Reality

Last night I sat down to relax for a little while before going to bed. My definition of relax is probably a little different than yours since I typically "relax" in the midst of a chaotic household of 6 people.

Last night was different, just me and the 2 year old, watching TV, and he wasn't watching, just me. He was totally engrossed in my laptop which was on the "Thomas and Friends" website... "Watch Thomas on puter Momma?" he asked me.

I ended up watching "The Real Housewives of Orange County" (not Orange County, Virginia!). I got to thinking about TV these days, all of the reality shows. How did we get to this place? We thrive on other peoples real life drama. We're watching these people to see how they handle life's dramas. I know some of you are saying that it's entertaining to watch, and you're not getting pointers on life. I used to think that too:

• I watched "Tori and Dean" because I like her and we had babies together.
• I watched the "Girls Next Door" because I think deep down inside Heff is just a big teddy bear with very twisted values that have been skewed by his wealth.
• I watched "Family Jewels" because I felt sorry for Shannon and I liked Gene's sarcasm.
• I watched "Jon and Kate Plus 8" because I'm a mom and a nurse, and I liked Kate, most of the time.
• I watched "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" because Kim has a big butt and so do I, and if she's beautiful, well..... you get the picture.
• "18 Kids and Counting" the only reality people that actually appear to have good values, they claim to be Christ followers. But once again, they add the "Freak" factor to what it means to be a Christ follower (I don't like the label "Christian").
• "Cake Boss", now that show is reality, if you were raised in a big Italian Family (and I was)!

I could go on and on. I'd like to be in a reality show myself....

• "The Real Housewives of Powhatan, Virginia" or
• "No One Lives Next Door" or
• "Me Plus 5 Dependents" (Oops, I just heard the little voice of Alec in my head saying "Mom, I thought we don't do sarcasm anymore?").

As I watched last night, I saw things in a different light. I put on my God Glasses. I felt sorry for them. For the first time I could see clearly how short sighted they are, so focused on the here and now, so hopeless. It made me feel a little nauseous, in a nervous scared kind of way. I saw them searching for something, expecting their money or husband or boyfriend of the week to provide that. And when this human being or worldly object couldn't come through, there was tragedy. It sounds like a movie, and in the end they get what they want and live happily ever after! But this is real life........

How many of us live our lives expecting, praying , hoping, wishing for someone to come along and take the pain away, or a large sum of money to alleviate all of the problems??
"Why can't my wife love me more?"
"Why can't my husband make more money?"
"She's not affectionate, she doesn't care."
"He doesn't want to spend time with me, he doesn't care."
"If we only had more money, it would be ok."
"Why does bad stuff always happen to me?"
"It's all your fault!"

When I put on my God Glasses, I see what He must see. We flounder, grasping at what ever we can to make the bad stuff go away. God doesn't want that.............

"It's gonna be ok, my beloved child. Grab hold of me. I'm right here. I know it hurts, things are bad for you right now, but we're gonna get through this. I have plans for you... if you trust me. Trust me. Stop looking at them, stop comparing me to them. I'm not like them. Let me love you. Why are you running from me? I'm not the enemy, my child, it's not me. He wants you to think it is. You don't need to prove yourself to me, you don't have to earn my love, you don't have to be worthy of my love. I don't care about what you did in the past. Let it go. I have never rejected you, I was there, even when the bad stuff happened. It's ok, it doesn't change my love for you. I knew you before you were conceived, and I have had a plan for you since the beginning of time. Stop trying to figure out what's gonna happen, let it go and hold on to me. I promise, you won't be sorry. I am for you, my child, my love. "