Worldliness and its affects

I am here to tell you that media indeed plays a powerful role in the declining values of our society. This past weekend was an interesting one for us because we did several things we don't normally do.

First, on Thursday we decided to watch an old episode of a sitcom (which will remain unnamed) over the internet. It was full of sexual references and the like, probably not much different than many shows these days. While we have watched tv a handful of times since moving to TX, it has only been sports, so it has been at least a year and half since we have watched anything like this.

Second on Friday we were swayed by current marketing to rent Transformers. (Suffice it to say, when we went to Blockbuster the cashier told us our credit card on file had expired over a year ago.) Now, I am not condemning any who likes this movie, I quite enjoyed it (most of it) myself. This movie also had several inappropriate sexual references and obviously a lot of violence. James was allowed the next morning to watch scene 12 where the good guys transform and most of the last battle when the transformers fight.

Third, on Saturday we attended the local Renaissance Festival where a large number of women were very, very scantily clad...to the point that I was very embarrassed at their obvious disrespect for their bodies.

Now the conclusion of all this is that I was much less patient, kind, and loving to my children...noticeably so. Taylor was just plain mad. But the real clincher is that James was shoving Matthias over repeatedly, talking back to me, throwing tantrums, and generally acting like a really mean kid. This is not how James acts on a regular basis. I was shocked to see the difference in all of our attitudes and in our home.

Today after church we spent a wonderful, peaceful evening as a family. Tonight before bed James was calm and happy and reading Taylor and me scripture stories. The difference in our home after hearing the word of God was incredible. Having not partaken in a lot of outside activities in quite some time, I was able to see a very noticeable difference. I am glad that our home is a shelter from the storms of the world (normally, and hopefully better from now on) and that we can provide refuge here. Our family scriptures is as follows (and I will type it all here because it is worth reading)...

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are build, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall. Helaman 5:12

We will strive each day to make our house a more holy place where our family can be safe from the storms that rage.