Noise

This past week, I have been doing an experiment, of sorts. I've decided to kick discipline into high gear, and avoid "worldly" distractions as much as possible. By worldly, I simply mean cutting back on T.V. (not a hard one, seeing as the T.V. hasn't been on in this apartment for 5 1/2 months), movies, games, and the like. In all honesty, it hasn't been a resounding success- I have still lingered for longer than I would like to have on Youtube or Facebook, but I've been surprised by the results of freeing up just a few hours a week from the tyranny of amusement.

In the song "Everything's Gonna Be Alright", Jacob Moon says that "Man and his engines have conquered silence; they drown out heaven. Sometimes I hear it whispered in secret; old words, new meaning." With cutting out movies (one of my greatest time-wasters, I'll admit, along with shows on DVD), I've had a lot more time to listen to music. I found the statement that Moon makes to be tragically profound and accurate. There is just so much "noise" in our world that we are missing the music that God composes for every day. When I say "we", I suppose I mean, "I", as I can only tell my own story.

I don't want to focus on the negative, actually, because the experience has not been negative. To begin with, it has made me less selfish. Rather than making my way through a work day (or week, for that matter) simply so that I can flop down in front of something or other and "veg", I have noticed a dramatic increase in my willingness to use my time to bless and encourage others. I have sought out the company of others rather than taking the easy road for an introvert and hiding in my cave. Even though I have 2 jobs and am working on my masters degree, I have managed to find time to volunteer in the church above and beyond my job description, and to reconnect with folks that I have lost touch with over the last few months.

I have been both going to bed earlier and getting up earlier, as there is no cinematic seductress tempting me to wile away the night staring into her bright and alluring eye (most poetic description of a screen I could think of). I have found new life injected into my prayer and devotional life, and my mind is more focus on such things during the day. If you happen to notice the time stamp, please don't think me a hypocrite. I had far more coffee today than is generally advisable for a human being, and so I don't think I'll fall asleep again in this calendar year. Maybe my caffeine dependence will be the next project, I don't know. We'll slaughter one sacred cow at a time.

I've also been more productive and contentious, in general. Knowing this was going to be a restless night, I managed to tackle a lot of things that I have been meaning to get to, but have "never had the time". For my part, the living room is now uncluttered, and you could eat off of pretty much any fixture in the bathroom. Tomorrow morning, I shall have clean dishes and dust-free floors! (Didn't think that the roomie would appreciate vacuuming at 11:30 pm. Just call me empathic)

So for today, I am devoid of deep cultural insight and scriptural exposition, at least in a direct sense. I'm just happy at the journey over the past few days, and I'm looking forward to continuing it.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,

Jeremy