A long time ago, for Halloween, one of my friends dressed up as a sack of potatoes. On her back, there was a sign that said:
"You are what you eat; last night, I ate potatoes".
We thought it was funny way back then, but today, I have been thinking more and more about that Halloween from long ago.
I think there is another lesson here. I think we take things in with all of our senses and not just tasting. I think we hear things, touch things, see things, and smell things as well as taste them. If we are not careful about the things that go into our bodies, or our minds or our thoughts, we will start to tolerate and than accept those things. They will slowly become a part of us. They will influence who we are inside. They will influence the person we become. When I think about that, I realize that I want to be the type of person that others want to be around. I want to be an example, but more than that, I want to be Christ-like in all I do and say.
My daughter taught me this great lesson just last night. We rented movies this weekend to watch after conference. We all enjoy a family movie night every once in awhile. Usually we watch kid oriented movies, but the girls are getting older, and sometimes they like to watch what we affectionately term "chick flicks" around here. So, there was a movie available for rent that I wanted to see. It has someone starring in it that I normally like. It did not have a bad rating (PG is our normal tolerance for movies in our home). We rented that movie and turned it on last night to watch together. After less than two minutes, my daughter looked at me and said: "Mom, I don't think this is a movie that we should be watching. I think we need to turn it off."
My husband agreed with her, and I am ashamed to say that I did not. There was a part of me that thought for a moment, "I really want to watch this, why can't you just wait and see if it gets better?" I thought it, I resented turning it off, but I did not say anything about it.
We turned off the movie and watched Tangled (for the 3rd time) instead. It took me until this morning to realize what had happened. (sometimes I am just a little bit slower than I would like to be!)
Somehow, in my life, I have eaten the potatoes of movies that have dulled my senses to what is right and what is wrong. I have let the world tell me what is good and what is bad. I have let the smells, tastes, touches, sights, and sounds that surround me, separate me from those things which are most important of all.
We are made up of so much more than just the things we eat. We can be so much more than the world expects us to be. But first, we have to choose not to partake of those things that take us away from our Father in Heaven.
I would never dream of telling anyone else what to watch or read or talk about in their homes. I would never dream of telling you that you are wrong or right in that choice. But for me, I am choosing to be a little more conservative in my choices. I am choosing to follow my sweet young daughter whose internal conscience has not be influenced by the things that surround us in the world today.
I am choosing not to eat the potatoes of the world.
I am choosing to follow the counsels of the Prophet of God
I am choosing to be different.
John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
I think this happens to all of us at different times in our lives. And just like you, we need to remember to "chose the better part"and get back on track.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! As always. :D
Good job, Patty Ann! That isn't always easy. Thank heavens for the support of family and friends to help us when we need it. :)
ReplyDeleteCorine :D
Bravo! I was totally convicted about this when my husband and I were helping with youth group YEARS ago. There's an internet site where you can go and check out movies, lyrics to songs, etc. to see what your kids (or you!) are listening to and watching. I'm telling you. We came home and threw away a LOT of CD's. I don't listen to hardly anything that isn't Christian. It's just better for me that way. Same goes for movies. We are a bit more lax on the movies, because both my husband and I love war movies, but all the sex and stuff...no way. If we start watching something and it's too risque, OFF it goes.
ReplyDeleteGood for your daughter for speaking up, and good for you for raising such a godly child!
I totally agree with your analogy. I'm bad with movies and romantic comedies. I love movies and it's hard to turn it off. We have several movies we love that we fast forward through the bad parts...but that isn't good either. It's sad to love the story lines and dismiss the bad parts of the world we live in.
ReplyDeleteI've recommended movies to friends in the past who were astonished at the content and had to turn it off - then I get embarrassed for recommending it. It's a sad thing when you don't even think about it and that my senses are dulled.
What is worse is that I own so many and really don't want to throw them out because I love the story lines. With movies - I am ashamed to admit that I have a problem letting them go. Of course none are R rated.
It takes a lot of courage to get up and walk out of a theater too. I should have done that several times on PG-13 shows - but I didn't. This is one thing I need to do better with.
I'm so proud of your daughter and her example. I'm always amazed at the strength of the youth. They really are very valiant.
Really great post! I hope you will come over on Thursday and link it up to my Women of Noble Character post.
ReplyDeleteWe all need this reminder from time to time. Thank you for sharing this.
I think what your daughter did was because of all your prior good training. I can tell you are a great Mom and doing great things in your home. :)
ReplyDeleteThe world sure makes it easy to come down off the mountain just a little bit and not even notice. We all do this now and then, but hopefully we realize before it's too late.
ReplyDeleteYes, we do get desensitized to the things of this world.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has also told me to turn off a movie that I remembered as a child and didn't think it was too bad. As a parent I am always surprised to see what other people allow their children to watch. I am so very careful. Thanks for linking this up the NOBH
ReplyDeletePatty, right on! I was greatly uplifted by your post. Our of the mouths of our sweet children of today comes wisdom. I too want to limit my consumption of those things that I know are not good for me both physically and spiritually. I find when I take the sacrament a moment to think through and reflect on those things that I need to change in my own life.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you for a great post.
LeAnn