Progress Thru Processors
There’s a program running on my computer called “Progress Thru Processors.” It silently, usually invisibly runs in the background. It runs all the time. If my computer has been idle for a while the program comes up as a screen saver—to show me just what its doing.
It’s easy to sign up for the opportunity to allow this program to run on a computer anytime its not in use. I was able to pick from a list of worthwhile agencies all needing processor time to do huge studies requiring millions of hours of computer time. It would not be feasible, or cost effective, for them to buy all the computers it would take…so they simply ask folks to ‘lend’ them time on their personal computers. To date, these silent programs have logged over 5,000 hours of processor time on my computer alone. It’s mind-boggling.
Three different agencies use my processor while I’m not using it. Rosetta@ home is studying proteins & their affect on disease like Alzheimer’s and HIV. Climateprediction.net is a project to produce predic-tions of the Earth's climate up to 2080 and to test the accuracy of climate models. Malaria Control.net runs simulation models of the transmission dynamics and health effects of malaria to determine the optimal strategies for delivering mosquito nets, chemo-therapy or new vaccines which are currently under development and testing. It is somehow gratifying to be a small part of so much good.
This whole idea of a ‘program’ running in the background that pops-up occasionally… seems to be closely related to the spiritual discipline of meditation. As I’ve chosen to spend disciplined time in meditation, (which can look quite like idle time) I’ve often been surprised when its fruits “popped-up” in my daily life in various ways. Most of the time my practice of meditation is something that is unseen and unheard; but then I’ll get an insight, or a vision, or some other kind of spiritual nudge that reminds me of how God is working in me and through me, though unseen and quite undetectable to others. Like the ever present “Progress Thru Processing” program on my computer, the mind of Christ which I seek through meditation, is always running and governing my thoughts, hopes, desires, actions.
I’ve had various responses to the practice of meditation from my Reformed friends some of whom are suspicious of anything that sounds “Eastern” or New Age. But I can’t help but realize that for all those many times the New Testament tells us Jesus went away alone to pray…we have no recorded words. I rather think Jesus went to a quiet place where He could gaze on the Father and God could gaze back at Him – which is the perfect descrip-tion of Christian meditation.
Let me encourage you to begin, or to begin again your practice of meditation. And if you’re a little stuck, or don’t know how to begin, email me… and let me help you get started in this sacred discipline of meditation. I want you to be amazed, as I am, what God can do with the gift of our attentive silence. Blessings and Joy, THE CELTIC MONK
It’s easy to sign up for the opportunity to allow this program to run on a computer anytime its not in use. I was able to pick from a list of worthwhile agencies all needing processor time to do huge studies requiring millions of hours of computer time. It would not be feasible, or cost effective, for them to buy all the computers it would take…so they simply ask folks to ‘lend’ them time on their personal computers. To date, these silent programs have logged over 5,000 hours of processor time on my computer alone. It’s mind-boggling.
Three different agencies use my processor while I’m not using it. Rosetta@ home is studying proteins & their affect on disease like Alzheimer’s and HIV. Climateprediction.net is a project to produce predic-tions of the Earth's climate up to 2080 and to test the accuracy of climate models. Malaria Control.net runs simulation models of the transmission dynamics and health effects of malaria to determine the optimal strategies for delivering mosquito nets, chemo-therapy or new vaccines which are currently under development and testing. It is somehow gratifying to be a small part of so much good.
This whole idea of a ‘program’ running in the background that pops-up occasionally… seems to be closely related to the spiritual discipline of meditation. As I’ve chosen to spend disciplined time in meditation, (which can look quite like idle time) I’ve often been surprised when its fruits “popped-up” in my daily life in various ways. Most of the time my practice of meditation is something that is unseen and unheard; but then I’ll get an insight, or a vision, or some other kind of spiritual nudge that reminds me of how God is working in me and through me, though unseen and quite undetectable to others. Like the ever present “Progress Thru Processing” program on my computer, the mind of Christ which I seek through meditation, is always running and governing my thoughts, hopes, desires, actions.
I’ve had various responses to the practice of meditation from my Reformed friends some of whom are suspicious of anything that sounds “Eastern” or New Age. But I can’t help but realize that for all those many times the New Testament tells us Jesus went away alone to pray…we have no recorded words. I rather think Jesus went to a quiet place where He could gaze on the Father and God could gaze back at Him – which is the perfect descrip-tion of Christian meditation.
Let me encourage you to begin, or to begin again your practice of meditation. And if you’re a little stuck, or don’t know how to begin, email me… and let me help you get started in this sacred discipline of meditation. I want you to be amazed, as I am, what God can do with the gift of our attentive silence. Blessings and Joy, THE CELTIC MONK
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