.....but I love The Bachelor

So, our church has decided to do a challenge for the month of January to close our minds off to all secular media and focus more on family and our relationship with God. The rules are this:

1. No TV
2. No Music unless it is Christian
3. No Internet (unless used for work purposes)
4. 30 minute family devotional each day
5. Journal your experience

Okay well for most people, one or two of these will be hard for them and the others not so hard. Other than the Christian music thing because that's all I pretty much listen to anyways, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE WILL BE HARD FOR ME!!!!

30 minutes of a family devotional will be hard because we have never been able to even do 5 minutes. It might help that all the small groups have to start January 1 doing that bible in a year so I will have tons to read which will hopefully help with the 30 min. devotional thing.

I don't even know where to begin with the no TV rule. I don't feel that I am obsessed with the TV but when a particular show that I like is in season I don't want to miss an episode. I just got finished with Dancing With The Stars and I did not miss an episode.

I have been so excited because about 3 weeks ago, I found out that the all new season of The Bachelor kicks off January 5th. I am totally obsessed with this show no matter who the contestants are but this one is every so important because they pick Jason, the jilted bachelor from last seasons Bachelorette to be The Bachelor. Then about a week later I get the news of the January Challenge at church. One of the main things Pastor Phil said was that its all about doing what works for you. If you cant do one of the rules don't feel like you cant do any of the other challenges, just give it your best. Great, my out to do the challenge except for Wednesdays from 6-8 and still feel good about myself. Or so I thought.....

So last Monday I was getting very excited about The Bachelor because I had just seen a commercial about it and I was on my way to work so I figured I would call my best friend Danica and let her know that we were on for watching it together every week(we love gabbing about the show) and literally as I almost pushed the speed dial to call her a song came on. Now normally a song could have come on and I would have not even paid attention but this particular song is one of my favorites now so when given the chance to hear it I will usually stop what I am doing and turn it up to listen and sing along. Naturally I know the words to the song and what the song is about but little did I know that as I was singing a song that I had sung thousands of times before it would convict me in a whole new way.

I know that wordy blogs can sometimes be annoying but I really felt like this was a story I wanted to share and I could give you bits and pieces of the lyrics but I want to share the whole song with you:

Empty Me
by American Idol Contestant Chris Sligh

I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright
to see how it gets in the blood.
and I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride
and found a little is not quite enough.
i know how i can stray
and how fast my heart could change.

empty me of the selfishness inside
every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
and any foolish thing my heart holds to
lord empty me of me so i can be filled with you.

I've seen just enough of the quick buys of the best lies
to know how prodigals can be drawn away.
i know how i can stray
and how fast my heart could change.

empty me of the selfishness inside
every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
and any foolish thing my heart holds to
lord empty me of me so i can be filled with you.

cause everything is a lesser thing
compared to you, compared to you.
cause everything is a lesser thing
compared to you so why surrender all?

empty me of the selfishness inside
every vain ambition and the poison of my pride

empty me of the selfishness inside
every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
and any foolish thing my heart holds to
lord empty me of me so i can be
lord empty me of me so i can be filled with you.
oh, filled with you.
empty me.

That is it right there, its like BINGO, I get it. "and any foolish thing my heart holds to Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you". The Bachelor is foolish as is anything on TV really. Foolishly, it is something my heart holds to and does not want to let go of. Do I want to be filled with The Bachelor or filled with God?? Easy answer for sure!! Why is it an easy answer?? Because "everything is a lesser thing compared to you".

I don't think any song could be a more perfect theme song for this challenge!! I am going to need serious prayer and accountability for the month of January. To be able to keep the commitment that I so badly do want to keep. I am going to keep my Journal online because its easier or me that on notepad. So I will get to share with you in my journey along the way. Thanks to everyone for listening to me ramble on and on.

Any comments??????