Input Days

By James Tealy • May 13th, 2008 • Category: Artists in Residence

I stayed in bed until 10 AM this morning. I had some breakfast at 11:30. I know it has always been a running joke about musicians that we’re lazy and spend all day in bed. Most of the time it’s just not true but today I played the stereotype for all it’s worth. Most of the time this life means overnight driving to the next show. It’s carrying heavy gear around because the promoter couldn’t find enough help for load in. It’s an interview on your cell phone in the middle of a 14-hour day in the studio. It’s smiling and trying to be thankful for another lasagna dinner backstage before a concert. There are plenty of busy days in this life but today wasn’t one of them and I refuse to apologize. In fact, I don’t call these lazy days anymore. These are my input days.

Last Fall I was serving as a judge in an amateur songwriting contest. After listening to song entries all day I lamented to one of the more “senior” judges that all of the songs seemed cliché and shallow. His response surprised me. He suggested that maybe the reason some of the songs seemed surfacey was because that as Christ followers we don’t take much time to think deeply about the things of God. If we don’t carve out the time to think deeply about the great God who created all things then how could we have something deep or moving to say about God? Wanna write songs that matter - creative output, then make time to be still - Input Days.

In response to my friend’s insight I am trying to be more purposeful about the way I use the down time. I am NOT looking for ways to busier in the down time. I am in search of focus, rest, meditation. I don’t read my Bible so that I can check it off of my to do list, I am planting seeds of truth in my heart, letting that truth marinate in my soul. I am turning off the TV more (as long as Lost isn’t on - I have my limits). Closing my laptop more. Answering text messages less.

I know that everyone isn’t afforded Input Days the way we are. The schedule of this life requires so much from you. To carve out input time will inevitably take some difficult decisions. It will require learning the ever-elusive skill of occasionally saying “no.”

Mother Theresa has been quoted as saying, “We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.” I suppose when we speak or sing or write out of the noise of our lives instead of the silence it is our voice and not God’s voice that the world will hear.

↓ One comment

#1 JamesTealy.com on May 14th, 2008 at 3:01 am

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