Say What?

Day sixteen of my self imposed incarceration. I'm doing a lot of what I have tended more toward the older I've gotten...listening. I don't think its been out of any great introspective enlightenment. More likely its no more complicated than, after 47years, I've already heard everything I've got to say. I don't think I've ever learned one single thing while my mouth was open; with the possible exception it is possible to fit my foot in it. So, please don't consider me rude if I'm not much of a conversationalist when you're around....I'd just much rather listen. Two and a half weeks of mostly just me and the dogs now. Me, Bowden and Pepper communicate quite well without a word passing between us. There's a lot to be said for that. As I've thought about this today, and listened to the news on TV, some thoughts came to mind.

The national news this morning ran a spot concerning the pastor of a California Church who opined his insistence his church members have more sex, more often. Now there was precious little detail given in the 15 secons spot, so I'm just assuming he meant "with their spouse". Before I could fully digest this bit of news, out steps a charter member of the "Americans for Better Nutrition Board". This dude is piping up on national TV about how the government should step in to ensure no restaurant in America be allowed to prepare a single dish containing trans fat. Now, don't get me wrong America...I know darned well there's a lot of well meaning people out there. And I'm sure they're healthy, and sexually sated...but if I choose to be neither, either or none of the above...let me be. Mind you, the day has now come; I've got a preacher wanting to control me and my wife's sex life, Mr. multi-grain wanting to run my kitchen, every rookie cop who ever came through the academy telling me how to run a police department...and everyone, and I mean everyone who ever fell off the turnip truck telling me how to raise my children. And you wonder why I don't talk...I'll say it again...there's really nothing wrong with a little quiet time. God gave every one of us two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet and one mouth...think about it. If we would all look for problems twice, listen for needs twice, then use those two feet to go and those two hands to do...there would be a lot less time to talk about it. If what I'm about to say isn't directly and immediately beneficial to someone...there's probably no need to say it. I know a number of folks who simply talk out of meanness, selfishnessness, boredom, or habit. Some who really think other people enjoy listening to them. I even know one woman who talks because there's oxygen in the room. Why do some of us feel so uneasy in a quiet room...nobody ever got sick because there was nothing to say.

There's a whole "nuther" world out there for our senses to experience. Spending two weeks watching Bowden and Pepper has given me a little insight to share. These two dogs...these guys know a world completely invisible to me. They hear it and smell it. They relate to their surroundings in a way completely foreign to me. It's almost as if they know something I don't. They know the garbage truck is coming five minutes before I do. They know Tilena is home before I see her car. They're attuned to their senses. I've never known them to bark, unless they've got something to bark about. Could we as Christians live a little more like that? Could we bark a little less and experience a little more? We certainly "know" things most people don't know. We will get to experience things most people never will. Christians see things, hear things, sense things the world can't fathom. Why don't we take a little more time to relish in that ability? I'm telling you guys...silence is golden. To feel God's breath on your back is beyond belief. To hear his words in your heart is joyous. But you can't smell perfume in a pig pen. You can't feel his breath in a maelstrom, you won't hear his voice when you're talking...be still...be quiet...listen to the King.