Words of wisdom can be heard every day if we but listen. Sometimes these words are simple statements meant to protect us from harm and sometimes they are filled with such depth you feel like you could drown in their meaning. To succeed as a student of wisdom means learning to listen with effort so not one of these nuggets be left to fall into emptiness.
Prov 2:2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding
The cover of the album seemed pretty bland but I picked it up anyway. On the front cover was a man in a wheelchair with a road before him, on the back was a young boy standing before this same road. The implications of this changed life caused me enough pause to think about the message…..
We all start out as children with great roads ahead of us, yet somewhere in our lives we are crippled and the road becomes harder to journey….
Are we still willing to maneuver the road despite our condition?
…”as I try to make my way through the ordinary world I will learn to survive”….lyrics by a pop band.
How do we live extraordinary lives in an ordinary world? This question bombards me daily and yet I must walk out my seemingly ordinary existence step by step, looking for those moments I can offer my love in extraordinary ways.
A double rainbow from last month caused my heart to race and an excitement to pulse through my body. I didn’t know what it meant other than a reminder of the promises of God. My hopes are high for what is coming next.
Nothing am I holding back anymore
You have all of me
No secrets do I keep
My words are spent
I sit silently at Your feet
Waiting for more of You
Wasted am I in Your presence
Finally I come to nothing
Now I can start to live
Long, long ago there was a Disney movie called “Mary Poppins” where as a youth I was introduced to my fascination with words because the movie shared with us how many words are nonsensical. Does anyone remember “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”? It didn’t mean anything yet we loved the way it was sung and how it rolled off our young tongues.
I still have a fascination with words and as I listen to conversations around me I am certain so many of them are “superfluous”. Don’t know what that means? Well just to give you a topical touch…..extra, unnecessary, redundant, not required…..get the picture? I am not hyper critical of conversations but I am in a place where I am listening as best I can because it’s important. Unfortunately so much of what I hear is not important and it can be excruciating to stand still long enough to let the thought be expressed; inwardly I consider these moments “tiny talk”.
I desire with all that I am to hear what is in a person’s heart. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could drop our own superfluous conversations and start having chats that actually matter to us? Knowing who I am, being a master of tiny talk, there is a full understanding of how challenging a thought this is but still I must pose it. Our time matters…..so should our words.
I have a play room in my mind. I call it the “bounce house” since that’s where most of those useless but funny thoughts get tossed around until they either come to fruition with an article, something I can joke with my husband about or else they simply make their way about the room to finally just be done with like a deflated ball.
I have found a certain irritation lately as my bounce house has been filled with thoughts that are anything but funny. When I came to play, the room was so crowded I couldn’t even go inside. Time for a plan of action. I have my stack of cds loaded with hip hop and dance tunes that celebrate life, I have a tank of gas and I have no place to be for a while. It’s time to find my way out to the lake and start emptying my bounce house of all seriousness until there is room again to play.
It was my turn in line to be seated for this wild ride. This rollercoaster was said to be the smoothest around. All I had to do was strap in and hold tight no matter the high points, loops or dips. The sharp turns were famous for keeping me from growing weary of experiences. I couldn’t wait to get on and once it started, I had to admit…I now knew why they called it “smoothly wild”!
The gravel pathway had large cracks of water erosion all along where the pine trees give their shade. As I made my way along this area I was careful not to get too close to these edges for fear of dumping a shoe into the water. I stayed on the safer areas where the gravel was sure and packed down tightly. Each step I took was one made with confidence because the areas I chose for my footing were not loose with gravel.
The choices I am making in my daily walk matter this much. When I am not careful to step with confident footing, my steps slip more and I become less sure of my way. Without purpose to care which direction I am heading I can be washed away in a ditch of erosion. This is especially true if I am not mindful of my thoughts.
Sitting still in the middle of a storm is new for me. I liken my moment in time to trying to find the eye of a tornado. Once I push through the rushing funnel of winds trying to carry me away, I start to hear again. My feet steady themselves upon the ground beneath me and I plant myself to remain in this centered place.
My eyes can glimpse the debris of life swirling in the dark clouds around me. I am not tempted to reach out and grab any of it. Now is the time to let go of clutter I had collected. I look up and all I can see is the continued promise of clear skies and great peace.
