Hi, I've never commented before but I've been reading this site for about a week or so.

This post is so true. I know I really struggle with my MP3 player and some other issues. Your post was a really good reminder to me, so thanks. Since I've started driving again (I had some ankle issues so that kind of stopped the whole driving thing) I haven't really been using my Creative mini, but there are so many other ways that I shut my family out. *sigh* There are things for me to work on.

But I really enjoy your blog, all of your posts (and your brother's posts) are very true and though provoking.
Elyse | Homepage | 08.03.06 - 5:26 pm | #

Another excellent post guys.

I have been convicted of this lately, especially since my schedule gets closer to full.

When talking to another, I have started to close the lid of my laptop, so they know that they have my attention, and so I'm not tempted to divide it.

Your series has been a great encouragment for me, and very relevant for what is happening in my life.
Zac | Homepage | 08.03.06 - 7:47 pm | #

Hmm...

All of it was good, except I think I half-disagree with the comparison of love to a girlfriend/boyfriend with love to a parent. I know what I'm about to say would be a very touchy subject, but I'm gonna say it anyway, in the kindest way, to the best of my ability. =D

I think the problem, when it comes to our parents or siblings and "taking out the earpiece" for them is a problem from the heart, not from the action. I think the root of the matter is, do we really love our parents and siblings more than or at least as must as a grilfriend/boyfriend? Of course it may not be the "lovers" love, but are we COMITTED to loving them, to the best of our ability, in the way that they deserve from us?

I state this becuase as true as this post is, and as good as it is to realize what's going on, I think it's also important to reconize that it's more of a heart issue than anything else. In fact, that applies to the rest of your post as well. THe bible states "where your treasure lies, there your heart will be also."

SO the main point of what i am trying to say is....awesome post, but I think in order to go to the heart of the matter (excuse the pun) we must examine our hearts and beg God to help them change to become more like His.

Thanks for letting me ramble!
Heidi | Homepage | 08.04.06 - 2:41 am | #

Great post! Enjoyed reading it.
Miriam | 08.04.06 - 5:34 am | #

Another convicting post. I just got an MP3 player on Monday so I need to watch myself on how and when I use it.
Brittany | 08.04.06 - 7:44 am | #

Very good post, Brett. My mom used to complain to me about the fact that I was always so connected to my gadgets that she felt like she never had my full attention. I don't think I really understood the problem. But recently, my mom got her own laptop, and pretty soon I was making the same complaints about HER! When she's working on her laptop, I don't feel like she's actually listening to me.

When I saw the problem in someone else, I finally started realizing it was an issue in my own life. Now that we all see things in a clearer light, our whole family is working harder to prevent our gadgets from coming between us.
Jamie | Homepage | 08.04.06 - 9:02 am | #

Great post. I have been enjoying this series very much!

I tried listening to my portable CD player outside of my own room a few times. It did not work at all, since I enjoy listening to family conversations. I felt cut off from everyone, it made me irritable over interruptions, and I couldn't participate with the family. I decided "multitasking" in this area wouldn't work.

The computer is trickier, since I am not usually listening to anything on it. It can be difficult to turn away from it completely and devote undivided attention to the other people in the room. Thank you for dealing with this relevant subject!
Elizabeth | Homepage | 08.04.06 - 9:23 am | #

Heidi: Thank you for sharing. I completely agree. It probably isn't clear in the post, but my intent was to uncover a lack of love -- not only a lack of expression of that love -- which is what I think you're getting at.

Another observation I would make along these same lines is that when we truly desire for God to change our hearts and we ask Him to do so, the outgrowth of that God-birthed desire will result in aggressively seeking to change our actions. Often God doesn't choose to instantaneously change our hearts, but rather allows us to practice obedience, even when the "feelings" aren't there yet. The neat thing is that God has made it a lot easier to act ourselves into a better way of feeling (i.e. love for others) than to "feel" ourselves into a better way of acting.

As soon as we have requested God's help in obeying Him, we must start obeying, in faith, even before the feelings of love come.

However, I really appreciate your comment because this is an aspect that I wanted to address and my fuzzy brain restrained me. :-P But I've now added to the last section of the post. Let me know if it helps.
Brett Harris | Homepage | 08.04.06 - 9:33 am | #

Brett, I agree with you on the obediance thing...you've got a good point there! THanks for clarifying and letting me know what I was trying to say. =P THe Lord bless you!
Heidi | Homepage | 08.04.06 - 7:43 pm | #

Excellent post! Very inspiring!
J.C. | Homepage | 08.04.06 - 9:38 pm | #

Gosh, I seem to live in a different world from you all! I've never heard of an ipod, and what's and MP3?
Caridwen | 08.05.06 - 12:11 pm | #

I had an opportunity to see this whole multitasking craze play out vividly. I was waiting my turn at a speech competition. Almost everyone in the back room had something going; graphing calculators and calculas books were scattered about. But first place went to two guys who were kneeling in front of a table. In the midst of the pandimonium that was playing out around them, (due to imending stage fright) these two guys were sharing an ipod headset and trying to help their schoolmate with a 12th grade math problem. They couldn't do it. Last I saw, they had sunk to their knees in front of the table, la-la-la ing to the song as they swayed back and forth in tempo with the song! It appeared that math, ipods, singing, and swaying didn't go well together! It was hilarious to watch, but pathetic, considering all the opportunities they were throwing away by choosing to act like that. Needless to say, these two were not the speech champions!
Agent 507 | 08.05.06 - 4:47 pm | #

Here is a link to an LA Times article about multi-tasking.

http://www.latimes.com/entertain...-home- headlines
Brittany | 08.07.06 - 6:41 am | #