Media Monday Wrap Up

This week marks the end of the Media Monday series.  It has been interesting thinking about and sharing with others how media affects our lives as Christian women.  We have explored several relevant areas of our life with the intent of seeing "how is social media and this digital world of ipads, iphones and ipods affecting our relationship with God, our marriages, our parenting, our homemaking, our friendships and our health?"

Media affects us each of these areas and it was a somewhat surprise how much I enjoy and use technology.  It also brought awareness of how time consuming this pleasure can be!  Relationships can be strengthened, knowledge can be gained, friendships formed and bonds made and encouragement can be given and received.  But reading, chatting, texting while being convenient should never take the place of face to face relationships or hinder our duties and tasks of being a wife, mother and keeper of the home.

A recent Sunday School lesson brought out some points about personal pleasure which are very applicable to this subject.

1.  Any pleasure that refreshes you without diminishing you, distracting you, or sidetracking you from the ultimate goal is a legitimate pleasure.  (Using media time wisely)

2.  Any pleasure that jeopardizes the sacred right of another is an illicit pleasure.  (Use caution of competition, open doors of jealousy or comparing of self)

3.  Any pleasure, however good, if not kept in balance, will distort reality or destroy appetite.  (left unchecked, media or technology can chain us, consume us and use way too much time and attention)

So for me this pleasure, enriches me, provides opportunity to be a giver and strengthens relationships, it is critical to have balance always remembering to keep the Lord and the things of Him first and foremost.

"‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:37