If you’re visiting from Encouragement for Today, welcome! I’m glad you’re here, and I hope you’ll be glad you came.
I have been thinking a lot recently about adding fun to life. Entertainment is supposed to be fun, so I’m not advocating cutting it out all together. I also think that God created us for a balance of work along with rest and fun.
It’s so easy for me to “veg” in front of the tv at night, but it amazes me how many times I flip through our many channels only to declare (sometimes whine), “There’s nothing on.”
I need a new list of fun things to do! Do you? Our family recently built a fire pit and plan to spend lots of evening hours there. We are also finding that we love our family time reading our Bible reading for the day together.
When I decided to write this post, though, I wanted to research more clean fun for entertainment. Here are some of my favorites that I found and want to try:
• "Kidnap" some friends/family and take them out for something fun.
• Share a book by reading out loud to one another
• Buy a question book (like 1001 Questions by Gary Poole) and ask away
• Plan an act of kindness
• Have a chick flick sleepover
• Have a “Make Christmas Presents” craft day
• Learn how to plan disc golf. It’s free and outside!
• Write a long letter to an old friend
• Work on a family photo album as a family.
• Learn a new language
• Take time to develop a hobby or talent
This is just a start. What would you add? Have you done something fun recently that I should try?
Friday, May 21, 2010
Adding Some Fun to Life!
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22 comments:
Amy,
I loved your devotional this morning. It spoke to exactly some things our family has been working on. We, too, have been working to move some things from our home, as well. One thing we have added is spending the evenings together while my husband reads from a Lamplighter book. Lamplighter Publishing (www.lamplighterpublishing.com), reprints old or rare out of print books. The content is amazing and the books are filled with characters that our son has really learned from.
It has become a precious time in our evenings to not have the TV on and spend time together as a family investing in each other!
In Him,
Janet
I have recently taken up photography. I have never really had a hobby, but now I do. I am constantly looking for photo opportunities. That keeps me having fun! Carla
Amen to your devotion! Thank you for posting it, for I believe if we Christians clean up our lives and establish boundaries between the world and our homes (so as to not be polluted by it~and to glorify God in our distinctness from it) that God will begin to heal our land.
Not to isolate, b ut to insulate ourselves from unclean things. Our light will then shine brightly!
Our family has played board games, grilled dinner together, gone fishing, and taken walks, rollerbladed, or bike rides. But mostly we have projects going on on our hobby farm.
My son has learned mechanics by working alongside his dad. We have done remodel projects on our home and 4H projects for the fair.
We have had fun working together the most!
Bonding happens when families work and play together!
~Blessings to you and your family!
I came from Encouragement for Today and I enjoyed the post. I have realized the same thing about a lot of the things on T.V.
I'm so glad to hear you say this. I've been feeling the same way, but haven't spoken up. I wondered if I was alone (I live in Los Angeles).
All through the generations, it's been the 'norm' for God's people to succumb to the pet sins of their culture--Noah's daughters seemed to be okay with the depravity around them, some Roman Christians enjoyed watching the gladiators battle to their deaths for entertainment, Christian slave owners in the 1700's often treated them as less than human--beating them and selling children and parents separately.
Those things shock and horrify us. How could they even kid themselves that it was okay?
But today it seems that most Christians think it's acceptable to dress provocatively and immodestly, laugh at sexual humor and watch violence and other depravities on TV, because it's not 'real'. We're also major gluttons and sloths in the Bible Belt, but you'll never hear a sermon preached on that (I'm a TN native).
Already, I sound like a hoity-toity, better-than-thou. But that's probably part of the problem--worldly-Christian peer pressure. I'm not saying I'm perfect. I'm still a glutton and often a sloth, but I don't think it's acceptable. I've got to change and I'm trying. I'm going to pray that God will convict me not to watch things that dishonor Him and not to let my children view them either--which is hard, because most kids' shows now-days are full of things like lying, cheating, being disrespectful to parents and putting people down. But we gloss over it somehow and think it's alright in that context...
:S
Hey girl...LOVE your blog look. I have not had the chance to be on them lately but LOVE this design.
Anyway, wanted to share a website to learn languages free and it is really really good. We started using it. www.livemocha.com
Many languages and it is a community. LOVE it!
Much love friend,
Angela
Just for fun, my husband and I like to write songs or arrange "goodnight music" for our little girls to listen to. It is especially nice to play for my toddlers when I know that my husband has a late night at work, and won't be able to tuck them in.
We've been having 'forced fun' learning another language as a family! We're hosting a missionary family home from their work in Spain for several months. Learning to communicate more than 'donde esta el bano'? has become a fun challenge, especially when you're trying to convey matters of the heart. There is plenty of laughter when we choose a less than appropriate word to express ourselves. It's been a bonding experience as well as a beneficial one for all.
Hi Amy,
Just found your blog and am blessed to be here!
Love your devotional post!!Look forward to following you. Please drop by my blog when you can:
Simple Womans daybook and Days Touched By Grace.
Blessings.
Bravo for you for choosing holiness over the entertainment you had at hand.
It's getting more and more difficult these days to watch anything proper on TV. Even children's programming is not innocent as it once was.
The positive side with this is that it makes our family watch less TV and movies. I am starting to consider canceling our cable because I don't want to put my money, which is actually God's money, towards these shows Thank you for the ideas that families can do to have fun but choose a better path.
(And if TV is a part of the family routine, consider playing movies or TV classic on DVR/DVD. For a sat. morning treat we play old cartoons for an hour rather than the current one's)
I loved your devotional this morning. THank you! Thank you very much. God has been convicting me in this area for some time and i just keep allowing my desire for entertainment to push those convictions aside. Thank you for that extra nudge!
Amy,
Your devotional and blog were heaven sent just for me. I am in a transition period in my life. I have been a stay at home mom for 12 years and now that my children are older, I find myself with discretionary time. I have looked for part time work, but have not been successful as of yet. So, while I am doing household chores, I find myself watching television way too much. One thing that I have added to my daily schedule is my favorite soap opera from many years ago. Because the plot is pretty shallow, it is easy to catch up on what is happening.
Anyway, our minister says repeatedly, "Waiting time should not be wasted time". As i wait for God to reveal the next step in my life, I know that I have wasted alot of time. When I go to bed at night, I think of how I could have used my time more wisely, vowing to do better the next day, but over and over again the wasted time cycle continues.
Last night, I thought, I am going to give up that hour of mindless time that I am watching the soap opera and use it to get closer to God through prayer and daily Bible reading. I always start my morning with the devotional and there were your God inspired words - confirming my resolution from last night.
Thank you for allowing the Spirit to use you. Just know His message through your words will change my waiting time into useful time! God bless you!
Brenda
Loved your P31 blog today.
I have a question about your list, here, of suggestions for "clean fun." Have you found any wholesome "chick flicks"? (One can only watch "The Notebook" & "Walk to Remember" so many times... There ain't enough Kleenex for those two!) I mean, I found myself watching a "harmless" movie on TV last night that really wasn't - sinful behaviour was a major element (tragic, b/c they really didn't HAVE to sleep together...).
I am also wondering how one handles her Christian friends who engage in what I believe is ungodly entertainment (reading books about sorcery or getting engrossed in vampire movies, etc) w/o sounding judgmental or "holier than thou" (I have no business throwing any stones, myself!)
Thanks for provoking so much thought & repentance today. ♥
I loved your devotional this morning as well! It touched my heart, especially since Holy Spirit was telling me the very same thing....yesterday at that.
Thank you for the devotional! And for this post. God paid a high price for us, and we should honor Him!
Nancy,
You asked such great questions! Barry and I were actually talking about the second one this morning as it regards our teenagers. How do we guide them toward godly choices of their own rather than "banning" some of the shows that I wrote about?
I think using Philippians 4:8 as a foundational verse for our choices is a powerful start. It sets such a high standard for our entertainment choices, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about
such things."
When I'm talking to my friends or family about these things, I have one phrase that I repeat to myself, "God is big enough." He is big enough to change hearts, and that is far more powerful than the external changes that I can pressure my friends into. I'm not saying not to speak to the issues but rather to speak His Word and let His Holy Spirit deal with the specifics (ie. That's why I didn't name the show we were watching. I'm praying today that God will speak His truth to the specifics of each reader's life.)
As far as Chick Flicks, I'm a huge fan of the movies made based on Jane Austen's novels. BBC's production of Pride and Prejudice is wonderful. I know I'm a geek for saying it, but I love it!
Amy
Amy,
I really enjoyed your devotional today. My husband and I used to watch TV almost every night but we never paid for cable due to budget restraints. When we had our son, we found we really had no time for TV or movies. Then when TV went digital, we were no longer able to get the basic channels and found ourselves without television at all. Now after a few years, we really don't see how we could fit TV in. We read at night, or sit around our fire pit, or write letters to friends. Sometimes one of us will catch up on email and my husband is getting an MBA so he studies. But we never find ourselves searching for something to do.
Thanks again for the great devotional and the ideas for fun on your blog!
What a powerful Prov 31 devotional today. I'm sad to say I have often felt that nudging, but dismissed it. Your words today have encouraged my heart to again follow what I KNOW is right. I will now always remember "How can we allow ourselves to be entertained by the things Jesus died for?" Thank you for sharing.
Our family has also built a firepit in the backyard and hope to use it lots this summer!
By the way, I love your blog design! Enjoyed reading a few more of your posts - will be adding you to my list of blogs to follow.
Sweet Blessings~
Pam
Blessings on you for the devotional today. It has been a burden to see holiness instead of constant entertainment among believers today. The more time spent in the Word, the more I realize His holiness and His desire for mine. Bless you!
Amy, Thanks for the encouraging words. I felt the same last night when I sit to watch a movie with my son. May God grant us the power to change old habits. Sydney - Australia
Amy, I just read the Friday Proverbs 31 post and just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated it. I have been in a discussion with a friend that is a missionary about Grey's Anatomy (they watch thru iTunes).
I appreciate your candid, Biblical reply to this timely topic in my life. I agree wholeheartedly and have recently had a similar experience. PTL for all He is doing through your life and thank you for sharing. What a testimony you are to us and to your boys!
Amy, just catching up on emails tonight and read your devotion about entertainment. It helped reaffirm our families decision to not enter the "digital TV world" and instead control our entertainment time. We have the cheapest plan from Netflix and get 2 movies/month and occasionally a free rental from the library. We have enjoyed wonderful family shows. We are currently watching All Creatures Great and Small, from author James Herriot. It is an excellent series.
Our family has enjoyed the time we have spent together - more time for hobbies, reading, puzzles, picnics, being outside. It has been delightful. I admit I miss the news, but read the info I want to read, rather than watching some of the repetitive soundbites.
Thanks for standing for Christian values!
Blessings on your blog and outreach!
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