Trying something different

I thought I would do things a bit differently today. I wanted to write down my thoughts as the day goes on. Its 5:45 am, only two other inmates are up on the tier besides me. One is in the bathroom shaving, while the other is drawing. The one drawing appears to have never gone to sleep. Lights will shoot on in ten minutes, which will awaken only a few more. Around 6:10 am, the CO’s loud demand to “count up” will act as a free man’s alarm clock, unfortunately without the snooze button. But back to the current time, it is 5:53 am, I have already did a core workout, prayed, and read “STREAMS in the Desert” devotional, into Zachariah in the bible, then Purpose Driven Life all before 6:30 am mess call. Thankful this morning, “That I may cause NO MORE PAIN.” (Prayer of Jabez)
There is never a majestic mountain without a deep valley, and there is never a birth without pain. (Daniel Crawford, Streams p. 316) It’s 6:16 am, count up came and went. Already a piece of prison mentality. I began to read the Bible before count and continued after count, until a fellow inmate decides to sit down to interrupt me with questions about when Jay is getting back. He then went into his life story, without me saying a single word. He was harmless in his one sided conversation, but had zero discretion. Oh well. Many more are up and in and out of the bathroom. It is 6:30 am, COUNT IS CLEAR., (that means all inmates are present). Now it’s 8:10 am, I did some letter writing after mess, and now I’m waiting on education call. I was gonna go outside for morning rec, but it’s raining. So I’m off to work as a TA instead. It’s 11:30 am now. I thought I would be able to sit down earlier to write, but one thing led to another. Work was boring, but I was able to help someone take an online test and then jotted some ideas about the topic, “Time Served is Not Time Lost.” Came down to my tier and got a haircut, showered, then called home and talked to “Mia Mamma”! Lunch mess is being called and is the exact scene as the the 6:30 am mess call, where many are asleep, some stir, and the others are rushing out to the locked gate; just more controlled chaos and noise. Gonna read Max Lucado’s, “Facing the Giants” because I finished his “It’s Not About Me,” then back to work at 12:30 pm. Its 1:20 now and I’m back on the unit. I got called down from work to get legal mail. Those down moments that I talked about a few days ago, well legal mail always brings them out because it is always negative, but I chose to pray about it and release that which I have no control over. I refuse to let negativity into my life—so the moment is long gone. It’s all about weathering the moments as opposed to letting the storm brew for the day.
Its 4:20 pm now and just been reading/writing these past few hours. It’s dinner movement and the tier is fully functional. Well functional means two card games are going, the TV is blasting, and some are conversing, but not so casually. After mess, we have 5:30 pm rec and I’m gonna go get some “sets” in. Depending on the night and weather, the yard is chaos. I usually just keep it moving and no more competition for me. “Keep it moving” means to be socially active with every group. That’s how I get to know everyone. My personality has been like that my entire life. Relax time now. Its 8:20 pm on the tier, rec was good. Now I am just observing the different activities on the unit. A fellow inmate grumbles to another, “This is such a waste of time isn’t it?” I think, “No, you’re wasting our time.” But many are just wasting time, no purpose, no substance, no productivity. It’s 11pm, I am up later than usual. Lights are out, TV is off, chaos still resumes, but the peace of God overrides their environment.
~~CONFINED YET SET FREE~~~