John Albert Thomas Solo Piano

The Problem Of Noise

We are bombarded with noise every day.

I’m not just talking about the kids whooping and hollering around the house about this and that and the unfairness of it all. I’m talking about stress factors in general.

In the case of children, the noise is aural. It impacts the ears. Other noise we introduce to ears is music and talk radio. TV impacts the ears and the eyes.  We have to leave the radio and TV off at dinner time so that we can listen to each other.

There’s another kind of noise that impacts the mind. It comes from email telling us that we need to accept money from a Nigerian foreign minister. It comes from 24-hour news. Dare I say, it also comes from Twitter and Facebook conversations.

Every time we introduce these things to our minds we are presented choices. What do I do with this information? Chuck it or store it? Where do I store it? What do I do with all of this stuff I stored?

We don’t realize just how much noise we are taking in. If we’re not careful we will lose the ability to listen to ourselves, to remember where our true passions exist, to remember the things God has called us to do.  We will grow deaf to His whispers.

Jesus showed us how he handled this problem:

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”  (Mark 1:35, NIV)

So my challenge to us today is this: unplug from the noise. Go somewhere quiet where there are no inputs except those generated by nature itself. Breathe. Relax. Pray. Listen.

Then come back here and share your experience.

Advice From A Mule

These past two weeks I withdrew for some much-needed “creative solitude” to contemplate how to best accomplish my musical and financial goals.  In the process I rediscovered the joy of starting the day seeking God through reading the Bible and through prayer, and trying to walk in dependence on Him throughout the day.  Here’s how it unfolded.

One miserable afternoon I expressed my frustration to God, saying, “I wish you were here standing over my shoulder telling me what to do.”  The next morning, King David reminded me in Psalm 32, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.  Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.”

Ok, so I’ve been a mule.  (I’ve heard there’s another word to describe this.)  I had gotten into the bad habit of jumping into workday decisions without asking for His input.  A better habit would be to consult the One who programmed this universe in the first place. He knows His way around!

Trimming, Expanding and Combining Service for Photographers

Photographers and videographers,

If you would like an expanded, trimmed or combined version of my piano works, just ask for a quote using the form at the bottom of the License page.  It doesn’t matter if you need a 30-second clip or a 10-minute clip, we can provide a seamless soundtrack for your slide show or video.