Baby Steps...

We do not have cable. I know, kindda crazy. I would REALLY like no tv period....but that's not going to happen :)  So...I'm over it. 

Christmas 2008 I received The Duggars: 20 and Counting! book. First I'll say it's such an inspiring read whether you have 2 children or 20. Anyways, this is what's on page 30...

'Dr.Wheat (family physician and author) counseled us and encouraged us not to have a TV and not to have any pets during the first year of marriage. He said those things would distract us from each other....After the end of that first year,we got a pet rabbit and a television. We had the cable service hooked up and were instantly glued to the television during every waking moment at home. But the more we watched, the more we realized how bad some of the TV programming was, and we also saw our communication drop off.' (They now only watch educational videos, special events, and sometimes a Razorbacks game.)

Reading this was such a confirmation in what I had been feeling for the last few years but couldn't put into words. I didn't think my husband would be up for it (for sports mostly) but I told The Lord this is what I was feeling and wanted for our family and low and behold when I mentioned it to him he said...'Well, we spend like $60  a month on cable right? We would be saving some money. Long Pause Yeah, lets try it out. We can always turn it back on.' I think I canceled it that next day just in case he changed his mind!

So here we are a year and a half later without cable and we love it. Unknowingly at the moment this was our first step in simplifying our lives. We have Netflix and enjoy it so don't think we don't watch ANYTHING. We just watch things we want to. Here are some other reasons I was concerned about having cable in the home:

- We get to monitor closely what we all watch and no commercials telling us what we "need"
- We don't do Halloween, Santa Clause, or the Easter bunny and the preschool shows my kids watch of   course had these themes for weeks (we did a lot of renting during those seasons)
- My husband and myself don't have to watch all the sex-hyped movie/show previews
- MY kids aren't concerned with the latest toys, cereal, juice, theme parks, etc. We go places of course. Just not because Mickey Mouse or Shamu told us too :)

So! I dare you...no double dare you! Turn off your cable for 3 months, start connecting with your spouse and children. Two things will happen: You may find out you really like the people you live with. OR That you don't know them at all and what a great opportunity to do something about it.