The Click-track of life:

"Click . . . Click . . . Click . . ."

My grandson is a drummer. I'm not a musician, but I know from what other musicians say, and just from being able to tell when someone is good at something, that he is really good at it. I'm not into the type of music that his band plays, but I know that, as he puts it, It has to be "tight." I would describe They Will Fall's music as chaotic, but it is a very carefully planned chaos. In order to keep it together, they generally use a "click-track." A steady rhythm click, click, clicks in Christopher's ear to keep him on track, not to mention with "the track." In a recent Facebook post, Christopher commented, "I've noticed in myself after playing to clicks for years now that I've lost a lot of feel as a musician. I've lost a little bit of the ability to read the other musicians. It's easy to become a robot and forget that music is supposed to provoke emotion. . . . [S]ometimes it's refreshing to just rely on each other's individual artistic voice and not rely on a Macbook Pro to dynamically lead through a set." Though, as I said, I'm not a musician, I identify with the balance this sharp, young man talks about. My style is to take my ear-bud out and just respond to what is going on around me, fly by the seat of pants, just let it come, and live in the moment. If I let that tendency rule, though, I find, at the end of the day, that my "to do list" has become a record of all the things I didn't get done. If go into by-the-agenda mode, I walk by hurting people without helping, "click, click," and though others are rejoicing, I am oblivious to their joy. "click, click, click." The Apostle Paul we meet in the New Testament was an incredibly disciplined man, yet he was aware of, and responded to, those around him. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15, NASB95). The Lord Jesus, though clearly dedicated to a Divine timetable--“He had to pass through Samaria.” and, “When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem;” (John 4:4, Luke 9:51, NASB95)--took time to reach out to children, was aware when a woman in need touched Himin a crowd, and reached out to her. Lord, I have things to do, things I believe You want me to do, and others are depending on me to accomplish, yet, I know, Lord, that all around me others are rejoicing, hurting, discouraged, exhilarated, weary, or bored with life. Don't let me ignore them. Help me remember that the most important things aren't things at all. They are people. People for Whom You, Christ, died. Keep me balanced. AMEN   It's STTA (Something To Think About).