Operation "Turn off T.V. - Turn on Hymns"

Operation "Turn off T.V. - Turn on Hymns" has been in effect for a full week now. So far the results have been drastic.

Since Freddy was pretty much 1 year old I would turn on pbs or qubo for him once maybe twice a day for a little while so that I could get this or that done. Maybe I needed to concentrate on a menu or grocery list, take a quick shower, make the dinner, or finish up a project. I began to rely on that 1/2 hour of Dinosaur Train, Sid the Science Kid or the Your Baby Can Read dvds (which actually btw). I will also confess that for 2 years my husband was gone from usually around 7 am to between 9-10 pm pretty much every single day. By the time 6-7 pm rolled around, most nights I was at the end of my entertaining rope and would succumb to the regular and wholesome broadcasts of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune - which of course turned into Dancing with the Stars...which became Freddy's favorite show.

Even though throughout the day it didn't feel like he was watching too much T.V., I didn't like that I relied on it so much. When I got sick with the pregnancy it got much worse. We moved on from 1/2 hour broadcasts to full length movies. Beauty and the Beast being the favorite around this house. I kept telling myself, "It's just for a few weeks...once I'm feeling better we'll get back to normal..." But in my heart I didn't want to get back to normal either. That is what led to Operation "Turn off T.V. - Turn on Hymns".

We haven't had the T.V. on much at all for a week now and it's been wonderful for everyone. The other evening I wasn't feeling well so I did turn on something for us to watch and after a few minutes Freddy said, "Mama, turn off." He went in his room and I expected him to come right back out with something to show me or something because he seemed so determined when he walked in there. It was quiet in there for about 5 minutes so I decided I better go see what he is up to. When I went in there, he was sitting on his bed reading himself a favorite book. At that point I thought, "I need to give my son more credit. Here I have thought for all this time that he would be miserable and bored while I worked if there wasn't something to distract him...but turns out I can lay on the couch and get the rest I need or make dinner or do whatever and he's OK."

The mood around the house has been wonderful. Such a noticeable difference. The spirit has been much more comfortable. It's not that we were watching bad things it just that we weren't INVITING Him by having the T.V. on so much either. Repenting is all about pulling the weeds in your life and then planting beautiful plants to replace them...that is why we didn't just turn off the T.V. we turned on the hymns. Freddy has loved listening to the hymns and children's hymns and sometimes when we are just hanging out he'll start repeating some of the words. I love what he is learning. The other day we were walking home from the park and he looked up at his dad and said, "Heavenly Father love you." I love that those are the things floating around his little head now.

I can see that Freddy has been blessed but I can also feel a difference in my own heart. It was like I was trying to turn on the faucet to receive revelation but it was clogged. Then we turned off the T.V. and turned on the hymns and then all of the sudden the faucet has been on full blast almost constantly. I have learned so much in just a weeks time. I am so grateful.