I got my hair done a few days ago, and I had asked my hairdresser to give me a really good cut! She asked if she could give me a "box cut" and I said yes. As she was cutting, she said something to me that has really stuck with me… "Cortemos el que no tenga ninguna vida," translated means "let's cut off that which has no life." I know she meant it for my hair, but the larger implications have sat with me for several days.
Lent is approaching (Wednesday March 5) and I have been praying today over what needs to be cut off that has no life left so I may be closer to the One who gives life. How can I be emptied so He can fill me? What steals, robs, kills my time with the Lord, family, and kids? It didn't take long for the Lord to convict me of what it is that must go!
TV.
I know this will surprise some of you. I am a wife, mom, missionary and I work full-time. My kids are in ballet a couple days a week, I go to the gym several times, do all of the grocery shopping, most of the cooking and the list just goes on and on and it would appear as if the "free time" would be non-existent, and sometimes I even try to convince myself of exactly that!
But, it's true. And it's a confession I hate to admit. At night, I sit in front of the TV, not every night, but many, for 2-3 hours. 2-3 hours I could be spending:
- With my husband
- Soaking up truths from the Word
- Delving into my Bible Study (that I swear I never have time to do)
- Vision cast/dream with the Lord about the direction of the ministry he has chosen me to work within
- Pray for the thousands of Dominicans and Haitians our ministry is reaching yearly
- Pray for my own children's hearts to love the Lord and seek him first
- Working out and regarding my body as a Living Temple of the Holy Spirit
But I do none of this, because TV has sucked away my time every evening, convincing me that the way I need to "recharge" is to unplug from the very thing that gives life and instead fill my head with garbage, and when it's not the normal lineup of shows, it's anything- even Australia's next design star (seriously). Somehow "relaxing" and "recharging" in the evenings have left me exhausted, snappy, unfulfilled.
So, for 40 days, I am giving up night time TV (because it's the only time it's on!) and will be replace it with things that will draw me closer to the Lord and my family and not distract or take away from those things, by focusing first on the list above- things that bring new life to us!
What about you? What do you need to cut off that gives no life? What do you need to turn your face from so that you may fully face the One who will breathe life into our souls and fill us with Holy power?
Let's pray for one another!
Holding this sweet "new life," and you can check out my new hair cut! :)
