Sitting in a tree stand, waiting for deer, is a difficult task (especially when it's real early on an icy 20° morning). Not necessarily the waiting; but my thoughts. Rather than allow myself to completely 'be' in this moment, I'm mentally doing a myriad of things. My mind is wired for analysis. My patience is fleeting.
Similarly difficult for me – for which this solitary environment provides an ideal moment – is having a quiet, devotional time with God (praying for prey doesn't count). But rather than allowing the beauty of creation and nature's orchestra to embrace and lift me, I'm contemplating my calendar, career tracks and past mis-cues. And in contrast to the stillness, unmitigated static from tinnitus* competes with the sounds of birds and raindrops on leaves.
Past thoughts invade the present moment; replaying various innings of my life. But unlike the annoying video challenges in football and baseball, there's nothing that can change the outcome for me.
It recalls my past life of editing our pastor's Sunday messages on reel-to-reel tape for radio broadcast. I meticulously removed every 'uh', stutter, or cough. He never sounded so professional as he did on-the-air. It was a tedious task when his delivery was off. Listen, pause, rewind, pause . . . spinning the reels back and forth, listening where to mark and trim the bloopers from the reel.
But real life doesn't allow video challenges or post-production cut-and-tape. As with live broadcasts, what we say and do is out there for the world to see, hear, critique – and judge.
Where live productions succeed is in pre-production. That requires the study of scripts and screen plays, blocking, staging, memorizing lines and cues. If not, at least you had better be really good at ad lib and improvising.
Our personal and spiritual pre-production comes together best in our quiet times. No devotions = no preparation for success. Thus, for the unprepared pragmatists as myself, our daily improvising is sorely tested. We pray for the video challenge, and post-production editing, and then beat ourselves up for not studying the script or recognizing the cues.
But real life doesn't allow video challenges or post-production cut-and-tape. As with live broadcasts, what we say and do is out there for the world to see, hear, critique – and judge.
Where live productions succeed is in pre-production. That requires the study of scripts and screen plays, blocking, staging, memorizing lines and cues. If not, at least you had better be really good at ad lib and improvising.
Our personal and spiritual pre-production comes together best in our quiet times. No devotions = no preparation for success. Thus, for the unprepared pragmatists as myself, our daily improvising is sorely tested. We pray for the video challenge, and post-production editing, and then beat ourselves up for not studying the script or recognizing the cues.
But here in this tree stand – if I force myself to become quiet enough and become willing to embrace the thoughts that come – I may start to sense the Producer at work in nature and in my life. I may begin to feel, see, and hear His hand in the next act . . . and his Spirit happens to be a great Director.
Perhaps spending more time studying His script, screenplay and cues for this next one, I won't want so much post-production analysis. And waiting for prey is always a good time to pray.
I just heard a confirming voice of thunder telegraphing the advancing rain. "Break a leg!", I think as I scramble to descend ahead of the danger of lightning. But hopefully not from falling out of this tree stand. (PS. I didn't get my deer)
Perhaps spending more time studying His script, screenplay and cues for this next one, I won't want so much post-production analysis. And waiting for prey is always a good time to pray.
I just heard a confirming voice of thunder telegraphing the advancing rain. "Break a leg!", I think as I scramble to descend ahead of the danger of lightning. But hopefully not from falling out of this tree stand. (PS. I didn't get my deer)
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42 ESV
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42 ESV
* Tinnitus (TIN-ih-tus) is noise or ringing in the ears.
No comments:
Post a Comment