For the last four years I have paid a lawn https://ziehlerlawncare.com service to mow my yard to free me up to work the three jobs I have. After paying more than $600 per summer for the last four years I decided to forego the lawn service and do it myself. I discovered that the time I didn’t think I had to waste on yard work has turned into a valuable investment with great returns. Mowing my own yard had some unexpected benefits.
For one, I never anticipated actually enjoying the work. My yard is large; it takes about two hours to mow with a standard push mower. Starting my Saturday’s early with physical work has had emotional, spiritual and physical benefits. It feels good to be outside, under the sun, accomplishing something of value.
But the real benefit comes from something I have until now never had much use for: a portable CD player. For several years I’ve subscribed to Mars Hill Audio Journal on CD. Normally I will listen to the two CDs I receive every other month while commuting to work. For the last two Saturday’s I’ve listened to them while mowing my yard, making the labor not only productive physically, but allowing me to exercise my mind, as well. Ken Myers, the host and producer of Mars Hill Audio Journal, is an excellent interviewer on wide ranging subjects. I consider his work the antidote to the scandal of the evangelical mind.
Mowing my lawn with Mars Hill has caused me to reconsider the value of the iPod. I’ve never owned one, though I’ve purchased one for each of my kids. Maybe I’ll take half my savings from mowing the yard myself this summer and invest it in one of those ubiquitous devices so that I, too, can be hip and cool. Maybe my church’s attendance will begin to increase when people find out just how hip and cool I am.
In doing a search for other subscribers to the Journal, I found your blog. I’ll be reading a bit more later.
I bought my iPod primarily to carry several issues of Journal as well as conversations and reports I’ve purchased. I highly recommend it. The small, unobtrusive Nano is so much better than even the slimmest of CD players. I do wish I had bought the 4 gig instead of the 2 gig, but that’s hindsight.
Another great reason to own an I-Pod, (or other MP3 player) is http://www.biblicaltraining.org. An excellent resource for Lay and Seminary level classes. I listen to classes on my MP3 player (not an Ipod) while I’m mowing my lawn, and driving to work.
An iPod would be a great investment. I have almost filled mine with FREE content from some of the best churches in the country. Also, the ability to easily buy just one song for $.99 (instead of the whole album) is very cost saving. You might even find yourself launching your own podcast! I would recomend the 30gig video. Best all around and very sleek! dt
You won’t be hip and cool until you build computers, write C++, use only Linux, and waste hours a day play first person shooters. You become 31137 (elite).
Or you have antennas porcupined all over your car, wire strung around your property, and you talk to people all over the world using homebrewed equipment.
Us introverted blood washed believers tend to be geeks of some flavor and cool is more difficult to define.
My Brother
Be careful you do not become too culturally relevant. Welcome to the rest of our worlds!