I've been thinking a lot about TLC's show "Jon and Kate Plus 8" and all of the controversy that's been surrounding the couple and their children over the past several months.
I used to love to watch the show; I was so curious to see how a family pulled off raising 8 young children! And they had some fun adventures in the early seasons.
But slowly, that has changed. I've started to feel like a voyeur watching the show or reading the tabloid covers at the grocery story. What is our fascination with watching a marriage fall apart? Why are we enamored with the lives of 8 small children as they live most of their waking moments in front of a camera? What kind of childhood are they living?
Recently, I've read through a few articles that have convinced me of two things:
1) We need to be praying for the Gosselins. Whether or not all of the rumors are true or not, there is no doubt that some serious healing needs to happen in their marriage - the kind only the Lord can provide. And that takes more than just an act of will to make it happen.
2) We need to stop. paying. attention. Stop reading her books, stop watching the show, stop buying the magazines, stop reading about it online. This is not a made-for-tv-drama. It's a real family with real kids and a real marriage that is in some serious trouble.
Here are the two recent articles that I've read that have helped me think through this:
"The Gospel and the Gosselins," Christianity Today
"Learning My Lines"
And here is a link to a 30-day prayer calendar for the family.
There's no question that there have been some missteps along the way with the Gosselins. But, regardless of what they've done or not done to bring themselves to this point, it is our prayers - and not our judgement - that are the most precious gift we could give. I hope - if I was ever in a similar position - that my friends, family, and even complete strangers would be willing to pray for me, too.
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