Rabbit Trails...

Oh, for more time to listen/view/read/do all that piques my interest!!  But there is only so much time and as much as I would like to, I can't.  I think about being more disciplined. Perhaps if I could muster up a bit more discipline, I would get more done...but the rabbit trail method has worked so well for me up to now.  God has taken me on quite the diverse, eclectic journey via google. I've seen many sites along the way and learned so much. I doubt a more disciplined approach would have birthed the theology I now hold (with a light grasp) and I wouldn't know the God I know. 

I've also thought of getting more organized and methodical in my writings.  I read many of the blogs online devoted to writing and blogging. Many recommend an outline as the first step when writing a post, complete with bullet points, opening paragraph, ending paragraph etc. You know, decide what it is you want to say and put it down on paper. I've thought about doing that...and still may.  I usually lecture my kids about doing just that when they have a paper to write for school; however, I seldom (never) practice what I preach.  I usually just go with the flow with writing, with research, with reading and listening.  I start typing and see where I end up.  Like Alice, I  just follow the rabbit down the hole to wonderland and follow him where ever the rabbit trail leads.  There is no plan or rhyme or reason to what I read/do/listen/view.  I will probably continue to use that same method to write...in spite of good intentions to get more organized. 

This post is a good example of the rabbit trail method.

Last night before I konked out, I picked up Eckhart's book, Stillness Speaks, which was in the basket by my bed.  I read it a few months ago...but most of Eckhart's books can be read in snippets....perhaps they are better read in snippets with time to reflect on what he says.  I read the two page introduction.  A sentence jumped out at me. You know that feeling...that quickening...when something resonates with your spirit?  So this morning I got up before 6:00 (ever the early riser...even on weekends...and truthfully, 6:00 is sleeping in a bit because during the week I am up about 4:40ish) and looked something up on google about stillness...in order to write a blog post about it. 

And from there I was off and running.  First,I found a delightful book on google books, which is posted there almost in its entirety.  It is called "Letters to My Friends" by John Conley.  I will post some of the thoughts from the book later.  Then from there I visited other blogs and websites and came upon a really interesting character named Noah Levine.  He is a former punk rocker/rebel/drug addict/prisoner/convicted of three felonies by the time he was 17. Out of desperation, he turned to meditation (his dad was a Buddhist teacher) and has become an unconventional teacher with a prison ministry.  Pretty cool.  I may write about him too. 

Damn...I love the internet :)