Media Challenge Thoughts

Media challenge was WEIRD.  My house seemed eerily quiet at times.  My husband wandered aimlessly with no TV to veg out to in the evenings.  I turned to books for entertainment.  I really felt disconnected and a bit lost at first.  My kids did quite well - though they missed their movie times.  

I did get on facebook when necessary, for planning and communication that I could not do otherwise without it.  I got on did my business and was back off.  I found out that you miss A LOT when you are not on facebook.  People will not call you with news.  They except you will read about it on facebook.  I missed my niece getting married and my cousin starting a new band.  Yes, I found myself out of the loop multiple times.


Blessings from Media Challenge:
  • My house stayed cleaner then normal.  I would get bored and clean.  I even sorted all the mismatched socks if that gives you an idea of how desperate I sometimes got to just do something.
 • My husband and I talked a lot more.  We had kind of fallen into the routine of watching TV in the evenings as our down time together.  I didn't realize how much that was stunting conversation.
 • We planned and did more activities as a family
 • I read lots of books -- I found I had time to read which I really enjoy
 • My prayer life increased a significant amount
 • Less "noise" seemed to allow my heart to hear God's whisper more clearly
 • I found myself making plans with my friends in person instead of relying on a virtual connection

The most amazing miracle that came out of this though was that my 7 yr old, Miss Mae, asked Jesus into her heart.  Craig and I have been really convicted through this challenge to make God a priority in our home.  We have really slipped lately with all the new adjustments to our life.  The same night we were praying for our family and vowing to God we were going to do better --- Miss Mae was in her room praying AND ASKING JESUS INTO HER HEART!!  (I am one proud Mama!) Coincidence?!  I think not.  God knew what he was doing all along through this media challenge.

"Audacious faith is not passive. Neither is audacious prayer. Every aspiration you have in prayer needs an accompanying action. Otherwise, you’re not really praying. You’re just pontificating. You do the natural. Trust God for the super."

Furtick, Steven (2010-09-21). Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible 

My deep plaguing question in my heart going into this challenge was: What now?  What is next?  Adoption and bringing Zalen home had been my focus/drive/prayer for over a year.  Miracle after miracle I watched unfold before my eyes as God continued to answer prayer.  I was deeply dependent upon God for everything and was in control of nothing.  That in itself takes your faith to new levels.  I have been so driven toward that goal for so long that I wasn't expecting the subtle "let down" of going back to the normal everyday grind.  Ok, it wasn't quite normal -- we have had to adjust to our new family member and being a unit of six.  Yet I knew one journey had ended and I wasn't sure where the other was beginning...  Once again a blank slate.   FYI blank slates intimidate me.  I like to have a plan.


Through this media challenge and extra time spent in prayer God really spoke to my heart about slowing down and being present with what He gives me in my everyday.  He made it evident that I don't need a plan.. that I only needed to be obedient with what He puts before me when He decides to put it before me.  Does that make sense?  That I need to quit talking about what I want to do and actually DO IT!!


To be honest, I wanted to rush through this adjustment stage.  I just wanted us to click and for it be like Zalen has always been with us.  Yes, he has done amazing.  We have not had to deal with a lot of issues that some families dealt with or are dealing with.  But it is still a process.  Bonding is not an instantaneous thing...even when attachment is going well.  At times I have felt guilty for feeling like I don't "love" Zalen enough.  It is not that I don't love him.. oh I do SO, SO, SO much... but I haven't had the years to know him, to really get him, like I have with my other kids.  I had a grieving moment the other day when the other kids pulled out their baby scrapbook books and Zalen wanted to know where his book was.  My heart broke in a million different places.  How do I explain this to him?  Communication though getting better is still limited.  I can't share stories or heart felt conversations.  Not yet... but soon... my mama's heart longs for it.  Yes, it is a process.

God renewed my heart to make stand to make him a priority on the home front.  He also gave me a peace about the process.  I haven't really been content with that -- being in process.  If the process will eventually produce fruit, I must be patient with it.