too quiet, too loud, too quoud

alright, so in order to understand this next post, you'll have be familiar with the backpacking trip i took several weeks ago, the one i went on all by my manly self. and since i'm too lazy to recap, you can go back and read it if you haven't already.
Thad and i were sitting at coffee this morning (thad is the pastor of emerging generations here at Grace, and also one of my closest friends), and we were talking about everything from how i was late, to how college retreat was going to look, and wondering about the lady who walked in wearing full on horseback riding gear whos pants were way too tight and had what looked like a diaper on, to head phones and mp3 players. the latter will be the topic of choice for this afternoons discussion, even though diaper horse lady would be fun to talk about.

i commented to thad about how i had seen a news clip that said headphones were pretty bad for your ears, and that they apparently can do some serious damage if you wear them too much with your music too loud.
both thad and i wear headphones at work (don't tell the boss) in order to ease some of those aggravating hours out of our lives. and truly the music does help pass the time. there's nothing like listening to Linkin Park while scrubbing a toilet. its like you have your own theme music..."shut up when i'm talking to you...i'm about to break..." that sums up my thoughts on toilet scrubbing.

anyway, we were wondering what the effect of music was on our spiritual lives. yes it helps to pass the time, but it also distracts you from your own thoughts. thad did say that he was able to talk to God better while he was listening to music (sometimes), but i haven't had the same experience. unless you think it has something to do with me listening to Green Day, and thad Third Day, 'cause it doesn't. he had POD playing not too long ago, and i've never seen anybody worship to that.
so whats the backpaking trip got to do with it, right, i'm getting there. while i was hiking up to my campsite, you'll recall the two miles of danger (not really) i had while on the way up there; well, i wasn't listening to any music. in fact, the whole time i was out there, i didn't use my mp3 player at all. until the trip back that is.
and i might add, the trip back was marvelous; i listened to music the whole way, everything from Rage Against the Machine to Jars of Clay, the whole gammut, and i loved it!
i was far less apprehensive, and really enjoyed just looking around, walking, and listening to music.

so whats all this mean? i have no clue really. that's why i'm writing. i don't know whether i was meeting with God on the way back (you remember that i didn't feel Gods presence at all that weekend), or whether i was just going along with the music, kind of the background theme song for my little adventure.

now the deepest question i have is this: if i can go intentionally into the woods and to meet God, and not meet Him or feel any connection to Him until i play some music, does that mean i can do the same thing at church? do you do that at church?

take care.