Honesty Pants

when people text on their phone while you are in the middle of a conversation.

Here's a couple ideas . . .

* Why not just go and find a remote control and hold it up between my eyes and push the pause button? I just might stop mid-sentence.

*Your nose might as well grow like Pinocchio when you say, "I'm really listening. I heard what you said . . ." Were you listening just now when I said that my dog peed in your water this morning? Hmm. Yea, now you're listening.

*Maybe you should go and find a permanent sign that says:

"this unrealistic "conversation" that I am having through this electronic device that stunts my communication and spelling skills is way more important than this actual human-to-human conversation that you are trying to have at this moment with me. BRB."

. . . I suppose that would be a good alternative to having to scrounge around for a remote control. You could use it like a flash card! Save us all time and feelings . . . GO MAKE THAT SIGN!

I hope you catch the sarcasm in those suggestions. If you don't . . . well then, stop texting and put down your phone and really read this dad-gum thing.

I've had multiple conversations where I am sharing my heart, making myself vulnerable, expressing my concerns, etc . . . and the person (or persons) I am talking to break out their phone and start punching away at those tiny little buttons like they were a 2 year old in a bubble wrap store.

You wanna know what that simple action screams to me? It screams the following:

-This conversation isn't important. In fact, this false conversation I am having is more important that the true one we are having at the moment.
-This conversation is so boring, I'd rather talk to a screen.
-I do not care about improving my listening skills whatsoever. Only my texting skills.

-I really don't care about what you're talking about.

and finally, my favorite . . .

I just don't really care about you . . . at all.

and then today, I realized that I am guilty of being my biggest pet-peeve.

How many times do I pull out my phone and start messing with it when God is trying to tell me something?

How many times do I tell Him, "Oh hang on a second, Lord. The world, busyness, deadlines, midterms, finals, obligations . . . they are all trying to get a hold of me, trying to call me."

How many times do I tell him, "MmmHmmm. Yep, I'm really listening . . ." When I'm only super distracted by the things of this world?

And it makes me wonder - what if I . . . what if we all - turned off our stupid phones, stopped texting, and just engaged in the actual conversation that God was trying to have with us?

I believe that our lives would undoubtedly be marvelously enriched.

Put down your phone.
Listen. Engage. Live.