In the Quiet

I found a few blessed moments of quiet yesterday afternoon on my front porch. (And can I just say that I would love to hug the inventor of front porches? 🙂 )

The things I saw in the quiet:

– Green, green everywhere. So many different shades, so many different shapes. The leaves seem to be riotously enjoying their greenness before the start of autumn.

-The first three leaves that had fallen from the trees in the cooler air. They lay on the porch looking shocked and a little indignant for their too early demise.

-A male and female cardinal chasing each other from the dogwood to a neighboring elm.

-My fuzzy cockapoo enjoying himself and looking for blue tailed skinks. (One of his favorite pastimes)

-Spiders spinning webs furiously. This brought a certain amount of consternation in me, as I daily try to keep them off the porch. But I had to admire their tenacity, and I thought about the fact that spiders have to eat too. ;/

Things I heard in the quiet:

-Blissful times of absolute silence. Nothing.

-Occasional cars and trucks passing by on the road

-Neighbors working outside.

-Various insects and crickets

-The tapping of my dog’s toenails on the wooden porch when he tired of searching for the elusive skinks.

-My occasional sighs, as I released tensions that I was holding deep inside.

Things I felt in the quiet:

-Peace

-Hope

-Joy

-Wonder

-Excitement

-Creativity

-God’s presence

Thanks for reading this far. I encourage you to carve out even five minutes of quiet today. See what happens. Or what doesn’t happen, which is sometimes better.

Blessings, Lisa

The Beauty of Quiet

Valentia Island, Ed Lyons

“A quiet tongue shows a wise head.” – Irish Proverb

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be.” – Anne Frank

“Truth hath a quiet breast.” – William Shakespeare

“I lived in solitude in the country and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.” – Albert Einstein

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”-Isaiah 30:15

Blessings, Lisa

Snow

All photo credits, Amy Lyons 2021

Snow came to Virginia. Heavy, wet, white, covering, pure snow.

The hush that comes with snow came also, the peace, the stillness.

Some of my favorite snow and winter quotes:

Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, at the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more, when he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, and when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.” -C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.” – Isaiah 1:1
8

“And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.” – Matthew 28:3

Thank you, God, the giver of the snow and the rain and the wind and the sun. You give us so many good things, things that bring joy and peace to our hearts. You are so good. Love, Lisa

Stillness

DSCN2052

“We all hunger for stillness, whether we know it or not.  There is a great attack on us to distract us from this powerful place with God.  Be still and know that He is God.”  ~based on Psalm 46:10

I long for this, for the peace, the quietness, the nothing for a time…..listening for the small still voice of God in the quiet.  Blessings, Lisa

Old church in Orange County, Virginia