Noise Pollution!

I woke up to the screech of a high pitched siren sound piercing through my bedroom window. It was not varied, like that of a tornado siren that intensifies and quiets as it rotates round and round, but rather, constant and persistent.

It made my shoulders tighten and my eyes squint.

It did not go away -- has not gone away.

I would liken it to fingernails scratching down a chalk board.

Anyone else reeling from the mere thought of it?

The kids woke up, noticing the same sound and wondered what it was.

The dog even laid in his kennel whimpering. 

Noise pollution. I don't know what the source is, but that’s what I am calling it.  I looked it up in the dictionary.

noise pollution

n.

Environmental noise that is annoying, distracting, or physically harmful.

And I thought to myself -- barely over the noise that was driving me crazy -- life is full of noise pollution

and I don’t want to add to it.

I don’t want to add to the noise of sarcasm.

I don’t want to add to the noise of unbelief.

I don’t want to add to the noise of criticism.

I don’t want to add to the noise of lies.

I don’t want to add to the noise of complaining.

I don’t want to add to the noise of gossip.

I don’t want to add to the noise of busyness.

I don’t want to add to the noise of negative self talk.

You must admit –there’s a lot of noise out there – environmental noise, emotional noise, exasperating noise.

There are noises that both come out of our mouths and echo around in our hearts and minds – noises that are annoying, distracting and perhaps most often -- harmful.

They creep in, even when we try not to listen to them and agitate the soul.

I’m convicted. I may not be able to do anything about the high-pitched noise that is in the air today, but I can do something about the noise I make.

I don’t want to add to the noise and pollute the air and hearts around me.

I want to add to the peace. 

I want the sounds that I make to be edifying, encouraging and filled with hope.

Oh, Jesus, I need your grace to not add to the noise, but to bring peace.