor, Peter Ellery, models self-discipline [...]
Quote for today
Posted in Quotes on August 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
“It’s hard to remember you are a cherished spiritual being when you are burping up apple fritters and Cheetos.” from Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
An Interview with the kids
Posted in Kids, Parenting, The Process, Uncategorized on August 18, 2007 | 1 Comment »
As I conduct this interview we are sitting at the dining room table. I’m working on the laptop, Ben is drawing race cars and Julia is coloring. They’ve been at this for a few hours now. They have been singing songs from church camp the whole time. This is really what they said. Hard to [...]
Reflection on Blogging
Posted in The Process on August 18, 2007 | 1 Comment »
I’ve been reflecting on the purpose of blogging. On the one hand, it seems very egotistical and self-aggrandizing . Who am I to think that what I have to say is significant enough that other folks might want to spend their valuable time reading my blog? On the other hand it is a simply a way [...]
The First Two Weeks
Posted in The Process on August 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
We’ve completed two weeks now and I have to say that while there have been moments that I have longed to be able to veg in front of the TV for the most part I have really enjoyed the change. Here are a few of the positive changes I have observed in myself and our [...]
Lessons From DaVinci on Parenting
Posted in Dogs, Family, Kids, Parenting on August 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Before you start to think that I’ve spent a lot of time contemplating the life and work of Leonardo DaVinci I must tell you that DaVinci is our family’s 14 month old chocolate Labrador Retriever. While he is not the first house-dog we have had, he is certainly the biggest and the first puppy we [...]
A Word About The Rules
Posted in The Process on August 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Betsy 8.14.07 Some folks have asked about the “rules” of our fast. Are we watching movies? How about the news? Do the kids get to watch videos, etc? While we have not set any hard and fast rules (we’re sort of making it up as we go along) I think I am safe in saying that [...]
Our Journey Begins
Posted in Commentary, The Process on August 8, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Posted by Betsy 8.8.07 For a long time now I have been aware of just how much time I spend zoned out in front of the TV. At the end of the day, when the kids are in bed and I’m tired, my ample hindquarters seem to gravitate toward the couch as if drawn by [...]
The First Four Weeks
Posted in Commentary, The Process on August 30, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Four weeks ago today I called and cancelled the satellite hook up. No more TV. I remember that on the last day I felt like I needed to watch a lot of TV because I knew it wouldn’t be available thereafter. Sort of like when you binge on food the day before starting a diet. [...]
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