The Magazines at the Supermarket

When I was a teenager, I remember flipping through People Magazine and enjoying the uplifting human interest articles.  It's a different magazine today.  It's not quite as bad as Star, InTouch, or any of the others that fill the Supermarket stands... or maybe it is.  

I had an interesting trip to ShopRite yesterday.  Lessons for the kids. Lessons for me.

When we got in the checkout line, I knew we had some time, so I glanced around at the magazines.  I picked up people for a second.  I was curious about the JonBenet article.  I have to admit it.  You see.  I lived in Denver twelve years ago and JonBenet Ramsay was all over the news for months on end.  It was very sad.  After glancing at the article, I realized it really said--Nothing.  Nothing new, except that no one would ever be charged in the case and no resolution would ever come to pass.  I set down the magazine and got ready to load the conveyer belt.  

Autumn looked at the magazines and made some interesting comments to me.  First, she commented that the covers of the magazines didn't look so bad.  Although the shirt that a young actress was wearing looked very uncomfortable to her.

I said that the magazines are really just filled with stuff about other people that we don't need to know and that isn't good for our minds.  

She, of course, asked why people look at them then.  

I replied that people are curious.

Why do people write these articles then?

Because they want to sell magazines.

Why would they write them if they aren't good for other people?

Because they don't care.  They mostly aren't Christians, want to sell magazines, and make more money.

Oh.

That's sad.

Yes, it is.

Then, I glanced down and saw my 4 1/2 year old son peeking stealthily into a magazine about Lady Gaga.  LADY GAGA!  AY AY AY!  

Eli, come here....  and this conversation ensued.

Eli, does that magazine look like Thomas the Tank Engine?
No.

Eli, does that magazine look like Bob the Builder?
No.

Eli, that magazine isn't for you.  It's for adults and you aren't an adult.  Do you understand?

It was an interesting discussion for my kids, but also for me.  Today I need to explain temptation to my kids and resisting it.  I need to resist the temptation to think that there will be anything redeeming or edifying to read in People magazine.  

I realized that Yahoo! is the same way for me.  I check my email there every few days.  Autumn asked me yesterday why I look at some of the articles on it.  I know it's because I hope to find something interesting.  I want to feel like I know what is going on in the world when I stay in my house all day teaching and mothering.  But, that isn't a good way.

So, I resolved this morning to try and turn the radio on the internet for background noise instead of a tv show.  I also resolved to find a decent news website to look at when I want to be informed.  I looked up World Magazine's site, which did have two articles I could read.  I looked up CNN, which isn't splashed with entertainment stuff all over it.  If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know!

I also know that I need to look for the checkout lanes that have less magazines.  

By the way, Sami was present through all of this, but she was in front of the cart admiring the gum display.  That story is one for another day.  We've been talking a lot about money and how we spend it and how we don't.  It's been interesting...