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On Reading, Distractions, iPads and Kindles

October 6, 2010 in Reading, Technology, Time with 0 Comments

I have a love / hate relationship with reading. I love books, but I rarely finish them. I don’t exactly know why, except that I do know I get distracted easily. I also like to “get to the point” and end up frustrated with authors who take forever to say “Jesus loves us and He died for our sins”. I don’t need to read a doctoral thesis to understand that. So, I tend to skim rather than read, and I end up missing most of the beauty the author was trying to sketch out for me.

Recognizing what I’ve been missing out on, I’ve been making an earnest effort to change those habits. Here are some things I’m doing to cultivate a love for reading:

  • I really like eBooks. I like having easy access to any of my books wherever I am or the ability to buy a book at-will. eBooks have helped lure me back to the written word.
  • I love the iPad and I’ve been a huge fan of the Kindle app for the iPad. However, I’ve found that the iPad is not conducive to “getting lost in a story”. There are too many temptations to flip over to my email app, browse the tech news, check my twitter feeds, etc. It doesn’t take too long after beginning a chapter that I find my mind beginning to wander.
  • I’ve recently switched to a dedicated eBook reader – the Amazon Kindle 3. I like the single-focus aspect of a dedicated eBook reader. No bleeps, no twitter, no browser – just regular old reading.
  • On Saturday’s or Sunday’s, I like to go outside and read. Due to the heat and the screen glare, the iPad is horrible for that. The Kindle, however, is perfect for that.
  • I’ve never been good about looking up references the author includes inline, and I’ve been poorer as a result. I’ve found that when I take the time to look up a verse that the author references, it really enhances what I’m reading / studying and the Lord often shows me something totally new as a result.
  • I don’t read well when there is too much going on around me. I do my best reading and studying early in the morning (like 4 am) or late at night. A cup of coffee and a comfy recliner at 4 am is where I long to be these days.
  • I’ve tried audio books, but I just don’t retain the information like I do when I’m reading. Occasionally I’ll listen to an audio book while riding a bike or running, but I’ve really come to appreciate the silence of those activities more. That said, I’ve found the gym to be the perfect place to catch up on reading. A book is a great way to keep your eyes from visible “distractions” that are wondering the gym floor or on the TV.
  • Most of the books I read are non-fiction: theology, writing, mercy ministry, stream-of-thought, etc. I wouldn’t mind reading fiction books by people who happen to be Christians, I just don’t want to read Christian fiction. I’ve heard it said that the worst place in Christendom is the Christian Book Store, and I believe that isn’t too far from the truth.
  • When reading a chapter, I’m being intentional about not skipping paragraphs. In fact, I’m forcing myself to go back and re-read paragraphs to make sure I understand what the author is trying to communicate. I’m also going back and re-reading entire chapters. By doing those things, I find myself getting into the author’s world more frequently.
  • Note-taking while reading is a skill I’m just now beginning to develop. Keeping some small moleskine notebooks around helps a lot.

Silencing the Noise

September 15, 2010 in Desire, Listening, Prayer, Reading with 0 Comments

One early morning this past week, I sat down to read some scripture and found myself bombarded with noise. It was self-induced and I desired it more than quietness.

The noise was comforting. It created a layer between what I was reading and my soul’s desire to listen.

What does comforting noise look like?

  • thoughts of what lay in store for today
  • worrying over customer projects
  • refilling that coffee mug
  • checking email while reading or while someone is speaking
  • looking up at the lights
  • reading a verse and immediately thinking of application or how it might make for a great article
  • anticipating the joy of checking something off
  • glancing at the clock
  • applying my own filter to what I’m reading
  • glancing at my calendar while wrapping up a chapter
  • coming immediately to God with needs
  • following a bunny trail of links
  • reading instead of praying
  • notification sounds of emails coming in
  • the blinking light on a BlackBerry
  • twittering or facebooking something you just read
  • seeking the companionship of an iPad rather than solitude
  • texting while at the red light
  • listening in one ear while someone is talking, while also browsing or typing

That kind of noise is comforting because it allows us to interact on our terms, without commitment, applying our own unconscious filter. It allows us to communicate without listening. It keeps us in the safe zone.  It fills our desire to be needed and productive.

We were not made for that, though.

Real communication is found in quietness, when we desire to silence the noise so we can truly hear what the other person is saying. It is a very difficult place to get to and our flesh will fight it. Once we begin to desire silence over noise, though, we’ll finally be on our way to being wherever we are.

To Foster the Growth of

August 23, 2010 in Desire, Home, Listening, Prayer, Reading, Technology with 0 Comments

Merriam-Webster defines cultivate as:

1) to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops; also : to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
2) a : to foster the growth of; b: to improve by labor, care, or study : refine
courtesy of RedWelly: http://www.flickr.com/photos/redwelly/89928491/
I especially like 2a: to foster the growth of. It implies that there is something that needs growing, something that is worth growing, and it requires some help in order to grow. In light of that definition, here are some questions I want to wrestle with over the coming months and years:
  1. What does it mean to foster the growth of our desires? How does that look and who’s the beneficiary? What’s the motivation?
  2. How do we nurture the culture and temperature of our home; and why would we want to?
  3. Does our use of technology or gadgets negatively impact our interaction with people? How do we cultivate our use of technology?
  4. What is quietness and how do we cultivate it to impact how we listen to people with our eyes, ears and heart?
  5. Why is it uncomfortable to be alone while reading or praying, and how do we cultivate that time so that we learn to listen while reading and praying?

photo courtesy of RedWelly