Prayers needed, please.

Yesterday I forced myself to sit down and face some hard, cold facts. I have actually mentioned this before, but I am aware that my addiction to computer games has gotten way out of hand.

I recently implemented a new schedule so that I could get up earlier to share dinner with my family, and then do scripture study with them. Afterwards, I would read to Bill until I left for work. Now, this new schedule really depends on my getting to bed a lot earlier than I am used to. And last week didn't go so well. Why? Computer.

I would get home about 7:30 and spend the next 2-3 hours playing games on the computer - before doing anything else. I have been watching over my Guild Wars characters as if they were my children. I have been protecting my house from zombies by planting all kinds of cool plants that shoot peas, spikes, fumes, etc. I have been matching tiles in Mah Jong.


By the time that I would finally stop playing games and do the necessary things before going to bed, it would be 11:00 or 12:00, and as I am getting up at 5:30 - that wasn't giving me nearly enough sleep. I nodded my way through work most of the week.

But the most shameful of all is the fact that I would play these games every day. EVEN. ON. SUNDAY. A week ago I gave a Family Home Evening lesson on keeping the Sabbath Day holy, and when I came home this Sunday morning, I actually refrained from using the computer. But when I got up and found Tim and Bill watching a movie, I weakened. Tim found me playing Mah Jong and vigorously defended his right to watch a "family" movie if I could play "non-violent" games on Sunday. Not a very good example, I'm afraid.

I have so many projects that I would love to work on. I need to write the next installment for my granddaughters and their 'fairies'. I have a play to write (the songs are written, I have the plot, I just need to put it all down). I have cross-stitching to do (sorry Daisy - I WILL get your cross-stitch done before you graduate from High School). I need to organize my photos. I need to do genealogy. I need to come up with some new recipes because the family is getting tired of chili, pot roast and orange chicken.

Oh, I can justify playing games. I do work hard during the week. It's a 45 minutes commute each way, and I put in 8+ hours at work, five nights a week. Playing games is a relaxing way to unwind from the stress of work. However, it's just like potato chips for me - I can't do just 10 minutes. If I get started, I'm on the computer for hours.

So I had a talk with the Lord yesterday and told him that I'm going cold turkey on playing games. I worry about my Guild Wars characters, but they will patiently stand in whatever town I've left them in - for eternity if necessary. The zombies will lurk around my 'house' waiting for a chance to get in, but the house is locked up for now - no admittance. Even the Mah Jong tiles will lie there unshuffled.

I am under no illusions that this is going to be easy for me. Breaking an addiction (and it IS an addiction) is never easy. So I am asking for your prayers to help me out. When you consider all of the troubles and problems in the world today, an addiction to playing games on the computer may seem pretty minor for prayers, but it really is a big deal in my world and I need the help. Today is day one. I'll report back next week to see how it goes.

THANKS!!!!!