Bedtime Stories
by Ted Slater on 05/29/2009 at 9:40 AM
"Can you read me a story, Papa?" my daughter asks as I tuck her in for the night. Of course I've got time to read VeggieTales or The Velveteen Rabbit or Boz or Belle or something from her Children's Bible.
I try to take my time reading to her, pausing and inflecting words just so to make the story more engaging.
And sometimes we put aside the books and just tell each other stories we've made up from our imaginations. Her favorites: the fairies' magic bouncy house and the mysterious rooms beneath our home that you can only access through a hidden trap door behind the stove.
In our neighborhood, parents are doing the same thing for their kids: giving them a pleasant narrative before they drift off to sleep. Indeed, it's not just our neighborhood, but all around the world, and for as long as people have existed on this planet. Old Testament prophets told stories, Jesus told stories, medieval playwrights told stories.
And it's not just kids who enjoy a good night-night story. I remember reading the missionary biography Bruchko, where the Amazon tribe would gather together in their hammocks at night and tell each other stories by firelight. What great times enjoying creativity, enjoying community, enjoying a story.
If nobody is around to tell you a story, whether a parent or fellow tribesman, you can always pick up a book and read by night light.
Or you can flick on the TV and have someone far away unfold a story for you.
Yeah, all this went through my mind as I read Motte's recent blog post, "Entertainment Cravings." Motte felt embarrassed for having watched three movies over the course of three nights. Though it's likely that his having watched "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" was, as he said, a "waste," I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with watching TV. It's simply another medium through which to engage a story.
I affirm the Boundless articles that encourage godly media discernment, such as "Like to Watch," "Discriminating the Movies," "Minding Our Media" and "It's Never 'Just a Movie'." It's probably wise to avoid a lot of what you'll find on TV, programs that pollute and inure.
While we've published a few articles challenging us to watch less TV, and to use wisdom as we decide what to watch and how to interpret what we watch, you won't find anything on Boundless saying that TV -- an electronic audio-visual medium -- is by nature shameful.
It's true that too much passive watching can dull our senses. It's true that at times we may find ourselves addicted to it, craving relief from the TV rather than looking to the Holy Spirit for comfort. And it's true that having a friend share a story with you is much more personal and relational. But here's the thing: A story told by the cold tube in the corner is at its most fundamental level simply a story.
So tonight, as you curl up in front of the TV with your chicken wings or Pad Thai, consider that you're engaging in a tradition that spans the globe and spans all of history. You are enjoying a good story before bedtime. And that's something for which to be thankful to our Creator, the greatest storyteller of all.
1. Ted Slater said the following at 10:00 AM on May 29:
FWIW, my wife and I have just started watching the BBC version of Charles Dickens' "Bleak House." We went through the mini-series a year or two ago, and are finding it much less confusing, much more engaging, this time around.
2. Mallie said the following at 10:41 AM on May 29:
I agree that film can be as valid a medium for storytelling as anything else; however, the problem seems to be that film makers mass produce these silly, poorly thought out products that rely more on commercial appeal than effective story. The guys at Pixar are a notable exception, which is why I'm so excited to see the movie "Up" tonight. Like in their past films, Up has all the makings of a great movie- heart, narrative, and cool graphics.
3. Charity said the following at 10:41 AM on May 29:
1. Excellent post. I was thinking about this very thing after reading Motte's post. I find it easy to snottily over-glorify reading and snub some other forms of media, such as weekly tv shows. Though I still think that books do something special- stimulate the mind and leave room for the imagination- in a wonderfully unique way, I also recognize that books, tv, movies, etc are, at their cores, the same thing: tools for communicating stories, ideas and opinions. All of these tools can be and have been instruments of great good and great pleasure, as well as unspeakable horrors.
By the way, loved Bleak House and enjoyed the recent BBC adaptation. Like most people, I usually find that movie adaptations of old favorites are a bit of a let down, but I thought Bleak House was overall quite excellent. Mr. Guppy was superb, Esther was (to me) an improvement (still as sweet as the story without bursting into tears over every act of kindness)and who knew that Gillian Anderson could be such a beautiful, engaging, non-government-agent-chasing-the-supernatural actress? The cinematography is lovely, too. I'm looking forward to checking out some of the new Masterpiece/BBC adaptations this summer. I've heard that there is a new Oliver Twist, Wuthering Heights and set of Agatha Christie shorts (I'm a sucker for old-school detective stories).
4. DannieA said the following at 11:16 AM on May 29:
the only problem for ME in comparing TV movies/shows to stories in books is that sometimes what is on screen doesn't live up to my very imaginative mind.
There is nothing better than listening to a story by the campfire or reading a story under the covers with a flashlight and letting your mind wander. The mind is a great visual tool...I personally like to use it.
now for court/crime dramas, I'm all about TV LOL
5. Rachael said the following at 11:37 AM on May 29:
re: Bruchko - I LOVED it years ago. And if my memory is correct, I think I even e-mailed my friends, offering candy if they chose to read it...
re: Story-telling. I feel like I don't have vivid lengthy memories of specific events in my childhood, even though I had many good childhood times. But I have some knowledge and scenes...one scene I recall is sitting down at the kitchen table listening to my mom read "The Persecuter" to us..... She used to read to us, and I want to read to my future kids (if I have them, God-willing).
It would be awesome and useful to have the knack for telling vivid, colorful stories about my life events, but I never had that natural knack, at least not in conversation. I pretty much say things as they are and am not always sure about details that would make the story come alive. I think I even 'practiced' telling a story to friends when I was high school age. It would be an awesome skill to have. I wonder if people who have that skill often embellish the truth a bit.
6. DannieA said the following at 12:16 PM on May 29:
Rachel said:
"I wonder if people who have that skill often embellish the truth a bit."
No....it's just more descriptive.
The difference between
"The dog acted cute!"
and,
"Immediately falling on her back, the tiny dog with the princess demeanor delighted the hearts of the small children with her gaze that clearly expressed a desire for them to continue the bellyrub they had started and finished. Who could resist those adoring eyes?"
7. Adam said the following at 1:06 PM on May 29:
Hmmm... an entertainment post entitled Bedtime
Stories and no reference to the movie???!!? Inconceivable!
Ted, I really appreciate the reasoned, positive spin on entertainment given.
8. Anstice said the following at 1:47 PM on May 29:
Re: Ted "finding it much less confusing... this time round."
I'm glad I'm not the only person who finds Dickens confusing. I watched Little Dorrit (it was new over here just before Christmas, not sure if it's got to the America yet) and the ending had me completely tied in knots trying to understand it. In fact I discussed it with three different people and every one of us thought something entirely different had happened!
Guess I'll have to give it a second chance on dvd.
9. Texas Craig said the following at 1:51 PM on May 29:
Some of my fondest memories with my kids involve me telling them stories of "Barnabas Clay" - the ship captain who sailed around the world, getting into all kinds of adventure. It was a great tool, because I was able to integrate my kids into the stories by creating characters modeled after them (and with names surprisingly similar :-) and I was able to tell them about different places of the world at the same time by integrating the local history into the story (diamond mines in South Africa; kangaroos and wallabys in Australia; etc.). My kids loved it and asked for stories every night.
So, for those of you out there who may have kids later, make sure you plan on using stories to ignite their imagination and to teach them. It is a great teaching tool, will build a terrific bond with your kids, and will give them lasting memories!
(of course, we also watch plenty of TV and movies; and, for movies, we are thankful for Clearplay!)
10. BDB said the following at 1:54 PM on May 29:
LOL - The Organic Squirrel gets a Bike Helmet
11. Ronnica said the following at 7:10 PM on May 29:
I totally appreciate the point of view of this post. I had been feeling a little guilty after that last comment. While there may be still some issues I need to address with the Lord about my entertainment choices (indeed, it's an ongoing process), there's no reason to necessarily feel guilty for watching a movie this evening. I have set boundaries for what I think is an acceptable amount of TV/movies to watch (and the types I will watch), and unless the Lord convicts me to tighten these reins, I can honor Him by keeping the standards He's lead me to personally.
12. Michela said the following at 10:21 AM on Jun 1:
Ted, #1
OK, I have to be a huge geek here. I have loved Bleak House ever since I read it in college in a Dicken's lit class. My prof played a few clips of the BBC version and I've been longing to get my hands on it ever since! Where did you find it?
If I don't find out... I might spontaneously combust! =)
13. Erica said the following at 11:14 AM on Jun 2:
As a child growing up I was introduced to the Uncle Arthur Bed Time Stories series in Church. I find them very interesting. They were written by Arthur Maxwell and tell stories that enhances good character building and moral values for children. It shows children faith in God Children who prayed to God when they faced danger and how God answered their prayer. It teaches Obedience and Corporation. I have been reading them from I was a child and as a Adults I still enjoying them. When my child is old enough I will introduce him to them. For example the story Two Face Caroline is a story about a little who behaves band at home and good at school. One day her teacher secretly visited her home and saw her disrespecting her mother. When the she saw the teacher she was embarassing and start to cry. As of that day the she behave good at home at school
Some of these stories are true stories of experiences with his children, or stories that children mailed in to him. I believe you will enjoy them Ted.