Loud Noises

The only line of the Mell Brooks movie "Silent Movie" is a well known mime yelling "No".
This is my introduction to a sort of recap of my weekend without media. It was an assignment for my youth culture class. But the part I liked the most was a Rob Bell Nooma video. (I watch them from time to time.) But the video was about silence, and since the weekend felt like I was engulfed in silence, I thought it was a fitting video to watch. Rob mentioned a documentary guy makes nature sound recordings. He said it now takes a very long time to get an hour straight of uninterrupted nature sounds, some other sound always pops up. This was how I look at my music intake. I always had music on. I couldn't fall asleep without it, I didn't wake up without it. I studied, exercised, drove, and goofed off with music. I had songs for when I was sad about girl relationships, songs about frustrations with God, songs about happiness in girl relationships, songs about praising God. But the quietness that came this weekend. It emptied my head of these songs. Instead of turning to music to keep me in the mood I was already in, I was able to do something else, and move on. So after a while my head was finally emptied of the music, and the noise from the amount of music I had been cramming in my ears.
The video talked about Elijah, and how he is on a mountain and a wind came, then an earthquake, and then a fire, but then the whisper of God. The whisper that can only be heard when the noise of the world is gone. We don't have Billy Joel singing "For the Longest Time", or even Dave Crowder singing about "an unforeseen kiss" playing in our heads. But we are listening for His words and for His guidance. Ironically Switchfoot has a song "Adding to the Noise", where the lyrics actually say, "If were adding to the noise, turn off this song". I worry I have been putting God in my media box. Having Him there just to affirm what I am thinking, and what mood I am in, just like the songs I listen to. I just realized how long this is, and most of it seems to be rambling.... So I will conclude by saying, boo to too much music, and yeah to listening for God's direction. Media fast is a good idea.

Happy Platypus Day

Shushy time. No, not quiet time, but shushy time. I've liked it. I think I'm a spoiled ministry student when it comes to it though. Next weekend I actually will have an assignment where I have to not use media for the entire weekend. Which means no Olympics, I hope curling isn't on. But yeah back to shushy time. As a student I have amazing prof's who get me to do things like make a mission statement for my fictitious youth group. It's also nice, that this is my 4th class to have this assignment. Here it is for you. "To grow in God, by living as a disciple of Christ, building relationships that reflect Him in all I do". Each time I do this assignment it changes just a little. And back to shushy time. This is those moments that God graces me with Joy. I've already explained Joy, so I like it a lot. But My shushy times are not always in my bed before or after my day starts. They are when He feels like teaching me. I have to/get to know Him better through these times, and learn to rely more fully on Him. I had an interview with a mission organization this week. Sarah, was who I had asking me questions. She gave me a compliment which took a bit to sink in. She told me that I seem to get a lot of things done. Well, yeah I like to finish things. But she was talking about new things, and making things different. I hadn't really thought of it that much, but it's true in a way. I do things differently, and in new ways, that aren't always better, but they are done, and my way.
It's around Valentine's Day, and my good friends are calling it Platypus Awareness Day instead (for their lack of grouping). But I didn't join the festivities, partly because when the planning was underway, I had other plans for the day, and didn't want to concede to the silliness after plans fell through. But While watching some of the sappy movies one comes to realize that movie relationships are kind of silly, and would most likely end in a restraining order in real life. If I were to walk up and kiss a girl I barely knew, and just said I'm sorry, you were just so beautiful, I had to. I'd get slapped. But girls tend to eat it up, and this leaves us hopeless romantic types to watch the Olympics, and eat pizza by ourselves on V-Day. But this is where I have run off course, much like the down hill skier who flew in the air and landed on a flag. So, much like that skier, I need to get myself checked out, make sure I look at my mission statement. Realize it is my missions statement, and focus on it. I can try and find that girl who wants me to walk up and kiss her, or at least would go get some coffee with me. But it only gets to happen while I am living out my mission statement. So for the rest of you, be careful, cause I'm not worried about things being awkward, or things getting messy, but I am worried about doing what I should be doing to bring glory to God. God loves me, and I love Him, and I love you too. (Mt 22)

What to do, what to do...

James of all books hit me this week. You don't really think of those books much that are just before Revelations, but there I was reading it, and deepening my love of God's word. Read it for yourself, but James 4 has a section in it about our future. It warns us not to say what we are going to do tomorrow, when we have no idea whats going to happen. I like what it says next, instead we should say, God willing we should do this or that. That means a lot to me. Not only now, but with my past. I have moved from college to college, major to major, just trying to find a way that seems right. All along I was making my own plans, of graduating college, and starting a career. Most of these careers, I have planned them on how I could best serve God. But they were always my plans. I can make plans right now, and am, but they are my plans. James is right, I need to say, "if it is the Lord's will we live, and do this or that".
I just postponed my internship till next spring. So that gives me this entire summer that I don't have plans for. I've talked with some different missions groups, but none of them seem to be working right. I probably should make some money to pay for school, and my internship next summer, but I feel like I haven't ever spent a summer just serving God. I am hoping to at least work in a summer camp, if I'm not given the opportunity to serve over seas as a missionary. These are merely my plans yet again, So I do add to them, if it is the Lord's will.
Then there is my future. I have been talking with some friends about my future. I don't know where I'll be or what I'm gonna be doing, but I hope that God will guide me, and daily I will be able to say in my prayer, Lord if it's your will let me do this or that.

And I'll become even more undignified than this

So, after getting up and going to church (like all good deacons do), I sat at lunch with some friends. I say sat, cause I was done eating when wave after wave of different people came in. I really enjoyed the time, and we had some fun conversation. But then came the really fun part. I went home. Yeah, I am a commuter believe it or not. But while I was at home a friend's status was a new David Crowder Band song that was in my head all week, and I finally replaced it with a new song from church. but as soon as I read it, the new song was gone and "He is jealous for me" came billowing through my head. I decided not to fight it but embrace it. And much like David, but with more clothe I spent the afternoon dancing to some awesome music. I even made a quick playlist of some good songs that are worth dancing to. I am not one for real dancing as most can probably imagine. I am as quick and smooth as anyone on a volleyball or baseball team, but dancing fails me. I don't know how it doesn't translate. I mean i can see a batter turn his hips a little and already I have 3 steps towards where the ball is going before he even swings, and then make a diving catch in the corner of the outfield. But moving my hips in rhythm fails me.
But this was not regular dancing. This was heart dancing. Probably if anyone were to walk in on me, they would wonder whether I have something in my chest that I keep hitting, or am trying to stretch out to put something on the ceiling. But in this wonderful time of crazy dancing I felt alive. I understand why David did it. It's just that God is so awesome and there is nothing we can do but praise Him with our whole bodies. Our mind can theologize about Him, our hands can serve Him, and our feet can (as Audio Adrenaline puts it) go where He sends me. But I feel something special when my complete body comes together. All the parts moving in a way that although seem weird and awkward to someone watching me, but to God it is a form of worship. And He, atleast I hope, likes it.
So there is my confession of dancing. It is something that doesn't happen often, but something I love to close my doors, and just go crazy, and praise God, with loud singing and awkward movements.