Earbud Life

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

Confession.



I have recently discovered podcasts, and I fear I’m beginning to turn into a geek.


But seriously.

I have just discovered the Serial podcast. Which, oh. my. gosh. guys, do yourself a favor and go listen to it. And then listen to the spinoffs: “Undisclosed” and “Truth & Justice.” They are addictive. As in, I listened to all three in the course of two weeks. SO. GOOD.

*Theories to the case are welcome in the comments section 🙂 *


But anywho – podcasts were pretty much anomalies to me. I don’t listen to NPR, I’m not a talk radio person. I frankly don’t even really like reading…so why would I like podcasts? Anywho – I gave Serial a shot at the recommendation of my sibling, and let’s just say…it was a game changer.

So, I found myself one night, perusing the deep recesses of the iTunes podcasts store — a dangerous place to find yourself, might I add. But I was searching for some soothing background noise to help me fall asleep. (Listening to a “who dun it” podcast can sometimes leave me a little jumpy as I’m falling asleep.) And so the very top hit was this podcast with 1000s of reviews, called “Sleep with Me.” (And PS, I’m only just now realizing that its title is mildly inappropriate. But I digress.)

yikes

You guys. This podcast is strangely hilarious. It’s this old man telling you a bedtime story where the plotlines are just bizarre. Like, how he comes up with these story lines is beyond me. It’s seriously like someone is telling you a bedtime story when they’re high on drugs. This particular story line was about cave paintings and a newspaper delivery boy… Like, what?! But the narrator is stammering and monotone and going all over the place. But it’s genius, because the premise is to tell you a story so absolutely boring that you’ll fall asleep.

So, in an effort to suppress my imagination from thinking I was hearing bumps in the night, I listened to one. And guys, I can’t lie: it worked. I fell asleep nearly instantaneously.

  
But. It got me thinking. I mean…this guy has created a dynasty off of helping people fall asleep. But what he’s really doing is basically making it so you don’t have to be alone with your own thoughts. He’s making is so that you can fall asleep without ever having to reflect on the day, or have “quiet time” where it’s just you and your thoughts.

And realizing this, it kinda blew my mind. I mean, thousands of people subscribe to this podcast! In my mind, I was thinking…W T Heckkkk?

But then it just clicked. It made perfect sense.

The world we live in today is full of so much uncertainty. So much of life is unresolved, leaves us worried, scared, anxious. There is so much that keeps us up at night.

I mean, (aside from the silly stuff, like who Ben is going to propose to on The Bachelor), off the top of my head: there’s paying my bills. Taxes. Worrying about whether this movie trilogy I booked is actually going to go through or not. Anxious about my love life…and whether I’m ever going to meet the “right guy.” And if I do, if I’ll be truly able to love him and let him love me. Worrying about my ulcerative colitis. My job. My parents’ health. The state of the nation and the presidential election.

There is a lot to worry about.


And I was listening to -yes, another podcast – this time, by a speaker that I truly admire. His name is Fr. Mike Schmitz. And his message was so powerful: Let God be God.

Let God be God.

Are there about a bajillion reasons to worry or fear or be anxious?

Yes.

But, God is God. He’s the creator of the world. He can handle it.

We just have to let Him.
  



For me, I spent a long time being reluctant to do so, simply because I was ashamed of what I was going to have to “give Him.” I was ashamed of the fact that I still was having body image issues, that the ED voice was still trying to chip away at the foundation of my recovery, that I had lied and manipulated loved ones during my anorexia, and that I had succumbed to ED and destroyed my body.

These were things that I did not want to bring to God, just out of sheer shame. Fearing that He’d be disgusted with me. Reject me. Be so disappointed in me that He’d disown me.

But those were the exact things that He was wanting me to hand over. Those were the very things that He longed to take from me. So that I didn’t have to bear their weight anymore.

We have to just let Him do what He does best: be God.

Because when we do – when we hand over all those things we’re trying tirelessly to control, or alleviate, or change — everything that’s keeping us up at night — we won’t have to listen to a goofy, monotone man bore us to sleep with incoherent, rambling stories.

We’ll be able to sleep, knowing that our lives are in the capable and trustworthy hands of our Father: God.

 Let God be God.

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beautybeyondbones

BBB: Because we're all recovering from something. // For speaking/business inquiries: beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com

186 thoughts on “Earbud Life”

  1. Ok, so I really enjoyed this post! I’ve never listened to a podcast…for me, it’s so hard keeping up with all “the stuff” that’s out there! FB, Twitter, Instagram, WordPress, etc. I’m new to WordPress so I am trying to keep up…thank you for liking one of my posts or I may have never found you! I’m so glad that at the end, it always leads back Him..to God – the author and finisher of our faith. Now I am curious about the monotone man who wants to “sleep with me” LOL so thanks for sharing one more thing I have to try to figure out! Good luck with all of your endeavors, I’ll be following your success!

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      1. My son is also in the acting industry so I can relate to the whole waiting game also! He’s 13 and says he’s tired of working for free LOL If he only knew!! Hugs and much love to you also! XOXO

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  2. I can totally relate, I sleep with my iPad under my pillow instead of using earbuds. I usually fall asleep listening to sermons from pastors the world over. It calms my mind and helps me fall asleep! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. I’m glad you discovered podcasts 🙂 They can be great when you’re working out, walking, cleaning…I listen to a good number of them now, and I was never a talk radio person either. They can really help – sometimes you hear the right words at the right time.

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  6. I became a podcast junkie when my day job became so monotonous I had to find something to engage my brain. What did it for me were digital online recordings of Old Time Radio shows. The comedies are actually funny without all the dirtiness of today’s so-called funnies and the dramas are of course done by some of the world famous directors and producers.

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  7. If you like podcasts with bizarre plotlessness I highly recommend Welcome to Night Vale. It’s basically the king of bizarre podcasts – the creators have said that the original idea started with the thought of ‘a town where every conspiracy theory was true’ and it’s only branched out from there.

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  8. Good Post. 🙂 Good sleep is actually a promise we get in the bible.
    Proverbs 3:21-24
    “21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
    preserve sound judgment and discretion;
    22 they will be life for you,
    an ornament to grace your neck.
    23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
    and your foot will not stumble.
    24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

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  10. You know, it’s true. Many things are addictive and are hard to get away from, but you shouldn’t call yourself names and think bad or harsh things about yourself or anyone. It isn’t a bad thing to like the Serial Podcast, you know? 🙂 P.S. I really wish I could write like you! Can I borrow some inspiration from you? ~ xoxo MaryLouise xoxo ~

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  12. I think I know how God feels cuz I’ve got to be me! I would like to let everything stay just the way it is! I’d hate to wake up and find it had all changed up! (YAWN!) I’m so sleepy… Why does it say QWERTY on my forehead? Here’s a fact. The odds of life starting on its own are 10 to the -39th. power! It’s like shaking the parts of a watch in a container, and expecting the watch to reassemble… Not likely!

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  13. Well, you’ve got my brain pinging around. Most important is to remember that chocolate is one of the many ways God says, “I love you!”

    Next; a grandfather telling a bedtime story? Have you ever seen the Princess Bride. If not, fix that…immediately!

    Too much in your own thoughts? I always used this quote for myself and taught it to my girls to check themselves when things are going south. It’s from an old writing called Desiderata. “Many a fear is born of loneliness and fatigue.” So, have you been too long between your ears? Have you eaten? Have you slept? Likely one of those is running on “E.”

    Finally, a friend told me a phrase he uses: “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” Don’t try to corral what isn’t yours. See https://jeffreyhking.wordpress.com/2016/02/02/not-my-circus-not-my-monkeys/

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    1. Hey Jeffrey! Amen to that! Chocolate is DEFINITELY a way that God shows his love for us! ☺️☺️☺️ wow Jeff, you hit me with two powerhouse sayings here! Those are going down in my journal for sure!! Thanks for sharing those! I’m now officially in contemplation mode:) thanks as always for stopping by and sharing your wisdom! Hugs xox

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      1. You are most welcome! As we’ve said before, we both end up running a surplus in these exchanges. I know I get a lot from you; you have a unique perspective. I appreciate your always thoughtful responses and checking out my site. Sleep tight!

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  14. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

    Don’t feel ashamed cuz it’s a lie and the devil is the father of all lies. In God’s eyes, you’re so perfect, and He’s so pleased with you. Go to Him as you are, and He’ll accept you regardless of all the flaws you can nit pick about yourself. ❤

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      1. I’ve been pretty busy with uni stuff thats why i haven’t had the time to read your posts 😦 but they never fail to ignite inspiration in me, and you truly inspire me to be like you one day, to reach out to those who’re in need of God’s love and to those who’re in recovery, learning how to accept the love they deserve 🙂 email me soon ya? 🙂

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      3. yeah definitely! and it means a lot to me to have you reply me too :)) you’re such an angel 🙂 wish we could meet up someday xx love you too xx

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  17. Great post, though I don’t subscribe to theism. I love podcasts on #cbc radio: Ideas, Writers and Company, The Sunday Edition, even Tapestry, which is on religion but doesn’t take sides. Check out CBC Podcasts on iTunes. For a geek like me, they are real oxygen. Thanks for liking Mist.

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