Television

OK, time for a pop quiz. How many hours of television do you watch per day or week? Don’t be shy because you’re not alone. As a matter of fact, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., “the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube.” Well, that certainly puts it into perspective. The fact is that most of us watch a great deal of television. Maybe you only watch half as much as the average. That would still put you spending 4 or 5 years of your life in front of the TV. When I think about it like that, I start thinking that something has gone terribly wrong. What could I do with five extra years? Yikes!

Seriously though, when I consider all that life has to offer, I’m amazed at the time we’re willing to spend staring at the old brain box. It makes for an interesting study of our priorities. Now my family doesn’t pay for cable so we only get the alphabet channels, and there was even a time when our kids were younger that we turned the TV completely off for two years. However, it keeps sneaking back into my life and currently plays a fairly prominent role. I’m not exactly saying it’s wrong. However, like other areas of our lives, we have so many good options that we often settle for what may not be the best. (or highest or most honorable) I don’t want to preach too much on this subject so I’ll just offer you my poem, which can be found below and speaks for itself. Below that, you will also find another whole page of national TV watching statistics I came across which I find to be quite disturbing. If you Google the subject and read some of the studies, it’s really rather disconcerting to consider some of the secondary health issue which seem to tie back to all those hours on the sofa. I’ll let you do your own homework if you are interested.

In the meantime, take a moment tonight to consider what all those hours are worth to you and your family. It certainly was a slap in the face when I recently paused to reflect upon my own life and priorities in this area. Television is neither bad nor inherently evil, but it can take over our lives if we’re not careful. Perhaps this is one of those issues where the delicate virtue of moderation is best and wisely applied. In closing, my wish for you today is that your precious hours may be filled with the best that life has to offer and that you may cherish interaction over mere entertainment.

Wasteland
In my living room, a monster lurks
that threatens you and me
And I haven't strength to turn it off
the monster is TV
It fills my precious hours with naught
and charms my senses so
I hardly even realize
where all the evenings go
It baby sits the children
when I need them occupied
While assuring me it educates
but in my heart I know it lied
When I have a moment to myself
to relax or think or pray
I seem to turn the TV on
and the time is washed away
By a flood of sound and color
and a world of fantasy
Which leaves me numb and empty
but still wanting more TV
I can sit and flip the channels
until the early morning hours
Even though I don't enjoy it
I am helpless in its powers
While in the next room stacks of books
are piled by my bed
I choose the mindless entertainer
and the classics go unread
I have a beautiful guitar
a pool, an exercising bike
A host of interests, friends and hobbies
that I cherish and I like
I have a home in need of maintenance
and a dusty Bible too
How can I squeeze in television
when there's so much I want to do
I complain until I'm breathless
how I'm busy, tired and stressed
Then I sink back on the couch again
a hypocrite, obsessed
What message do I send my children
as they learn to deal with life
Are my priorities in order
with my time, my God, my wife
Are Vanna, Bart and Gilligan
worthy of my precious hours
Or are they just the bait
for something larger which devours
Honor, goodness and compassion
leisure, patience, quality
Have I ever read a survey
recommending more TV
No, it certainly is otherwise
and let there be no mistake
That this medium's proponents
are paid endorsers, on the take
Who would have me think it harmless
to watch a million people die
To import crime and infidelity
on purpose, right before my eyes
To have my children taught by actors
how life is and ought to be
So in the end, they can't discern
real life from fantasy
The time has come not to cut back
an hour or two a day
The time has come to pull the plug
and put remote controls away
I hear the world is a better place
because of our technology
But I know my life is emptier
when I fill it with TV
By Frank Carpenter ©

Television Statistics
According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube.

I. FAMILY LIFE
Percentage of households that possess at least one television: 99
Number of TV sets in the average U.S. household: 2.24
Percentage of U.S. homes with three or more TV sets: 66
Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes
Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
Number of hours of TV watched annually by Americans: 250 billion
Value of that time assuming an average wage of S5/hour: S1.25 trillion
Percentage of Americans who pay for cable TV: 56
Number of videos rented daily in the U.S.: 6 million
Number of public library items checked out daily: 3 million
Percentage of Americans who say they watch too much TV: 49

II CHILDREN
Approximate number of studies examining TV's effects on children: 4,000
Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful
conversation with their children: 3.5
Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
Percentage of day care centers that use TV during a typical day: 70
Percentage of parents who would like to limit their children's TV watching: 73
Percentage of 4-6 year-olds who, when asked to choose between watching TV
and spending time with their fathers, preferred television: 54
Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500

III VIOLENCE
Number of murders seen on TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school: 8,000
Number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18: 200,000
Percentage of Americans who believe TV violence helps precipitate real life mayhem: 79

IV. COMMERCIALISM
Number of 30-second TV commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000
Number of TV commercials seen by the average person by age 65: 2 million
Percentage of survey participants (1993) who said that TV commercials
aimed at children make them too materialistic: 92
Rank of food products/fast-food restaurants among TV advertisements to kids: 1
Total spending by 100 leading TV advertisers in 1993: $15 billion

V. GENERAL
Percentage of local TV news broadcast time devoted to advertising: 30
Percentage devoted to stories about crime, disaster and war: 53.8
Percentage devoted to public service announcements: 0.7
Percentage of Americans who can name The Three Stooges: 59
Percentage who can name at least three justices of the U.S. Supreme Court: 17
Compiled by TV-Free America
1322 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 887-4036
Information copied from:
http://www.csun.edu/~vceed002/health/docs/tv&health.html

A Wedding Toast

Love seems to be in the air … at least the air around me, so I thought I’d do something just a little different. Today is the 16th wedding anniversary of my little brother and his dear wife. Tomorrow, one of my employees is getting married and at the very same time our friends are throwing a wedding shower for my future daughter-in-law. And, low and behold, there is also an additional wedding reception for my 3rd cousin and his new bride. Not to mention the fact that I’m still deeply in love with my own dear wife of nearly 25 years. I guess it really is the first week of spring. To that end I offer as today’s poem the wedding toast I gave as the best man at my brother’s wedding all those years ago. So it’s happy anniversary to you, Scott and Gina, and a toast to the other blessed events of this weekend as well.

Now, most of us aren’t getting married or celebrating an anniversary this week. However, these words may also apply to you, for everyone desires love and health and happiness and everyone deserves honor and respect. Wherever you are in your own marriage or relationship, take a moment to read through this simple verse for I offer it to you as well. Maybe one or more of these attributes or attitudes is sorely missing or you need to make some extra effort this week to rebuild your momentum. I believe that God designed marriage and it should be a source of joy rather than a cross to bear. In fact, some folks may even be teetering on the brink of separation or divorce just now, but there is yet much hope for you. It starts with an earnest prayer, perhaps some counseling, and a lot of love. Don’t give up, though. It’s worth the trouble and God will honor your stalwart efforts towards preserving and improving your marriage. You can even whisper a little prayer right now and take the words of this poem home with you tonight to call them you own. Pick just one of the words to work on and start from there, or read through 1 Corinthians 13 and choose a word from that passage of strength wisdom. Sometimes it’s difficult to begin, but even the clumsiest word from an honest heart is better than an awkward silence. If you need assistance, feel free to email me through the link above and we can talk it over as well. The first step is always the most difficult, but it makes all the rest of them better.

Perhaps I have strayed from my original subject a bit, but marriage is really the journey which two people choose to share after the ceremony. For all the preparation and stress the wedding is actually the easy part. So here’s to a lifetime of love, not only for those I have mentioned above, but for all who read these words.

A Wedding Toast
May love and health and happiness
Be yours throughout the years
May friendship and fidelity
Bring strength to cast off fears
May honor and respect and trust
Be ever on your hearts
What, therefore, God had joined this day
May nothing cause to part
By Frank Carpenter ©

In Times of Trouble

Sometimes it seems as if life gives us more than we think we are able to bear. Just as there seasons of joy and happiness, we all experience seasons of trial and sorrow as well. When those waves of darkness break against our shores it’s easy to become overwhelmed, to lose hope. Yet, we know that God is a friend to the broken-hearted and He has promised that He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Does that mean we can expect everything go swimmingly and we will be exempt from trials? Certainly not. It merely means that in the big picture, in the light of eternity, God will use our circumstances for His greater good. In the short run, in the here and now, the tempests of life will continue to blow, bringing with them pain and trouble and woe. Take heart, however, for even when it seems that things are out of control, we can rest assured that God is still in control. He just doesn’t work on our schedule or perform according to our feeble human timing. He is powerful, but He is also patient.

But what about today? I cannot possibly know what you are going through right now and it may seem trite for me to wave off your pain with a promise that somehow everything will be alright. The internet is a relatively impersonal place and anyone with a computer, like me, can pass themselves off as an expert and deliver their particular sermon with impunity from the safety of their own home or office. So here’s the deal: I believe what I have stated above is true and that God has indicated it to be so in the bible. But that might not be enough … so if you are struggling or suffering or even questioning, click the email link at the top of this page and I will be happy to engage you on these issues. If you need support or advice I will endeavor to offer it. If you would like someone to pray with or for you, I will be happy to oblige. You are not alone, and whatever you’re going through you need not do so alone. I’m going out on a limb, but I’m also inviting you to do the same. So if you need it, let’s talk. Now if that sounds interesting to you, remember to use the email link and not the “comment” link because comments are anonymous and I’ll have no way to respond to you.

In the mean time, I encourage you to take a step back from your troubles and consider how they might eventually work out for the best, either for you or others. Somehow, God’s going to work it out. I am certainly not wise enough to fully understand that concept, but I do have the simple faith to trust God for what He has promised. I hope this has been helpful and I look forward to hearing from some of you if you have any needs or questions. May God bless you and keep you as you as we travel though this life together.

For the Glory
I’ve asked myself why a thousand times
And I’ve asked God a thousand more
How could he allow us to suffer so?
What purpose could this be for?
But the Lord doesn’t always explain things
In a manner which makes sense to me
So I have learned to put my trust in Him
In His counsel and sovereignty
He has promised all things work for good
And that He shall be glorified
Yet, it’s hard to see the glory
Through all the tears that I have cried
However, I know that the glory
Is shining somewhere up ahead
Somewhere just beyond my troubles
And we can trust in what God has said
So each day I search for the glory
In the trials that come to me
And they don’t seem so difficult to bear
In the light of eternity
By Frank Carpenter ©

St. Patrick's Day

Well, as we all know, today is St Patrick’s Day. Now I’m not Irish, but if you are, or if you are interested, St Patrick is considered the patron saint of Ireland, meaning that he was essentially a missionary of the Christian faith to that land. For your enlightenment, I have pasted the whole story of St Patrick and the origins of this holiday at the bottom of today’s posting. My question today is this: If you are a believer, what are you the patron saint of? How are you changing your little corner of the world? I think we’re called to be the St Patrick of wherever we are. You can be the patron saint of your family, your school, your work, your neighborhood, an athletic team, a car pool, whatever. It’s unlikely you’ll get your own holiday here on earth, but in the gospel of Luke (chapter 14) he records that, “I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” That sounds like enough of a holiday to me. Wear green clothes and drink green beer if you must, but let this day always remind you that you might very well be the patron saint of your own little sphere of influence. That is a lofty calling indeed, yet one altogether worth rising to the occasion of. My hope and prayer for you today is that you’ll be able to look back at your life next week, or next year, and see how you may have affected those around you for the better. For whether you like it or not, you are having an impact on the world around you every day. Make that impact count. And while you’re at it, have a happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Origins of St Patrick’s Day
Just like many other holidays in the United States, St Patrick's Day has its origins in ancient times. A young boy named Patrick lived in the British Isles, a land that had been invaded and conquered first by the Romans and then by Germanic tribes. Patrick was captured and taken as a slave from the British Isles to what is now Ireland. He lived there for several years herding sheep. He was a religious boy and he prayed that he would someday return to his homeland. Legend has it that one night while he was praying, a voice told him to escape from the farm, and find a ship that was waiting for him two hundred miles away. Patrick got to the ship, sailed to Europe, and disembarked in what is now probably France. He led several of the ship's crew through a dangerous forest, praying all the time. Neither Patrick nor any member of his crew was captured. When some of the men were about to die of starvation, wild animals appeared for them to eat. Events such as these appeared to be miracles and gave rise to later legends surrounding Patrick. At home, Patrick felt that he was called by God to perform an important mission. He believed it was his duty to go back to Ireland and convert the Celtic people to the Christian religion. Patrick arrived in Ireland and became a missionary, traveling from village to village and talking about his faith. Once, several members of a tribe approached Patrick and told him that they found it difficult to understand and believe in the Holy Trinity. Patrick thought a moment, then stooped down and picked one of the plentiful shamrocks growing wild around Ireland. "Here are three leaves," he said, "yet it is one plant. Imagine the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as each of these leaves. Here they are, yet they are one plant." The tribesmen understood, because Patrick had used a familiar object to explain. From that time on, the shamrock has been a revered symbol of Ireland. Stories of Saint Patrick, for by then he was a saint, reached far and wide. His most famous feat is forcing the snakes out of the entire country of Ireland. Even though there are many different stories about how he accomplished such a task, it is probably not true. St Patrick died on March 17 and the Irish people set aside the day to mourn. He became the patron saint of Ireland. Mourning turned to commemorating him and celebrating his life. Americans have inherited this custom. On St Patrick's Day in the United States, millions of people celebrate whether they are Irish or not!
From: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blstpatricksday2.htm

My Next Breath

Today my words do not flow quite so easily, for their inspiration strikes closer to home. Last night, after years of battling with diabetes, kidney failure, lymphoma, and heart and stroke problems our friend Bob passed away. Actually, he is the father of a dear friend, but I have taken to visiting him these past few years when he has been more or less house-bound and he has become family to us. Bob was the original tough guy. He was a college athlete (at USC, no less), served in the Navy, worked as a policeman, and also as an investigator for the Department of Justice. Nothing breaks your heart more than seeing a tough guy crippled by disease and recent years had taken a heavy toll on him. In the end, it proved to be a battle he simply could not win. Yet this story, which probably seems all together too familiar, has a happy ending. You see, Bob knew another tough guy named Jesus Christ, who also suffered and died. However, Jesus was the Son of God and with His death he paid the price for all of our sin and reconciled us back to God. Jesus rose from the dead and promised that anyone who believes in Him and accepts His sacrifice for their sins shall also be rescued from death as well, and spend all of eternity with Him in Heaven. That is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus, a well-founded hope for a better life in a better place. Long ago, Bob made a decision to trust his life to Jesus, which assures him a place in the hereafter. In the here and now, however, the past week has been an excruciatingly difficult one for Bob and his family, but last night something wonderful happened. It doesn’t yet feel wonderful to those of us who are left, who mourn his loss, for we’ll need some time to mend and come to terms with how our own lives have been affected. Yet, we know in our hearts that Bob is far better off today than he was yesterday. For once he took his last breath here on this earth his very next breath was in heaven, and we can scarcely imagine what that must be like. Now Bob knows. Farewell, old friend.

My Next Breath
At the end of the darkest tunnel
No matter how black it may be
No matter the pressures or pain I feel
There is someone who comforts me
He pierces the gloom of my sorrow
Understanding the fears I must face
My God is the hope of tomorrow
Where He waits in that glorious place
In the moments when I truly suffer
When I'm frightened and gasping for breath
Even then, I am strong and triumphant
For I have cheated the prince of death
No disease or disaster can rob me
Of God's promise of victory
For I have been chosen to meet Him
At His throne to spend eternity
So what matter if I draw my last breath
And this life is taken from me
My next breath will be in heaven
And oh, what a breath that will be
By Frank Carpenter ©