Media Free Mondays - Day 1

As many of you know, I write a column for a regional parenting magazine, Coulee Parenting Connection.  Last week my editor and I were discussing possible topics for future articles, and I wound up volunteering my family for an experiment which should provide great material for my next editorial.

I had just finished reading a blog by someone who had instituted "Media Free Mondays" in their home, in an attempt to reconnect as a family.  They shut off all electronics - television, computers, cell phones, and Ipods - and substituted reading, board games, and talk.  In a moment of inspiration, combined with complete insanity brought on by sleep deprivation, I proposed to do the same with my family and then write about it.

My editor loved the idea.  My family?  Not so much.  They are good sports though, and lucky for me, they love me enough to try it.  Well, that, and I didn't exactly give them a choice.

In order to fully appreciate how difficult this might be for us, you have to understand how "wired" we all are.  We each have our own computer, cell phone, and music player.  The girls do not have TVs in their rooms, but there are still three sets in the house.  Our evenings are typically spent watching one of our favorite shows from the DVR, and it's likely that at least one of us will also be online or texting at the same time.  We do still talk to each other as well - we're not completely dysfunctional, or at least I hope not, but this weekly investigation may prove otherwise.  After all, we do tend to text one another from other rooms in the house...

On that note, I thought it would be funny to announce this brilliant plan to my family via Facebook.  Come on, you have to appreciate the irony!  And funny it was...here was the response:  

• Kelsey:  Can't you just pretend I don't live with you for this? Lol. Honestly I don't think it's gonna make much of a difference for me because I'll still either be at work or doing school on the computer.  (Note:  Exceptions are allowed for emergency or work-related phone calls or computer use for school.)
• Emma:  ~shoots you~ xD yeah this is the worst idea you have ever had. at least, right now, is a bad time, cause FF5 is supposed to be telling us new stuff, so ya. HORRIBLE TIME.
• Dan:  I am in. No texting, facebook, twitter, tv. That will be hard for all of us.
• Emma:  I am NOT in.  

It's easier for my husband and I to see how this could be a good thing.  Yesterday, in the midst of great eye-rolling coming from the 13-year-old, we reminisced about growing up with a rotary phone with a cord and a record player.  "Wow, Mom, you really are old."  Thanks, honey.

We tried to remember what we used to fill our time with back in those prehistoric times, and we'll try to implement some of those ideas into the vast hours of media darkness tonight.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Uh, tomorrow, that is...      

The difference of a day

Twenty-four hours ago, friends welcomed their third child into the world.  Other friends were preparing to say goodbye to their wife and mother who is stricken with an incurable brain tumor.

Twenty-four hours ago, someone I know adopted a new pet.  Another dear friend was told her pet has only a few months to live.

Twenty-four hours ago, only a handful of people knew the top 24 contestants on American Idol.  By tomorrow, we will likely know more than we should about the top 24.

Twenty-four hours ago, people in Wisconsin were in turmoil over the governor's proposal to eliminate bargaining rights by unions.  (All right, so not EVERYTHING has changed yet!)

What a difference a day makes.  Things that we considered all-consuming and crucial can become trivial in the light of a new day.  Issues that divide and polarize us suddenly melt away in the face of either happy or sad news.

Jesus said, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" (Luke 12:25-26)

I find it humorous that Jesus referred to adding an hour to our lives as a "little thing."  I think most people would consider that a major accomplishment, but then again, Jesus is not like most people.  And that's really the point here.  When we put God into the equation, anything can happen in a day.   He's always at work, even if it takes more than 24 hours to see the result.

A rant about dogs and leashes

I don't often go on a rant on this blog, but I'm about to right now.  That's what will happen when your 21-pound beagle takes on a full grown St. Bernard in defense of your other beagle.

Once a week, I drop off my daughter at her piano teacher's house, and I have a half-hour to kill.  If the weather is agreeable, I bring the dogs along, and we walk at a nearby park.  This particular park also happens to house a dog park within it.  We don't usually use the dog park (for a number of reasons I won't get into here); we walk on the trails.  My dogs are always on leash.

Today, we had just begun to walk when I heard a woman yelling.  I turned around to see an enormous animal bounding towards us.  I almost thought it was a bear at first!  In a few seconds, I saw it was a St. Bernard with a leash trailing behind it.  The owner, a woman, seemed in no hurry to catch up to him.  I yelled, "Is he friendly?"  She did not respond.  I am not sure if I froze out of fear or because I thought it might be best to stay calm, but either way, I didn't move.  I didn't even have the presence of mind to grab my pepper spray out of my coat pocket.

It turned out the dog was friendly, as he and my smaller beagle, Hunter, checked each other out.  My other dog, Molly, was cowering.  This is where you need to know some history.  Molly has been attacked, unprovoked, three times while we have walked in our neighborhood.  There have been countless other encounters with friendlier dogs off leash, but she is now very fearful when she sees a dog off leash approaching us.  Especially a 180-pound dog.

The St. Bernard decided to check Molly out.  I don't know if Hunter could sense Molly's trepidation or if he felt threatened in some way, but he nipped at the St. Bernard and let him know it wasn't ok for him to bother Molly.  Fortunately for us, the St. Bernard backed off.  I hate to think what would have happened otherwise.

The woman apologized for her dog but still made no attempt to grab his leash, and he would not stop running over to us.  I finally had to ask her to take him away because I was afraid of what my dog might do.  A few minutes later, we encountered another dog (on leash), and I heard the owner chastise the woman loudly for not having her dog on leash.

Here's the thing - I understand dogs like to run free.  I'm a dog owner; I get it.  I also understand some dogs can do so and be under complete control of their owner.  I even understand that, if they are not under control, an owner knows their dog is friendly and won't cause harm to another dog.  Or at least, they THINK they know.  Dogs live in the moment, and ANY dog, if feeling threatened, could attack.

But here's the other thing - most cities have leash laws.  There's a reason for that.  It is for your dog's protection!  If your normally amiable dog is wandering around and encounters a dog who is not so amiable, your dog could get hurt.

If your dog needs to run free, there are appropriate and safe places to do that.  A fenced-in backyard, the dog park, a dog run, or doggie daycare are all solutions, if you choose not to live in the country.

If you choose to disobey the law and not leash your dog, know that there are citizens out there, like myself, who will report you.  As I said before, I also carry pepper spray, which the police recommended I do (which tells you something about how often these attacks happen).  It is completely legal to use on another animal, and it has no long-lasting ill effects.  But do you really want your dog to get pepper sprayed?

I believe most people simply do not understand the dangers of having their dog off leash, nor do they understand how stressful it can be for other dogs that meet them.  I hope to be able to illuminate this issue so more people will comply with the law and keep our neighborhoods and parks safe for all.  

Help is on the way!

“But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.”  Psalm 71:14

“I never thought this would happen to me.”

“I just don't know what to do anymore."

"I'm not even sure God is listening to me."

“That’s it, I give up.  It’s hopeless!”

I have several friends going through some very tough stuff in their lives right now...major health issues, custody battles, rebellious children, legal issues, and rocky marriages to name a few.  I've heard all of the above statements and more.

Chances are, you've made these statements during rough patches in your life.  I know I have.  Maybe you're there right now, in the pit of despair.

God’s Word offers some tremendous encouragement.  In Mark 5, a synagogue ruler named Jairus came to see Jesus.  Jairus pleaded with Jesus to just come and put his hands on his daughter, who was dying.   He said he knew she would be healed if Jesus would do that.  Jesus agreed and they headed off to Jairus’ house.

Let me pause the story right there.  Maybe you have done just as Jairus did.  You have fallen at Jesus’ feet and begged him for a healing of your problem.  Perhaps your faith was even strong enough to say, “I know this situation will be restored with just one touch from you, Lord!”

Let’s rejoin the story now.  You see, there was a journey that Jesus and Jairus had to take.  They had to walk together from the lakeside to Jairus’ house.  The Bible doesn’t say how long this trek was, but on the way Jesus was continually surrounded by people who wanted and needed Him.  One woman simply touched Him in faith and was miraculously healed.   Jesus stopped to talk to her.  I wonder how Jairus felt at this point.  I imagine he was freaking out, as every minute mattered in getting Jesus to his daughter.  I imagine him thinking, "Get out of our way!  This crowd is annoying!  And why does Jesus have to actually stop and TALK to them?  UGH!"

Pause.  Is this where you are?  Are you on the journey with Jesus?  Are you getting frustrated that everyone else seems to be getting answers to their prayers, and you feel like He just hasn’t gotten around to taking care of you yet?   Let’s read on.

While Jesus is still speaking to the woman who was healed, bad news arrives.  Jairus’ daughter was dead.  Jairus was told there was no need to bother Jesus any more.

Pause.  Maybe this is you.  You believe all hope is lost.  There’s no point in even talking to Jesus about it anymore.

The Scripture says Jesus ignored the news of the girl’s death.  He looked Jairus in the eye and said, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”  They arrived at Jairus’ house, Jesus said two words to the girl, and she was restored to health.  Hmmmm, imagine that, Jesus arrived at just the right moment.  Not too early, not too late.

No matter where you are on the journey with Jesus, He says the same thing to you today.  Don’t be afraid, just believe.  With Jesus, there is always hope.

Hang on...help is on the way!