thoughts

Silence!

Silence is a bit deceiving. Silence can not only seem a bit devoid of everything, empty, an invisible box that needs to be filled. If only we could see it, like an empty glass that needs filling. Silence is usually looked as that uncomfortable pause of a first date, the question “why me” that lingers throughout the halls of any hospital cancer ward, that hiker who becomes lost in the great outdoors–these are those times we search for perfect phrasing, the right words, or that echoing answering call that is heard in silence.

Silence is complex, it’s both awkward or appropriate at the same time. It can also be a form of punishment. Who can remember like I can that dreaded “quiet time out”? Or being sent to your room for some mischief our little fertile minds led us into, that trouble where we received what seemed like an eternity of silence. Is this how we perceive getting the silent treatment, when and if, despite of our best efforts we pray to God? Isn’t it supposed to work like this–I pray, make some self-absorbed requests and God answers, sooner not later? Silence, is only what we hear though. Is this our punishment, for something we did but not yet revealed?

Over time I have learned the value of having many times in life, that luxury of standing alone underneath a star-studded tapestry looking up in silence at the Milky Way, or on some high over look after a long hike, or being alone on some shore line on a high mountain lake. Where even the jumping fish barley make a sound. My busy life left far behind. My working world completely diminished in the vastness of nature.

Barbara Brown Taylor said of silence,

“Silence is as much a sign of God’s presence as of God’s absence–that Devine silence is not a vacuum to be filled but a mystery to be entered into, unarmed with words and Undistracted by noise.”

“The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silent before him.”—Habakkuk 2:20

In any human form when we find our soul-mate, that kind of relationship, within those deepest of human to human forms of relationship where a word need not be spoken to hear the thoughts of the other. Is that what God is looking for from us with his silence?

It seems we all are a bit to quick to fill every waking moments of life with distractions, that everyday noise of life. Finding a break from it all is truly our blessing, a gift from God.
Maybe we should contemplate answers to prayer; that at times answers to prayer are only received through actions from another (sometimes perfect strangers) humans impressed to act, to speak up, or to just offer a silent commiserating hug. Answers to someone else prayer born out of silent thought leading to actions that bless others who silently need answers to their prayers. Sometimes those answers we seek don’t arrive quickly enough because we refuse to act–not quite recognizing that God seeks a personal relationship, a partnership with us, and silence is that invitation.
All the best.

Secret responses

Some people say, “Blogs are for opinions”. I agree. But include, “If blogs are for opinions, then for everything else we have MasterCard and Wikipedia.

Ok! I could expand on that point some, but you get the picture.

We shouldn’t try to please everyone, is the real message. But what I have found, by stirring the pot we can also stimulate thought in the most stubborn of minds. A post maybe my thought for that moment…but that moment is now gone. It could just be my ADD acting up? Or it could be my love of playing games (devils advocate) that is. So in an instant my thoughts may have also changed? Perhaps your’s too? Such is the blessing of freedom–or dare I say “free speech” in the internet world filled with child like push button wonderment.

My writing is my virtual space, my online home. In telling people what my opinions are, or at times giving my explanations about those same opinions, or my this and that on some social commentary, new story’s, humor, or musings. The readers can create an opinion of their own about what was written. So in this light of giving an opinion, I guarantee that people will respond… No matter if it is good, bad, or indifferent. People often respond without even trying to type any responses, or without even knowing they’re responding at first. Their hidden response is made without even uttering an audible word.

Question: Is thinking about what you have read, a response to anything you read?

Peace

My word of Intention today is Peace.
Wow! What a blessing of the day.
Imagine your mind telling you that you can’t tail gate in traffic, or honk, or yell and flip the bird towards people who just cut you off, etc. You can’t get annoyed in the stores. You can’t be in a hurry unnecessarily. Only smiles given, while smiling at the world of humanity. Only breathing in the wonderful thought of how wonderful it is to be alive. It is humbling and beautiful as well. When you slow down and think about our own actions as well as other as they interact with you.
The most unpleasant interactions come from a moment of fleeting peace. Perhaps that’s what it feels like to be drowning. An overwhelming fear of what’s to come. Because life isn’t preforming as we plans it, we become angry and mad at the world. To bad there are other people in that world, or so our thoughts go. Perhaps that is the feeling that we have when peace is hoped for, but none can be found? Like someone drowning, we grasp onto acting out without thinking. And so our actions fuel tensions. While we struggle to hold onto something, to find peace within, we apply anything but time tested acts that foster positive results.
It seems that peace is something we can give to ourselves by acting peacefully towards everyone we come in contact with no matter what we are personally going through at the time. It’s only then, we can surely hold onto that prodigious peace as it comes to us, not as we rush head first forward in pursuit of peace, pursuing it into the great unknown. Peace is that quiet moment in time that gives you the ability to choose, and make better choices un-distracted. The thing with the unknown, it seems all to loud, temptingly wonderful, until we hear the crack of thin ice!
I hope I do that word again and again and again! Because peace is given so rarely to ourselves. So even when we seek to give ourselves the best life has to offer, somehow peace is never thought of.