Behind The Noise : a song of conviction

I don't know about you, but if I leave my phone at home by mistake and have to do without it for half the day, I start to have withdrawal symptoms. Sometimes when my husband and I have lunch together on Sunday, we look up and realize that we've each been tapping away at our phones for 10 minutes without really talking to one another. We have to make a conscious effort to put away the phones and turn off the TV, because today we find noise more comfortable than silence...

I belong to a generation that can still remember what life was like before it became commonplace to be tethered to a mobile phone at all times. When I was a kid, it was normal to have a mobile phone for emergencies when driving, but they weren't pocket-sized yet. Made it a little bit easier to leave it in the car, at least. And you didn't get very many minutes, and reception was spotty at best, so you were forced to talk to people in person or at least wait until you got home to talk for hours on the phone.
 
1990's model

I am prepared to admit: we totally had one of these in our Dodge Caravan. Am I alone here?



How did this become our obsession?
Remember when we weren't ALWAYS connected?
Why does it agonize us to be still
and choose the silence?


When I first wrote this song, the third line said "to pull the plug" instead of "to be still" and someone (thanks, Mom) helped me see that the phrase makes you think of cutting life support or something. Man, it can feel like that when you're "unplugged" from the constant barrage of communication, but I really wanted to be clear and eliminate any distraction from the message of this song!

Remember when we weren't ALWAYS connected?
I think Zack from "Saved By The Bell" is a pretty good illustration of:
1. Just how old I am. Watched this every day after (middle) school. Shh... pretend you still think I'm about 10 years younger, mmmm-kay?
2. How far technology has come. Can you imagine cramming that thing in your back pocket? And that wasn't even the first couple of models to gain traction!


Furthermore, I do think that a huge part of the reason that we're so tempted to fill our lives with "noise" and busy-ness is that the enemy knows that if we are still and quiet, if we take time to contemplate what's important in life and what we should be doing with it, that we will hear from God and cause all sorts of trouble for him! 

Behind the noise, 
there is only one still, small voice,
not competing for attention.

If we ever pause to listen,...
what will we hear? 

Will we find He's always been near, 
and we already have His affection?



I also see my generation and those coming up behind us falling into a trap that will destroy our families if we fail to correct our course! Without communication, relationships fall apart. These electronic devices will suck the life our of our families if we let them. Don't misunderstand me, I love technology. I am personally addicted to it, and I think it's good in so many ways. But we have GOT to learn how to put these things down sometimes, and focus on the people right around us. What experiences might I miss out on today if I'm buried in my phone or a computer instead of looking up and around me?

You can miss a lifetime in a moment.
We tell ourselves we don't already know this.
But when this day becomes your past,
will you be satisfied
if it becomes your last?

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