| Last post I shared info about this media fast I am on. Here is some stuff I am learning.
I have this tendency to make myself busy. This has manifested itself especially during my time in college. I feel like something is wrong if I am not doing multiple things at once. This is not how life is mean to be lived. Living live in constant busyness accomplishes three things: excellence in nothing done, eventual burnout, and missing what is truly important. Missing what is truly important can be on many levels but in my life it is mostly the things of God. Stillness opposes busyness. Stillness is a heavily neglected spiritual discipline. Let's take a look at:
Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Exodus 14:14
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes. I hate being still, but most of the time it is the best thing that I can ever do. How do we expect to hear God if we are "babbling like pagans, for they [or we] think they [or we]will be heard because of their [or our] many words." (Matt. 6:7) or if we are filling our ears with music? None of these are bad, but if we can only "hear God's voice" when listening to Jason Upton, then I am really not sure if we are hearing God's voice. Having a room that is mostly silent due to my fast is challenging me to be still. In the case of Elijah it was not the wind, earthquake, nor fire, but the gentle whisper. My question: why must we make our lives into a whirlwind and expect God to speak to us through our lives? Why are we unwilling to be still? This question I am in the process of answering myself, but the journey is enjoyable.
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I really enjoy listening to music!
This is not a bad thing, but recently I decided to stop. This was prompted by reading an article by Joe Schmidt. I am on a two week media fast.  This is very very painful for me.  I enjoy silence, as long as I can control it. But on an up note: I have been writing songs more.  Being on this fast for near a week now, it is teaching me a lot. And I will share revelations as I find them.
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| So within my first 24 hours being home I have: -Slept 15 hours -Ate dinner with 16 people -Wrestled 5 screaming boys -Started reading "Out of the Silent Planet" -Eaten 6 different varities of Christmas cookies -Submitted my last e-potfolio artifact!! -Became an Uncle for the 15th time!!! (Hannah Way 5 lbs. 10 oz. born at 3:45 pm) And this is only the beginning of it. It has been a crazy experience being home with my ever drastically expanding family, but one that is so refreshing to me in more ways then I know possible. I will collect my thoughts and write again soon. |
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| Contrary to popular belief, good outlines do not write papers themselves! |
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| Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I am greatful I will be eating turkey tomorrow, then going backpacking!
hummm...it's good. |
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