Family

“Skins” Not The Problem

/ Jason Morris / 1 Comment

So, maybe you have heard about one of MTV‘s latest programs, “Skins”.  And, then again, maybe you have not…

When word of “Skins” started to hit the rumor mill, outrage and potential protests became the standard response of conservatives, evangelicals, parents groups, and so on. Why?

Well, because “Skins” is a program that, in a way, glorifies teenage promiscuity, experimentation with drugs and alcohol, and disrespect for authority of any kind.

Due to the fact that I had heard so much outrage over this new show, I decided to watch an episode. Truth be told, I was more offended by the poor acting and weak dialogue than any of the actions.

Reporters have said that the show has “crossed the line” in ways that no other program has…in history.

Yet, as I watched, I found that it wasn’t any worse than “Gossip Girl”, “90210”, or any of the crime dramas that air on a nightly basis.

I believe that the drama created prior to the airing of the first episode actually generated more interest in the program (maybe that’s what they were going for). Viewership dropped drastically after the first episode (again, most likely due to the poor acting, poor dialogue, etc).

Do I think it is an appropriate show for teenagers to be watching? No. But, I also believe that most of the programming on MTV is inappropriate for teenagers. I believe there are far more offensive programs airing on MTV than “Skins” (don’t even get me started on “The Real World” or “Jersey Shore” or any of the “reality” programming on any network).

Rob Sheffield, in his Rolling Stone article on the program, put it much better than I ever could:

“…the really shameful exploitation on MTV is the thriving ’16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom’ franchise, which has become a ‘Star Search’ for aspiring knocked-up teenagers. The whole point of ‘Teen Mom’ is to promise the jackpot of celebrity to the underage girl who gets pregnant in the most colorfully sordid circumstances. ‘Teen Mom’ is just sadistic, especially when you consider that the true casualties are the screwed-for-life babies who can’t sign the consent forms. ‘Teen Mom’ victimizes real-life kids and glamorizes their victimization; ‘Skins’ has fictional kids with fictional problems. It’s beyond idiotic not to see which is more ‘offensive’.”

So, those “sounding the alarm” on a program like “Skins” are not entirely wrong. It’s an awful program.

Here’s my suggestion…parents- pay attention to what your kids are watching.  Talk to them about what you allow them and do not allow them to watch. Talk to them about the differences between fiction and nonfiction, reality and what television producers call “reality”.  And, you might want to rethink allowing your kids to have a TV with cable (or computers or cell phones for that matter) in their bedrooms…it’s hard to monitor what goes on behind closed doors. Now, I’m not saying “burn the TV” or “only let your kids watch Christian television or listen to Christian music” (some of that is just as offensive, in slightly different ways). I’m just suggesting that we all think about what we watch and what our children watch. I’m suggesting that we have open dialogues with our families on how we engage with the culture around us.

So, will I be watching “Skins”? Nope. But, not because of the “offensive” content…but because it’s just a bad show.

Our Journey: An Update

/ Jason Morris / 1 Comment

As many of you know, last Friday Emily had a procedure to attempt to treat her c.diff. This was the second round of this particular treatment.

Right now, we are in the “wait and see” mode. It can take up to 72 hours for the procedure to “settle in”. Then, we have to wait and see if the c.diff will be defeated or if it will once again rear its ugly head.

For the most part, Emily is doing much better this time than the last time she had this particular procedure. However, we are not out of the woods yet.

For those of you who are the praying type, we’d ask that you would continue to pray for her healing.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” ~Psalm 37:7a

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.” ~Psalm 40:1

U2’s 40

Our Journey

/ Jason Morris / 1 Comment

The past year has been an interesting one for the Morris clan.

We’ve experienced some great highs and some painful lows.

Highs would include the birth of our second daughter, Jocelyn…moving to the greater Lafayette area (which we absolutely enjoy)…moving to a new church (which is filled with amazing people…we love this place).

And, then there are the lows. The lows basically center around Emily’s health issues. And, while we are thrilled to be in Lafayette, we do miss our friends and family back in the Muncie area.

We have, at times, solicited prayers from our family, friends, and church. In regards to Emily’s health, we’ve been fairly private. But, the longer the journey, the more open we become.

Basically, it’s two-fold. Prior to moving to Lafayette, Emily was having issues with kidney stones (somewhat ignored in Muncie). She has had three procedures in the past 9-months to rid her of the stones. That seems to be behind her at this point.

At the same time, Emily is in the midst of a long battle for her health. She has been struggling with a very resistant form of c.difficile since April. She has good days. She has bad days. And, the bad days wipe her out.

We have been very fortunate to get connected with an ID specialist in Chicago. He is on the leading edge of treatment and very open to trying just about whatever it takes to get Emily on the path to healing. To find a positive out of having to go to Chicago regularly…the hospital is a block off of the Magnificent Mile. So, we get to do some shopping and eat at some great restaurants on our frequent trips to the city!

We have been very blessed to have high quality health insurance that has tremendously off-set the costs of medications and treatments. For example, one of the medications Emily  is on would be $6,000 without insurance. With insurance, it’s a $15 co-pay. So, though I have been known to rant about the high cost of my insurance (and, frankly, it is a bit ridiculous), I am definitely appreciative to have the benefits. Of course, we’re paying for it one way or another…but it’s nice not to have to pay it all out of pocket upfront!

We have been blessed by an amazing church! The people here have been amazing in offering prayers, meals, support, encouragement, and help throughout this journey. We couldn’t do this without you all! And, the church has been very understanding when I have needed to adjust my schedule to take Emily to Chicago or go home and watch the girls.

We have been blessed by our families, who have been awesome in offering their time and support. We know we can count on them to watch the girls and help out in any manner needed. And, they have all done their fair share of research…attempting to find something that will work for Emily.

So far, the various forms of treatment have not been successful in ridding Emily’s body of the c.diff. Now, with the help of some research by family, we are pursuing some forms of treatment that are still in the process of seeking FDA approval…because there are very few options left.

It’s a pretty bizarre thing, as Emily is not the typical c. diff patient. Generally, c. difficile is something the elderly or extremely sick struggle with. And, when someone younger gets c.diff, they usually respond to the medications. But, we all know Emily is special…so of course she throws all of the stereotypes and generalizations out the window.

It’s extremely difficult to watch your spouse suffer, especially when there is very little you can do to offer relief. And, so, I do what I know best…and that’s prayer. Honestly, in the midst of this journey, especially on the tougher days, it can be difficult to offer prayers and praise to God. I’ve had a lot of brutally honest conversations with God. I just don’t understand all of this…and yet, I still find hope in God.

And so, if you are the praying type, we ask that you would join us in prayer for Emily’s healing. Pray that her body will respond to the various treatments. Pray that God will guide Emily and the doctors to something that will work. Pray for rest and relief from pain and suffering.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” ~ Psalm 43:5

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” ~ Hebrews 10:23

Talk to Your Loved Ones

/ Jason Morris / Leave a comment

Over the years, I’ve found that one of the leading causes of broken relationships is a lack of communication. Whether it’s a friendship, marriage, or a relationship between family members (parent/child), failing to communicate can often lead to stagnant relationships. Without taking steps to correct a breakdown of communication, one can find the relationship ultimately ceasing to exist.

Last night, I was reminded of this while having dinner with my family. There we were in a restaurant talking about a wide array of topics. I noticed other groups of people engaged in conversation.

Then, towards the end of our meal, I observed a teenager and a parent sitting quietly at a table. The mother was reading a book. The daughter was texting. As far as I could tell, they never even looked at one another. Now, it’d be presumptuous to assume that this was normal for the pair. For all I know, they could have had a lengthy conversation before arriving at the restaurant. But, it appeared as though they had no desire to communicate with one another.

The teenager texting away, ignoring her mother, is fairly typical these days. However, what struck me the most was the apparent surrender of the parent. It appeared that she had accepted this pattern of non-communication as normal. By reading a book rather than attempting to engage her daughter in a conversation over dinner, it seemed like she had given up. And, if I were the child, it would have given me the message that my parent just did not care.

So, I was reminded of the importance of communicating with the ones you love. I have let numerous friendships fall apart because I was simply too lazy and self-consumed to take the time to make a call or send a message. Today, my desire is to correct that…to make it a point to communicate with those important people in my lives.

And, what lengths are you willing to go through in order to communicate with those you love? Are you willing to give up some of your personal time to make time for a friend? Are you willing to pick up your cell phone and text your child?

This week, take some time to engage in a conversation with those who are most important to you.

Slowing Down

/ Jason Morris / 1 Comment

The last few weeks have been crazy. And, looking at the calendar, it doesn’t seem like things will be any less crazy.

Finding out that I have a new appointment kick started the craziness. Finding out that we would be moving in January launched the craziness into full speed. Throw in the holiday season and you have the perfect recipe for clinical craziness. Oh, and add a new baby into the mix…that leads us into sleep deprived craziness.

In the midst of fulfilling my duties at Center Chapel, preparing for my new duties at Christ UMC, and carrying out the business of the holiday season, we’re also looking for a new house…and attempting to sell our current home (please pray for a quick sale!).

This has led to frequent trips to Lafayette. I can say that we are definitely getting familiar with the greater Lafayette area as we have pretty much driven through every part of town in search of a home.

Last Sunday, at the 8am service, I spoke about the importance of finding joy during the holidays. We get so busy that our focus is often limited to checking things off of our holiday duties list. Shopping for gifts, wrapping those gifts, holiday parties, family obligations, school programs, etc…it all equals busyness. And, in the midst of our busyness, we can often miss the intended joy that the holidays should bring.

So, my advice to myself…and anyone who seems to be a bit overwhelmed by the holidays…is to just slow down. Take in the important things…let the non-essentials fall to the side. You know, some of the things that we have convinced ourselves are essential to the holidays totally miss the point. Rather than focusing our time on finding the perfect gifts for our family and friends, maybe we should just slow down enough to spend some quality time with those we love.

For the next two weeks, I’m going to slow down. I’m going to hang out with my family. I’m going to hang out with my friends. I’m going to write sermons at the Heorot. I’m going to do things that bring me great joy and remind me of what this holiday season is all about.