Just a show of hands please. I know I am. It's the kind of busy where instead of coming home after a long day of work and resting I've come home, rested for an hour, and then left to go do something. Several friends came in town for one weekend only so for four nights straight I went out. A feature film I wrote is shooting. I'm applying for a position on the Dallas Ultimate Board. I try to workout three times a week (and three times on the weekend.) A short film I directed, Pillow Talk, made it into the Portland Comedy Film Festival! That's a huge deal! I wrote my first freelance travel writer's piece!
 |
| Cydney Cox's graduate thesis film - my producing partner Ryan's head featured most prominently in photo |
I say all this, not to stunt on anyone but to demonstrate: I keep busy. Too busy, in point of fact. It's all my fault really.
 |
| I helped do some promotion work for this Festival so now I may be going to it! |
I've started saying 'yes' to everything that comes my way. Part of me likes going this speed. Going 1,000 miles an hour makes me feel like I'm productive all the time, but every thing comes at a price.
Friday night/Saturday/Sunday a stomach bug gripped my entrails and ransomed my stomach to me. I survived, but only after a healthy day of doing absolutely nothing. No writing. No filming. No working out. No nothing. Just a whole lot of napping and watching tv. I didn't know how badly I needed it until it came crashing down upon me.
Click to Check Out this work I did for Medieval Times!
Where was Lent during all this? Why didn't I do something for Lent? The obvious answer: I was gonna, but then I got busy. Don't get me wrong! I like Lent. It's a good reason to practice healthier life habits and stronger faithfulness. I like challenging myself for Lent with physical changes and spiritual ones. Last Lent I focused on praying every night. This Lent.... I.... worked through five out of the seven days and slept the other two.
So what are my Lenten commitments? Well, if there's anything I've learned recently it's the sheer pleasure of silence. My house rings with the noises of tv shows aired, video games played, and a myriad of other sounds. It's nice to not watch tv, not stare at my phone, and not stress about whatever's coming next. Instead I'm committing myself to just sitting and reading during my time off. I've found it to be more refreshing than an episode of tv. This Lent I'm going to cut down on literal noise.
My second commitment? Pray more intentionally. You know how people say they're praying for you? You ever think about it and then forget they ever said anything? I do. Days pass by. I slave over a keyboard. Life moves on. I see the person again and they're still praying for me. I didn't even ask for that. I just thought it was a one time deal. Well, I want that to be me. Or at least I want to focus more on what I pray for, who I pray about, and how I pray.
I feel a bit like a bad Christian not preparing for Lent. In the months leading up to this season I worked myself into an excited frenzy thinking of all the changes I was going to make. I could give up swearing, or alcohol, or coffee. I could write daily. I could write weekly. I could compliment people more. I'm too caught up in my daily living to hone in on my spiritual needs. I shouldn't neglect that. The good news is things ease up eventually. The light at the end of my tunnel sits roughly two weeks away. There's hope! Until then... Sorry if I disappear again. I've got my hands full!
Movie Reviews:
Gintama
Day of the Dead: Bloodline
15:17 to Paris
The Cloverfield Paradox
Essay everyone should read:
Ryan Coogler's Black Masculinity (in films like Fruitvale Station and Creed.)
No comments:
Post a Comment