Turn Off the Noise

I wrote this back in early December or late November and never posted it. So here ya go!

It's crazy how you can hate being busy AND hate doing nothing.

This summer was probably the craziest summer of my life. I was working on an album, coordinating a wedding, maid of honor in another wedding, starting a new relationship, babysitting every week, took a vacation to NY AND working and doing ministry stuff. Every week I stopped and said, "what the heck was I thinking"? I couldn't wait for it to be over (not that I didn't have fun - I had plenty of that) and for life to just be calm again.

Now, life is quite calm (partly due to the fact that I don't have a car) and I'm itching to be busy again.

Funny thing is that when life is slow, you can hear God a lot clearer. And let me tell you, He is speaking. I mean, I can ask Him something and immediately hear His answer and be sure that's Him. CRAZY!

I'm learning that all the busyness, all the distractions, the running from here to there - those are all NOISE. Sometimes we can't hear God because of the all the noise that's around us. Wake up. Rush around getting ready. Go to work. Run to church/meeting/rehearsal/outing w/ friends. Go home. Get ready for bed. Go to sleep.

When is God supposed to speak in the middle of all that? Oh some of us are spiritual and we have a regular quiet time every day - yeah, 10, 15, 20 minutes! Say a prayer, journal, read a scripture or 2 and move on. That's not a lot of time to get a word from God, digest it (cuz sometimes it just don't make sense....yes, grammar...I know) and decide how to apply it to your life.



So here's what I'm learning:

(Disclaimer: I don't claim to be perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just telling you what my experience has been)



1. Although, I'm not a fan of the bus at all, I find that I'm able to look around, observe the people and the world around me, listen to music (actually, listen to the words of songs instead of just mindlessly singing along). Sometimes God speaks to me through that observing.



2. I spend more time at home these days (if I'm not at work, at church, w/ Mark or w/ friends - trust me - I'm spending more time at home). If I turn off my Friends dvd and light a couple candles and just sit, He's happy to join me. He never disappoints. Even if He's not speaking to me in words, I can still read His Word or write a song inspired by Him or take inventory of all that He's done that day or week or hour. In any case, it's quality time and God loves it.

Enjoy!