"Hi, my name is Jim Gardner and I am addicted to my television."
If there existed a Television-aholics Anonymous group, I confess to you this morning my need to join. The last week has more than proven it to me.
The first symptoms of my addiction began a couple of years ago when a church bulletin from the College Avenue church in El Dorado, Arkansas crossed my desk. In the bulletin, Kent Jobe, the Youth and Family Minister, admonished families to "turn off your televisions for an entire week." At that moment, the thought crossed my mind, "That is insane!"
But today marks one week since our 52" LCD television went to the repair shop. The TV, mind you, is only three months old. During the course of the week, my addiction has shown itself by my incessant calling to the repair shop for updates on the repair status. I even called Zenith Customer Service to determine why, since the TV remains under warranty, they won't simply replace it with a new TV.
Watching the NFL playoffs last weekend on the old 20" in the bedroom just didn't cut it.
So, I confess my addiction.
I also admit that with me (and perhaps with you), the real problem isn't with the TV, the real problem is within me. Mandy said to me yesterday, "You know, I've enjoyed not having the TV on constantly the last few days." She's right!
In the absence of the TV, it has allowed more time for playing and reading and sharing with the kids. And isn't that really what life is all about?
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Monday afternoon, with school dismissed in honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Mandy and Trae took in The Chronicles of Narnia at the Driftwood Theater. The movie is based on the famed writing of C.S. Lewis.
It was great listening to Trae recount the movements within the movie when she and Mandy returned home. I loved hearing my daughter tell how the Lion (representative of Jesus) died on the stone table in place of the little boy. It was pure delight to listen as my daughter caught the point: the Lion, as a representation of Jesus, dies to take our place.
For all the media's faults, and for my silly penchant to become addicted to the media's programming, I am grateful for a movie like Narnia that helps my daughter process the meaning of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
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Finally this morning, let me share a link with you. Yesterday in my inbox, I received an alert from the Editor of the Christian Chronicle regarding a series of articles detailing the unity emphasis this year within churches of Christ and Christian churches. You can read it for yourself here. There are some wonderful insights from both sides regarding efforts this year to recognize the common heritage we share and to seek a more brotherly fellowship.
