Think About Such Things...

Picture of me and my little sponge - August 2010

Tim left this afternoon for the Annual Fall Retreat with our church's youth group; nothing too new as he's had many trips and retreats in the three-plus years he's been involved in Student Ministries.  Now that we're parents, Tim being gone means a few things for me:  taking care of Stella without much of a break (shout out to single-moms...I do not know how you do it day after day), repeatedly letting Caroline out into the backyard without her EVER going to the bathroom (she only wants to fetch), catching up on housework, and spending lots of time alone in the evenings.  Tonight, I had planned to watch Grey's Anatomy on Netflix; I used to watch that show religiously before we decided to get rid of television a few years back.  I started to watch Season Six this afternoon while I was nursing Stella, and I once again discovered how you see and hear things differently when all of it is being filtered through your baby.  Well, let's be honest, she probably understands nothing of what she's seeing on the computer screen at this age, but soon there will come a day when she is really absorbing all that we watch, listen to, say, do, etc.  Within the first 30 seconds of the show there was sex, sex, and more sex.  Despite this, I came back for more after putting Stella down to sleep tonight.  I tried logging in to Netflix and it wouldn't let me connect.  I tried again...and again...and a few minutes later, again.  After all these failed attempts, I found myself wondering what I used to enjoy about watching Grey's; if there are legitimate reasons why I wouldn't want my child to see or hear that kind of stuff, why would I want to watch it myself?  Now that I'm Stella's mom, I'm being challenged more than ever before to honor God with my big AND small choices, and I hope these decisions wear off on Stella Grace as she grows up absorbing the many things this world has to offer.

"Finally, brothers, 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 about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."  Philippians 4:8.

Tiny Tim misses her daddy...come home soon, Big Tim!