silence

“He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.” Elbert Hubbard

I am fluent in silence. As much as I love the cadence of voices in a conversation, the noise of laughter and chatter in a room of people, I am grateful for the quietness and peace of the silence that permeates my world at times. Arising early in the morning before the world has shifted into motion affords me the opportunity to soak up the silence.

There were times in my life when everything had to be full - of people, activities, work, travel and doing. Rumi tells us that: There are times when we keep on engaging ourselves in useless talks. Also, we tend to engage ourselves in so many unnecessary things that we hardly think of getting some alone time for ourselves away from all those nuisances, and thus, be able to listen to the silence.

As I’ve aged, I realize that I have slowed down, outgrown some of the events that crowded my life. I can enjoy some of the fullness of the quietness. I am learning to tolerate more silences in my life. One learns to be comfortable with self or to be comfortable waiting to fill those longer times of nothingness. Silence can be a great teacher. I stand in the recess of this time in history with the clutter of chaos and wonder if we aren’t to just listen. The planes are not flying south in formation to sunny destinations like they used to. The classrooms, hallways and playgrounds are once again silenced because the children have been sent home. The house sits empty waiting for family and friends to fill the spaces once again. And so I listen in the silence. Reflecting, praying, waiting.

What is going on in your silences right now? What is God trying to show you as you listen to His voice? Be still and know that He is God.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God Psalm 62:5-7 ESV

ebullience

Ebullience is the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts or feelings. This driving energy and enthusiasm is a cherished characteristic much needed in a world of doom and gloom - at least these days it seems.

Sure you say, that’s easy for you, but not for me. Apparently every household is different for sure, but there is an old Indian proverb that says everyone is a house with four rooms: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. Because most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, the air gets stuffy. We need to go into every room, every day to complete our persona and freshen things up. What a better way than to find that enthusiastic thought!

This month is Mental Health Awareness. I recently posted comments that read: Health does not always come from medicine. Most of the time, it comes from peace of mind, peace in the heart, peace in the soul. It comes from laughter and love. And yet it seems, that we can get drawn into, sucked along, and pounded down from negative energy. My friends and I are completing a six-week Wellness Incentive. Our five areas we want to focus on are: Love, play, work, sleep and eating. What does that look like in your life?

We continue walking about telling everyone we are fine - when in fact we are not. Matthew West recently wrote a song entitled, Truth Be Told. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OLGUW1VHLY

“I wrote ‘Truth Be Told’ because I don’t want to be a professional Christian anymore. I wanna be the first person who says ‘You know what? I’ve got some messes and I’m going to dare to believe that there’s a God who loves me anyway. And I’m going to dare to believe that there’s some other Christians who would love me anyway even if they knew that I was less than perfect.’ So I’m putting it out there, truth be told and I hope you will too. Be honest, be vulnerable and trust that the Lord is never going to leave your side.” – Matthew West

I pray that from getting out of bed in the morning, finding joy in the little moments during the day, until you lay your head to rest, that will never fail to fill your life with energy, ebullience and joy so that you will be filled with wonder, peace, love and laughter.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-38

workout

Exercise can conjure up thoughts of disinterest or enthusiasm. We exercise our rights, our bodies and communication skills. Each of them are important aspects of being fit. Oh, I can be fit to be tied, engage in fit workouts to get and stay healthy or can have a fit that things didn’t go my way or workout.

We need to workout our problems and find solutions and just because circumstances didn’t work out the way we thought they would, we can still express our thoughts and feelings in the gymnasiums of our lives. Taking the weights off our shoulders and bench pressing our fears away, help us to run this race. Running from our troubles just exhausts us, but running into the arms of Jesus gives us peace. You can flex your muscles and spin your wheels but the truth be told; we all want to live healthy lives Right?

There is the story I read of the American businessman on holiday in Mexico when he meets a Mexican fisherman.

When the fisherman came in with his catch, the American asked him how long it took him to catch that many fish. 

“Not long.” was the reply.

“Then why didn’t you stay out longer?” asked the tourist.

“Because this is enough for me and my family.” explained the fisherman.

“So what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, fish for a while, play with my children, take a siesta and spend time with my wife.  Then in the evening, I go into the village to visit my friends, I have a few drinks, play the guitar and sing a few songs.  I have a full life.”

The American was surprised.  “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you.  You should spend more time on the water fishing, then you can sell the extra fish, make more money and buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?”

“With the extra money from the bigger boat, you can buy two or three boats and eventually hire more people to operate a fleet of fishing trawlers.  Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can start to negotiate directly with the processing plants.  After a while you would be able to open your own plant.  Then you could leave this little village for Mexico City and eventually, New York!  From there you could operate the whole enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the fisherman.

“20-25 years.”

“And after that?”

“Well my friend, that’s when the fun starts.” explained the tourist, “When the business gets really big, you can sell stock in the company and make millions!”

“Wow, millions.  What happens after that?” asked the fisherman.

“After that you’ll be able to retire on the coast, sleep in every day, do some fishing, play with your grandkids, take a siesta and spend time with your wife.  In the evenings you will be able to go out drinking and singing with your friends.”

The fisherman just shrugged his shoulders and walked away. The fisherman got it.

Balance: physically, emotionally and spiritually. When our workouts are out of whack, we suffer aches and pains, injuries and hurts, neglect and stationary lifestyles. These only impede our progress. Find the rhythms, the cadences of our bodies and minds, the rituals of spirituality in prayer and reading the Word and finding that peace in our souls, because in the end, "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Workout, yes! “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews12:2-3).

time and space

As I walked through grief and loneliness, I saw the river of tears flowing through my pain. I heard my cry of agony echoing in the valley of hurt. I noticed the smell of sweet sorrow as it wafted across the chasms of silence. I tasted the cup of bitterness and stood alone in the midst of the unknown. Yet, as each of us have experienced grief in different ways, it is the journey - step by step - that leads forward into new hope.

In these past few weeks, I have heard heart breaking news, listened to painful stories and felt such empathy and longing to heal so many hurts, but all I can offer is my listening ear, a loving heart of compassion and deliberate prayers. I long to do so much more, but it is not my path to walk. That is not the space I am in and it is not my time.

Throughout history, we have read or heard about stories of human suffering and yet there are as many tales of bravery, courage, overcoming impossible obstacles even in the face of death. We can chose to take our moments of pain and hold them in our fists declaring that we will fight and overcome; but the reality is that what we need to do is to let go, to release those chains that are binding us to the pain. Open our palms to receive blessings. Turn our palms together and lift them up in prayer. And we need to walk through whatever it is to become the person God is molding us to be.

Our struggles can strengthen us. As we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” we are to fear no evil. He walks with us. Years ago I remember reading the poem “Footprints”. Many have claimed to have written it, but apparently it first appeared in 1978 in a small town newspaper and was about an elderly man who was ready to die.

"As I'm looking down on the paths I've trod, I see two sets of footprints on the easy paths.

But down the rocky roads I see only one set of footprints.

"Tell me, Lord, why did you let me go down all those hard paths alone?"

The Lord smiled and simply replied, "Oh, my son, you've got that all wrong!

I carried you over those hard paths."

And so, as we walk this sometimes long and arduous life, we can know that we don’t have to do it alone. We have supportive and loving people in our lives, but we also have a God who carries us through time and space to better places. Let go and let Him walk you through the hard paths.

"Do not grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

enthusiasm

“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age which means never losing your enthusiasm.” Aldous Huxley

Have you ever been around people who are just excited to be alive, breathing and moving? Their positive energy flows through them like a refreshing wave from the river of life. They have discovered a way to fall in love with all that is around them, to embrace their creativity and gifts and just want to share them with the world.

What we experience from life is often right before us and we can make the choice to be critical and judgmental or enthusiastic about the events, circumstances, people or direction our lives take. But there’s just something infectious about enthusiastic people. They are upbeat, complimentary, want others to share their joy. Being joyfully contagious is positive.

Acts 3: 1- 10 tells us the story of Peter and John going up to the temple in the afternoon to pray. One day, they encountered a man who had been lame from birth and who begged at the gate called Beautiful. When he saw Peter and John entering the court, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”  So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  and taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.  He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.  When all the people saw him walking and praising God,  they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Fellow humans! If you are breathing, walking, singing and able to do so, then jump up and praise the God who make all those things possible! Your exuberance for life can influence others who desperately need to be filled with wonder and amazement too! What a beautiful thing.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always

IMAGINE

“With color, for the price of a pot of paint, people can express their own style and individuality. But as with style, a gift of color has to be developed by experiment. If you don’t dare, you are doomed to dullness.” Shirley Conran

Oh, how many of us have slipped into the quiet comforts of wearing PJ’s all day or secluding ourselves in our safe havens, not venturing out because it’s easier or maybe because of fear of becoming ill. We keep asking the why’s of what is happening during this when of our lives.

The colors of our world are showing as grey flickering screens with the mute button on or the sound perpetually turned down so we can’t hear. We sit in the silence devoid of color or aliveness. Our pots of paint are stagnating as they sit unopened on our counters and we have hidden our brushes, waiting for better days to come.

Maybe it’s time to break forth like the dawn, to emerge from our homes, and rip the masks off our faces as we grab a brush and start to paint again! It’s time to rejoice in the days of bright sunshine and warm winds. It’s time to venture into nature and live in the full color of the bursting buds and blossoms. It’s about living in the color of laughing red lips and rosy cheeks. It’s about walking into the green and browns of the countryside and stretching our arms upward to the vast blue sky. Perhaps it’s time to be vibrant in our actions and shine the light on someone else’s dull day.

It’s time to shine for Jesus and live our lives in living color! What are you waiting for? Go experiment with life and share the good news!

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. MSG