Feels so good…..walked, prayed, heard, saw, wandered in mind, heart and spirit.
As I walked I prayed
As I looked I saw (2 deer)
As I listened I heard (a hawk’s cry)
As I breathed I was refreshed
As I opened my senses I felt God’s presence
All three devotions today have reminded me to be: hospitable to all, aware of good everywhere every day, comforted by each new day.
Yesterday was hard and I balked at it in my spirit. It’s time I realize my “present” life, appreciated the significance of it and value its many components (opportunity to repay parents, ability to assist, time to still love and share my life with and resources them.)
Lord, in your mercy, I don’t ever deserve to hope you hear my prayers, let alone answer them. I sincerely ask you to forgive my anger and bad attitude. I deeply praise and thank you for my many blessings and answered pleas. I humbly ask you to grant my parents healing, understanding, and cooperation. I’ve learned lessons though ignored many of them so please give me the chance to keep learning and growing spiritually to be a better person. I love you Lord, Amen
The train rumbles and blows its whistle.
I wish I could “hobo” it like my grandmother did.
Planes climb in the sky and I wish I had the courage to get one and go somewhere I only dream of.
The trees rustle in the autumn air and I feel the same chill yet it makes me hug my warmth deep in my soul.
Summer’s flowers fade but I still see their beauty and respect the life left in them.
Ants crawl ambitiously looking for food…. I crawl agonizingly looking for meaning.
It’s there.
In the sky I see hope.
In the still green leaves I see life.
In the sunrise I see the light of God.
In the morning songs of birds I hear joy and opportunity.
In the day I feel possibilities.
In the neighbor’s dog’s frantic pacing I see determination and perseverance.
In the garbage truck’s roar I hear “life goes on.”
In the noises of nature I hear “don’t give up, be patient.”
What a blessing these early mornings on my deck are. I find peace I’d forgotten existed. I find hope I’d thought lost forever. I find joy to live another day.
Why do I sometimes let the tasks of the day rush me? I have so few days like this one to take moment by precious moment. I need to pause for as long as I can and smell the proverbial roses. I need to set the navigational standards to follow this meandering path of the day and enjoy each breath, each nano second of it.
Even the tiny sparrow, whom God’s eye is on, took a long refreshing pause on the tip top branch of the sugar maple and was not deterred by the branch’s sway in the breeze.
I still feel a struggle in my spirit.
I long for long peaceful stretches of days and months and years.
I still yearn for a calm to reside in my days and nights.
I crave to know God’s “peace that passes all understanding.”
That sparrow must feel like king of the universe up there so high and loved.
I prayed for it to fly down and light on my shoulder like the little bird and Tuesdays with Morrie and answer my question, “when is the day?”
He left. He did not light on my shoulder. I guess I got my answer.
Sunlight filters through the trees now. The shadows appear longer this fall than last. My heart has a new lightness. My soul comes alive. My spirit bubbles up. Lord, in your mercy, let it last.
Afternoon has come. I finished house cleaning, laundry, did some computer work, made banana bread, wasn’t even upset by the dishwasher repairman’s $70 house call to tell me it needed replacing and now I sit here typing all this into my journal, realizing the next tasks of the day. I pray sincerely to have this calm repose for a while longer. I realize life is not a perfect thing without troubles, not for believers either. If God didn’t allow our choices to involve problems we may never go to Him. If we didn’t have to learn to survive the storms of life, we may never learn determination and perseverance. If every day was perfect we may never appreciate them like we should. (but I’d like to try…)
