Oct.22 – “a word on…earbuds”

OK, I’m going off the chart a little here.  I guess I’ll find out who really reads this thing.  I feel like last night’s youth group chat was a bit of a mulligan.  For those of you who are not golf-savvy, that’s a nice way of saying I’d like a do-over.  The fellowship was good, lots of people, no one died, but I wish my talk would have gone a different way.

So, today I am blogging on prayer a bit.  I’m currently sitting at a Woods coffee shop, the bakerview station, if you must know.  I’m people watching.  It’s funny how many different kinds of people there are in such a crowded little place.  I’ve got two college girls chatting about life and a little bible study on the table next to me, while another guy does his homework on the other side.  Across the room sit a group of older asian people, looking pretty animated about something.  On the far wall, two guys in uniform, by the looks it looks like armored truck drivers, are on a bit of a coffee break.  In the other corner, the ‘coveted work corner’ I try to get but rarely do is some business looking types maybe doing an interview or setting up their next golf tee time.

Here I sit, with my earbuds in.  The music’s off, but I leave them in.  It gives people the appearance I’m not listening to them, but I am.  Intently.  Is that dishonest?  Wearing earbuds without music?

Yet, earbuds usually serve a worthwhile purpose.  Good earbuds filter out the noise from outside and give me clarity of sound o whatever I have on my itunes.

My prayer life tends go wander when I get distracted.  I think God’s word acts a little like earbuds – filtering out the outer noise of life so I can more clearly hear His voice.  I can pray without them – but its hard.  I just read a medical article exposing multi-tasking as a myth; we never do more than one thing at once really, we just move back and forth quickly, and usually, not very efficiently, so it says.  So, whenever I can actually concentrate – something gets done!  Yeah!

So, my challenge today is to put on your earbuds, and see if it focuses your prayer life a bit.  Because lets face it, those kids slurping hot chocolate and bouncing on the couch next to me certainly aren’t making it any easier….those little devils!

coram deo

rob

Comments