Listening and Reflecting

September 4, 2008

Lar,

I know I have written more than a few posts on music in this blog, but today I wanted to recommend the practice of setting aside a specific time for listening and reflecting. Though I have not yet acted on this recommendation, I will do so (and have done smaller versions of it). My thought is that a periodic 30 minutes set aside for listening and reflection is needed by us all. Slowing down, listening to the lyrics, singing the lyrics, and letting the Lord speak to us can be a powerful time.

If you use iTunes, it seems best to make up a playlist of some sort. Choose your songs. Plan out a time and rest.

I should note one thing about all of this, I suppose. In order to do this, we need to set aside the time and actually slow down our pace. I recognize now that I did not listen to a great deal of music this summer, in large part because I was always on the go. And I was much the worse for it.

Returning to Turkey has made it much easier for me to slow down my pace. And the blessings have been obvious. I recognize now that when home in the States, I need to be more vigilant about slowing down and taking the time to listen and reflect. I suppose we could say that if we do not ‘have the time’ to spend a quality, slowed-down thirty minutes in reflection, we probably need to take a look at things and slow down in general. Periodic life pruning is always needed.

Take it for what it’s worth.
Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Seeking Him