Every Monotony Holy

I feel as though life has slowly slipped into monotony.

Back in my environmental geoscience days, I learned about a term called soil creep. Soil creep is exzactly what it sounds like. It is "a slow and long-term mass movement. The combination of small movements of soil or rock in different directions over time is directed by gravity gradually downslope. The steeper the slope, the faster the creep." How interesting that something can be creeping and yet get faster.

My monotony has been sitting on a soil creep. The soil underneath me is new and unfamiliar. I didn't know it had the ability to create such a downslope that would increase the creep I have been in. But it has done just that and in the process sped up just enough for me to notice. And want to do somthing about it.

Now this is all alluding to, obviously, a larger picture. It's a euphemism for a post-grad young adult who just moved to, not only a new city, but state as well, and is having the slightest difficulty adapting to the new soil. Hey, that would be me.

Back to my monotonous life. For some, probably for most, waking up, going to work, coming home, eating dinner, sleeping, and then doing it again is not all that bad. For me even, it really is not that bad. I love my job and every day is not entirely the same. But...there are times when I look up and realize that I have made my bed, eaten breakfast, made coffee and I am now sitting at my desk not knowing how or when I got there.

Did I stop at a red light today? Or did I make it down Mingo Rd hitting all greens? Did I park in front of the tree or decide to park one space over?

Did I make a pour-over or aero press...did I even make my bed?

They say, "they" as in scientists and such, say that doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results is insanity...am I insane? Most likely not. Most likely a little bit.

For me, someone who likes surprises, new things, adventures, and always to be on the move, monotony and I do not get along well. It tends to go hand in hand with loneliness. They come as a pair. These two ruthless twins have soil crept their way into my new adventure of being a post-grad young adult in, what I am trying to convince myself is, an exciting new state and they have overstayed their welcome.

Now, to sit in these emotions and thoughts would not be helpful or healthy. So I did what anyone does who is looking for help in times of loneliness...I found a book on it. And also wrote this blog post about the inner tumblings of my mind.

Both have proven to be helpful and healthy.

"The Restless Heart" by Ronald Rolheiser. The cover says "Finding our spiritual home in times of loneliness."

Try as I might to desire to be a well-rounded and beautifully worded writer as the greats, it does not always come across that way. Let's just say F. Scott Fitzgerald and I will probably never be sitting on the shelf next to each other anytime soon. But, thank goodness for those who can convey their thoughts and emotions through beautiful words as easy as breathing.

Now I will quote some of those words from The Restless Heart to possibly help you understand what my words have been unable to.

Atheistic French Philosopher Albert Camus puts it this way:

"I was at ease in everything to be sure, but at the same time satisfied with nothing. Each joy made me desire another. I went from festivity to festivity. On occasion I danced for nights on end, ever madder about people and life. At times, late on those nights when dancing, the slight intoxication, my wild enthusiasm, everyone's violent unrestraint would fill me with a tired and overwhelmed rapture, it would seem to me—at the breaking point of fatigue and for a second's flash—that at last I understood the secret of creatures of the world. But my fatigue would disappear the next day, and with it the secret."

I mean come on. Beautifully and poetically put. Thank you Albert.

So, I feel as though I am caught in a monotonus loop and am also still seeking and wanting more.

Now let me introduce you to the twins, loneliness and monotony, older sister Contentment. Now contentment and I have a looong history. One that I believed was settled through the long summers of camp in Tyler, TX and the sweet wisperings of the Lord through the book of Isaish but here she is again. Quite honestly I do not believe that I will be rid of her anytime soon. That is okay though. We have become somewhat accosumted to eachother and I belive, as Paul said, to have found her secret.

Philippians 4:11. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

The secret is actually the title of another book. One that has been around for a while and yet its title has only recently begun to sit deep within me. Now yes, you may be thinking she is totally about to say the Bible. And while that may be true, I am writing under the assumption that Jesus and the Bible are the answer for everything but, He still usues other people, words, and texts to reawaken our love and hearts for Him. So no. It was not the Bible. But instead the book "Every Moment Holy."

The secret is that evey moment is holy! Or at least it an be! Even the Monotonus moments can be holy!

A while ago I wrote a blog posed called Thought Train. My mind can often run on tracks and it is sometimes hard to get off. Recently I spent the last couple of days of 2023 at the Upperroom End Of Year conference and wow was it holy.

Afterwards, I had texted my dad and said "Its crazy the atmosphere that happens when there are so many people who are activated in the spirit." To which he replied "For reals" haha classic Keith Peeler. But then he said "It’s the power of "agreement” when there’s agreement in the spirit, things change the atmosphere." Why can't it always be like that? I want to always agree with the spirit.

For the past couple of days that has been my goal. And as I type that out, maybe it is my goal for this year. To be in agreement with the spirit and truly try to see every moment as holy.

It is incredible to sit in an atmosphere where so many people agree with the spirit. Not only can you see it but you can feel it. But I don't want to crave just those moments.

I want to crave Jesus.

He can be in every moment. Even the monotonus ones. Especially those.

It doesn't necissarily turn a monotonus moment into an exciting one but He does turn them into holy ones. I'll take a monotonus holy moment over a just monotonus moment any day.

I guess what I have found and am trying to say is my goals for 2024 are:

1. To not run towards the excitement. To not look forward to the next adventure or thing even if right now seems to be dull. It is to be in agreement with the spirit.

2. And to consider the dull moments holy. To invite Jesus to make them holy.

Jesus turned water into wine. He saved me from eternal damnation. He preformed countless miracles in his three years of ministry here on earth...I am pretty positive he can make a seemingly boring day into a holy one.

Today, I woke up (late...very late), I got ready, made my bed, ate breakfast (more like lunch), and am now sitting in a coffee shop listening to "Its raining outside and someone is playing Moonlight Sonata in the other room" on spotify (HIGHLY recommend) and it has been a holy day.

I have invited my father to come along with me and nothing crazy has happened. The barista has been the only person I have talked to today and did I croak when I ordered my cortado, yes. Yes I did. But it has been holy nonetheless. Because I have spent it with my father.

Tip: Even the monotonus ones can be holy.