Are You Listening?

The guest preacher at church yesterday was Dr. Phil Amerson, the new president of Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University. He was brilliant. My understanding is that he's one of the great minds in theology.

Here's the most brilliant thing he said: "We're ALL always auditioning." He then explained that the word "audition" means to "listen," i.e., it's from the word "audio."

So this is what I heard him say even though these are not his words.

Shut up and listen!!!

This is excellent advice for the new C.E.O. of a company or the new minister of a church - or any of us who find ourselves in stressful or new situations where we'd like to come or strong and show our stuff.

Yesterday evening Dave got some very bad news about a close friend. I wanted to "fix it." But instead I listened.

Today we went to visit that friend's wife - and we listened.

I'm feeling excited and emotional because I'm leaving tomorrow for Atlanta to see people I love and then on to Florida to see more people I love.

But I'm feeling very sad and emotional because I'm leaving Dave for a while.

It's confusing. But I'm trying to listen to myself and to him.


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