Comments on: The Joy of Boredom http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/ reb•e•lu•tion (reb’el lu shen) n. a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture. Sun, 7 Sep 2008 13:41:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Kade http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-211783 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:41:52 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-211783 Brett, I love the quote by Francis Shaeffer! Brett, I love the quote by Francis Shaeffer!

]]> by: How To Escape From Stress « The Paperweight http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-209502 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:43:32 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-209502 [...] 28, 2008 How To Escape From Stress Posted by Michael Henreckson under Productivity   If anything is ubiquitous in the Americanlifestyle, it’s stress. We have work, school, and social life to juggle. Ironically, it seems like it’s the social life that takes the most out of you when you try to have fun after a long day at work. But you’ve got to have that social life, and you’ve got to have time to do nothing. [...] […] 28, 2008 How To Escape From Stress Posted by Michael Henreckson under Productivity   If anything is ubiquitous in the Americanlifestyle, it’s stress. We have work, school, and social life to juggle. Ironically, it seems like it’s the social life that takes the most out of you when you try to have fun after a long day at work. But you’ve got to have that social life, and you’ve got to have time to do nothing. […]

]]> by: Amanda http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-208192 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:34:18 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-208192 I know what it feels like to hear "The Call of the Internet". That is really the main reason I gave it up for Lent. And I didn't really mind after a while. I started reading a lot of books again. And now Lent is over, I have my mom, two sisters, and a self-created schedule to keep me off all of the time. My family does not have cabel, and non of us have cell phones, iPods or any thing like that. It's great! Sometimes while washing the dishes or cleaning I like to listen to music, but most times I prefer talking and laughing with my sisters, or just thinking. It actually can be quite relaxing... so realaxing in fact that I have to remind myself that the dishes can't take all night! So today I was sort of bored, my mom was on the computer, so instead, I wrote poetry. (Something I really enjoy doing.) That was the first time I decided to write when I was bored, and I found I liked it better then if I had been able to sit at the computer. Then I got writers block and there was food majorly burning in the kitchen so there went the burning.... I mean boredom! Actually, I hadn't thought about studying Scripture when I was bored, so thanks for the idea! I know what it feels like to hear “The Call of the Internet”. That is really the main reason I gave it up for Lent. And I didn’t really mind after a while. I started reading a lot of books again. And now Lent is over, I have my mom, two sisters, and a self-created schedule to keep me off all of the time. My family does not have cabel, and non of us have cell phones, iPods or any thing like that. It’s great!
Sometimes while washing the dishes or cleaning I like to listen to music, but most times I prefer talking and laughing with my sisters, or just thinking. It actually can be quite relaxing… so realaxing in fact that I have to remind myself that the dishes can’t take all night!
So today I was sort of bored, my mom was on the computer, so instead, I wrote poetry. (Something I really enjoy doing.) That was the first time I decided to write when I was bored, and I found I liked it better then if I had been able to sit at the computer. Then I got writers block and there was food majorly burning in the kitchen so there went the burning…. I mean boredom!

Actually, I hadn’t thought about studying Scripture when I was bored, so thanks for the idea!

]]> by: Catherine http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-207903 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:43:19 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-207903 Thanks so much for this post! As someone who is extrememely paraniod about wasting a minute of her life (a good thing), this same someone often gets very frustrated when she seems to be doing nothing and instead tries to fill every minute with something (a bad thing). Thanks for reminding me that God often uses the "bored" moments to show me something of Himself. "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalms 46:somewhere Thanks so much for this post! As someone who is extrememely paraniod about wasting a minute of her life (a good thing), this same someone often gets very frustrated when she seems to be doing nothing and instead tries to fill every minute with something (a bad thing). Thanks for reminding me that God often uses the “bored” moments to show me something of Himself. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalms 46:somewhere

]]> by: Bekah http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-206492 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:37:18 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-206492 I really enjoyed this post. I am interested in writing a speech about how technology can actually interefere with the ability to think deeply so this will be a great resource! 1. When was the last time you were really, truly bored? What happened? The last time I was bored was when I was at a cleaning job. I practiced my forensics pieces. 2. What “mental snacks” do you use to avoid boredom? Do they really work? Editing movies, calling friends, checking e-mail, etc. These activities get me focused on something positive, so for the most part they keep me from being bored. 3. What lifestyle changes can you make to harness the power of boredom? I need to make quiet times more of a priority in my life so that I can truly analyze thoughts and think clearly about decisions rather than rushing off to the next thing. 4. Where is the balance between using technology and being controlled by it? I think that if you are e-mailing people because you want to maintain a friendship, then technology is a tool. But if you are addicted to it, like “I have to check my e-mail five times a day or I will die!” then it definitely has become a negative thing. I realized recently that there are many more important things for me to do rather than constantly checking e-mail or surfing the internet (such as read the Bible and other Christian books). So I want to make sure that technology is always a tool in my life...not something that controls me. I really enjoyed this post. I am interested in writing a speech about how technology can actually interefere with the ability to think deeply so this will be a great resource!
1. When was the last time you were really, truly bored? What happened? The last time I was bored was when I was at a cleaning job. I practiced my forensics pieces.
2. What “mental snacks” do you use to avoid boredom? Do they really work? Editing movies, calling friends, checking e-mail, etc. These activities get me focused on something positive, so for the most part they keep me from being bored.
3. What lifestyle changes can you make to harness the power of boredom? I need to make quiet times more of a priority in my life so that I can truly analyze thoughts and think clearly about decisions rather than rushing off to the next thing.
4. Where is the balance between using technology and being controlled by it? I think that if you are e-mailing people because you want to maintain a friendship, then technology is a tool. But if you are addicted to it, like “I have to check my e-mail five times a day or I will die!” then it definitely has become a negative thing. I realized recently that there are many more important things for me to do rather than constantly checking e-mail or surfing the internet (such as read the Bible and other Christian books). So I want to make sure that technology is always a tool in my life…not something that controls me.

]]> by: Noah http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205733 Sun, 16 Mar 2008 03:10:02 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205733 The last time I was bored, I started writing a book (was doing a youth pastor internship and was just meditating on my morning devotions and what it means to be a 1 Timothy 3 Christian since I couldn't sleep that evening; I am almost done writing the book) and wrote a song that a group of us are singing in my church in a couple of weeks (the boredom actually created the words for the song as I was cleaning trash cans at Culver's and meditating on the finished work of Christ; then the boredom created the 4-part a capella harmony later- when I was on drive-thru of all places to be bored enough to do this lol) It's amazing what you can do when boredom is channeled to God's use. Fighting the Good Fight of Faith, Noah 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 1 Timothy 6:12 http://metamorpho-blog.blogspot.com The last time I was bored, I started writing a book (was doing a youth pastor internship and was just meditating on my morning devotions and what it means to be a 1 Timothy 3 Christian since I couldn’t sleep that evening; I am almost done writing the book) and wrote a song that a group of us are singing in my church in a couple of weeks (the boredom actually created the words for the song as I was cleaning trash cans at Culver’s and meditating on the finished work of Christ; then the boredom created the 4-part a capella harmony later- when I was on drive-thru of all places to be bored enough to do this lol)

It’s amazing what you can do when boredom is channeled to God’s use.

Fighting the Good Fight of Faith,
Noah
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
1 Timothy 6:12
http://metamorpho-blog.blogspot.com

]]> by: Alyssa http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205699 Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:10:46 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205699 1. the last time I was really truly bored...well. Umm...I really don't know. Probably not very long ago. My dad teaches at a Bible college of sorts for a six week term, and while he does that us "staff kids" get to hang out with the students practically all the time, and so I was really busy, and then the term ended, and all of a sudden I didn't have anything to DO anymore, even though there were lots of things that I knew I should be doing, and have you noticed that this is a run-on sentence? Anyway, after first term ended (3 weeks ago?) was the last time I was bored. 2. mental snacks. Well, this may sound weird, but playing hearts on the computer. Also, listening to country music. (My brother finds that boring, by the way.) Those are the unnecessary things that I do. They take up time and that's it. But some good things that I do when I'm bored. Mainly, I write. I LOVE to write. I joumal (prayer journal..not really a diary), write essays, email long funny stories, write poetry. And I read. Novels usually, but sometimes I won't have any of those "mental snacks" available, and so I'll read nonfiction like I know I should. And those are the best times, because then I receive inspiration for my writing. I also play piano, scrapbook, listen to classical music, memorize verses for school...but I must confess. None of these good things get done until I've been bored for a while. The foolish things get done first. 3. Lifestyle changes. Oh wow. In short, quit turning to the mental snacks. I must admit, quiet most often unsettles me. I have eight brothers and sisters, so I'm used to a lot of noise, and often I'm longing for quiet. but then in those rare moments I have it, I turn the radio or a CD on. When I go on a walk, I let myself daydream...avoiding self-examination, prayer, etc. So that would be the first thing I would need to work on. But then there are those..those...I can't think of the word I want...those God-breathed, holy times, when I embrace the quiet, and experience such joy and awe for my mighty God as a result. Sadly, they don't come nearly enough. 4. Harnessing technology...i went a month without playing computer games. And I need to do that again. :) I don't have a cell phone, ipod etc. And I probably won't have either one for a long time, the main reason being the expense. :) So those two things aren't a problem for me. However, I could see myself getting caught up in those gadgets if i would purchase them and wasting a ton of time. Thanks so much for the thoughtful, thought-inspiring post & for everything you guys do! 1. the last time I was really truly bored…well. Umm…I really don’t know. Probably not very long ago. My dad teaches at a Bible college of sorts for a six week term, and while he does that us “staff kids” get to hang out with the students practically all the time, and so I was really busy, and then the term ended, and all of a sudden I didn’t have anything to DO anymore, even though there were lots of things that I knew I should be doing, and have you noticed that this is a run-on sentence? Anyway, after first term ended (3 weeks ago?) was the last time I was bored.
2. mental snacks. Well, this may sound weird, but playing hearts on the computer. Also, listening to country music. (My brother finds that boring, by the way.) Those are the unnecessary things that I do. They take up time and that’s it. But some good things that I do when I’m bored. Mainly, I write. I LOVE to write. I joumal (prayer journal..not really a diary), write essays, email long funny stories, write poetry. And I read. Novels usually, but sometimes I won’t have any of those “mental snacks” available, and so I’ll read nonfiction like I know I should. And those are the best times, because then I receive inspiration for my writing. I also play piano, scrapbook, listen to classical music, memorize verses for school…but I must confess. None of these good things get done until I’ve been bored for a while. The foolish things get done first.
3. Lifestyle changes. Oh wow. In short, quit turning to the mental snacks. I must admit, quiet most often unsettles me. I have eight brothers and sisters, so I’m used to a lot of noise, and often I’m longing for quiet. but then in those rare moments I have it, I turn the radio or a CD on. When I go on a walk, I let myself daydream…avoiding self-examination, prayer, etc. So that would be the first thing I would need to work on. But then there are those..those…I can’t think of the word I want…those God-breathed, holy times, when I embrace the quiet, and experience such joy and awe for my mighty God as a result. Sadly, they don’t come nearly enough.
4. Harnessing technology…i went a month without playing computer games. And I need to do that again. :) I don’t have a cell phone, ipod etc. And I probably won’t have either one for a long time, the main reason being the expense. :) So those two things aren’t a problem for me. However, I could see myself getting caught up in those gadgets if i would purchase them and wasting a ton of time.
Thanks so much for the thoughtful, thought-inspiring post & for everything you guys do!

]]> by: Noella A. http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205629 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:36:19 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205629 I'd be lying to myself to say that I'm never bored, but I generally ALWAYS have something near at hand to occupy my mind. (Yes, this is one of them...) To answer the questions: 1) The last time I was bored Well, as I recollect, the last time I got really, extremely bored was a couple years ago when my family and I were taking a looong road trip to the East Coast and I'd already read all the books I'd brought--and my Bible--my brothers were asleep, my Dad listening to politics on the Shawn Hannity Show, my Mom fast asleep also, and the countryside was rather uninteresting (until we got to the green hills o' Virginia). To add to the scene--the vehicle we were driving was stuffy and smelled like stale french fries and rancid ketchup (we hadn't yet reached the next "rest" stop to unload the collecting trash), if I opened a window my younger brother would wake up, if I belted out singing 'Glory Hallelujah, I Shall Not Be Moved' my Dad would frown at me in the review mirror and turn the radio louder and my older brother would mumble in his sleep in reference to the song, "We're moving right now Noella.." So here I am in this altogether boring situation (in MY mind, anyway), I could have just continued to try to tune out the dronings of Mr. Hannity--or I could've listened to the topic and tried to glean some useful information. I could have just continued to stare enviously at my kin sleeping peacefully, untouched by boredom--or I could've relaxed my mind and joined them. In any case, what I could've done and what I did are two totally different things. I pulled out my trusty oft-used notebook and nearly-dry blue pen, poised to write, and stared out the window. The countyside really wasn't that bad after all..in fact it was kind of pretty! So I directed my thoughts toward what God had placed there all along. Wow! I should be thankful that we had the funds to go on road trips, a sturdy van to drive, eyes to see God's countryside, ears to hear (even if it's just about politics), a nose to smell and enjoy food (and the abilty to eat), and most of all, I should be thankful for my lightly-snoring, slightly annoying brothers and sweet mother and sometimes-stern father that God has given me! So I received inspiration and wrote a poem. Though perhaps irrelevant to the situation explained above, it is what I wrote at the time. ~HELP ME~ O Lord, help me to be All You want me to be; Help my feet only walk In the paths where You have trod, Help my will, humble before You Be unbending to the world, Help my hands, serving You Do the work that You have done, Help my heart be strong and true, Being faithful, Lord to You, Help my lips sing Your praise, And let them love You all my days, Help my ears hear Your voice, And the music of Your choice, Help my eyes look straight ahead, Seeing the nations for which You bled, Help my thoughts be pure and right, Thinking only of Your light. (Written 5/15/05) OK, I'm sorry that that ended up being such a long answer to a simple question. 2) Mental snacks I practice piano in dramatic mezzo forte and try my compositions in mezzo piano (moderatly soft)...I write poetry (so far this month I've written five poems), I write in my second book (the first one is finished but not published yet, it's a series), I read various edifying (and sadly, sometimes not) books and pamphlets, and I go for long walks in our beautiful woods. 3) Well..Tell ya what. I have to clean house so I'll ponder on a good answer to questions #3 and 4 while I do that. Adios amigos (and amigas). God bless! I’d be lying to myself to say that I’m never bored, but I generally ALWAYS have something near at hand to occupy my mind. (Yes, this is one of them…)

To answer the questions:

1) The last time I was bored

Well, as I recollect, the last time I got really, extremely bored was a couple years ago when my family and I were taking a looong road trip to the East Coast and I’d already read all the books I’d brought–and my Bible–my brothers were asleep, my Dad listening to politics on the Shawn Hannity Show, my Mom fast asleep also, and the countryside was rather uninteresting (until we got to the green hills o’ Virginia). To add to the scene–the vehicle we were driving was stuffy and smelled like stale french fries and rancid ketchup (we hadn’t yet reached the next “rest” stop to unload the collecting trash), if I opened a window my younger brother would wake up, if I belted out singing ‘Glory Hallelujah, I Shall Not Be Moved’ my Dad would frown at me in the review mirror and turn the radio louder and my older brother would mumble in his sleep in reference to the song, “We’re moving right now Noella..”
So here I am in this altogether boring situation (in MY mind, anyway), I could have just continued to try to tune out the dronings of Mr. Hannity–or I could’ve listened to the topic and tried to glean some useful information. I could have just continued to stare enviously at my kin sleeping peacefully, untouched by boredom–or I could’ve relaxed my mind and joined them. In any case, what I could’ve done and what I did are two totally different things. I pulled out my trusty oft-used notebook and nearly-dry blue pen, poised to write, and stared out the window.
The countyside really wasn’t that bad after all..in fact it was kind of pretty! So I directed my thoughts toward what God had placed there all along. Wow! I should be thankful that we had the funds to go on road trips, a sturdy van to drive, eyes to see God’s countryside, ears to hear (even if it’s just about politics), a nose to smell and enjoy food (and the abilty to eat), and most of all, I should be thankful for my lightly-snoring, slightly annoying brothers and sweet mother and sometimes-stern father that God has given me!
So I received inspiration and wrote a poem. Though perhaps irrelevant to the situation explained above, it is what I wrote at the time.

~HELP ME~

O Lord, help me to be
All You want me to be;

Help my feet only walk
In the paths where You have trod,

Help my will, humble before You
Be unbending to the world,

Help my hands, serving You
Do the work that You have done,

Help my heart be strong and true,
Being faithful, Lord to You,

Help my lips sing Your praise,
And let them love You all my days,

Help my ears hear Your voice,
And the music of Your choice,

Help my eyes look straight ahead,
Seeing the nations for which You bled,

Help my thoughts be pure and right,
Thinking only of Your light.

(Written 5/15/05)

OK, I’m sorry that that ended up being such a long answer to a simple question.

2) Mental snacks

I practice piano in dramatic mezzo forte and try my compositions in mezzo piano (moderatly soft)…I write poetry (so far this month I’ve written five poems), I write in my second book (the first one is finished but not published yet, it’s a series), I read various edifying (and sadly, sometimes not) books and pamphlets, and I go for long walks in our beautiful woods.

3) Well..Tell ya what. I have to clean house so I’ll ponder on a good answer to questions #3 and 4 while I do that.

Adios amigos (and amigas).

God bless!

]]> by: Handmaidens http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205605 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:49:37 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205605 It seems that the main reason people run from boredom is that they do not like to think. Thinking takes effort. Being entertained does not. That is why reading Little Women is better than watching it. We all need times of quiet. I am so thankful my mother has made times alone and quiet mandatory when we were little. Now we all crave little bits of time to be quiet or what every one else calls bored. This reminds me of Mary and Martha. We become as encumbered with technology as Martha was with serving (probably the better option of the two). We need times of quiet. It seems that the main reason people run from boredom is that they do not like to think. Thinking takes effort. Being entertained does not. That is why reading Little Women is better than watching it. We all need times of quiet. I am so thankful my mother has made times alone and quiet mandatory when we were little. Now we all crave little bits of time to be quiet or what every one else calls bored. This reminds me of Mary and Martha. We become as encumbered with technology as Martha was with serving (probably the better option of the two). We need times of quiet.

]]> by: Hannah Williams http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205292 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:05:21 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2008/03/the-joy-of-boredom/#comment-205292 oops did it again. geuss I need to go back to "Josiah Academy" oops did it again. geuss I need to go back to “Josiah Academy”

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