Pause, Stop, Recess, Suspend, Breathe and Listen

 Mondays seem to be synonymous with busy; emails, phone calls and deadlines approach and I start to tackle my to-do list. In the midst of the hectic schedules, it can be so easy to forget to take a moment to appreciate the beauty in the moment.

So… I stopped to smell a rose. It only takes a moment to pause and smell this beautiful little bloom, breathing deeply to take in the sweet scent. Small lines of pink need to be appreciated in the midst of the swirl of yellow. Beauty of glossy leaves made me pause to admire their deep green color.

And… I listened to the rain, watching it land drop by drop on the branches of a small tree. Leaves danced with the landing of the drops; shimmering in the late afternoon light.  Small drops held by surface tension cling to the edges of leaves.

Busy moments are all well and good; I really don’t care to be bored. I simply work to remain the balance in the small moments to breathe in the scents, listen to the rain, and enjoy the pause. Giving myself that pause not only makes the day a bit more enjoyable, but lets me appreciate the beauty created around me.

Time Travel on the Driveway

Time has been on the minds of people for a long time. Our myths from centuries back tell stories of time travel, moving forward or backward in time, being able to see what is coming or what happened. We seem to be fascinated with time, time management, time efficiencies, and making the world ever smaller in ever faster technologies. Whether it is a desire to see what will come, has gone, or a way to pause; the need to slow down is one that hits me regularly. I need to slow down, taking time to think about and look at the world around me. It is recharging for me and lets me gather perspective as I listen for a quiet voice of God.

I’m reminded of this need to slow down every time I come down the driveway. There are many kinds of driveways, concrete and asphalt, gravel and dirt. My driveway is a mix of gravel, dirt, and asphalt chunks. It is rutted and uneven in places where water has cut trenches through and left hills and valleys. It needs some work. But, part of me really likes the driveway this way. It forces whoever is coming to the house to slow down; to watch out for dogs that don’t get out of the way of cars and to be on the lookout for rabbits that believe strongly in perpetual rabbit right-of-way. It is a reminder to me to slow down, such an important reminder in our fast paced world.           

I wouldn’t want to give up my cell phone, email, facebook, and other media timesaving technologies forever. What I do want to do is create a balance with reminders that often cause me to pause and look around. Yesterday, I looked up and saw a cloud move across the morning sky. The sun wasn’t quite up yet, and the clouds still had a heavy grey look to them. I thought they looked thick until I saw a lacey view of the moon, edged in a graceful and moving frame. This morning, a golden fog caught the sunlight and let it display its beams suspended in droplets of vapor. The feel of autumn crispness is reflected in the crispness of sweet red and tart green autumn apples. Beautiful fawns have lost their spots, and are now preparing for winter’s cold by growing out their thick fuzzy coats. Their mouths seem to be in a perpetual state of chewing as they utilize the end of summer foliage to prepare for the upcoming chill. A small moth landed on the window, spread its wings and sunned itself in a wonderful leaf disguise.

Maybe our many myths and scientific studies of time travel can be brought to our daily lives by stopping to breathe in the smells, watch for the wispy clouds, feel the sun-filled water droplets in the foggy air, and slow down when coming down the driveway.

Summer Saturday Mornings

I’m not a morning person, really, at all. Bring on the coffee! And yet, most ideal Saturday morning sleeping in times, I am awake and up.  First I enjoy quiet time in the yard with the mandatory coffee cup in hand, and then I head to the garden for some time of weeding and harvesting. 

This last Saturday was no exception.  The beautiful lily blooms welcomed the day with their bright colors.  Industrious butterflies fluttered on the wind like yellow and white wisps. The garden was equally welcoming, the coffee is now in a to-go mug, and I enjoyed the sound of the bees flying from corn tassels to squash flowers to bean flowers.  My hands became dirty, little scratches appear on my arms from moving aside squash leaves, and great excitement builds at finding green beans ready to be picked and bring home.  A few hours later, after removing the pounds of dirt I have picked up from “playing” in the garden, I am ready to really start my weekend. 

Though coffee remains a common factor throughout, it is the quiet time that refreshes my spirit at the start of the weekend.  It is time away from excess noise and wonderful distractions to listen quietly for God’s voice.  The words of the song, Great is Thy Faithfulness, fill my heart.  “‘Great is Thy faithfulness,’ O God my Father,’” sweet words in all seasons and times of day; even in the morning with a cup of coffee in my hand.

The Time Between

   Between the silence of Good Friday and the slow crescendo of praise on what we know as Easter, I wonder what it sounded like between. But, not only in Jerusalem, but in heaven. As the tragedy of the sinless Christ taking on the sin of the world passed, I wonder what it sounded like in heaven.

   I know a bit of who God is, what He is like. I know that He is not the creator of panic and despondency that literally sucks up hope like a black hole sucks up light. He is source of hope, of joy, of the perfect plan. I can imagine with knowing that, that heaven’s citizens gathered around to praise God. Not to rejoice in the pain and suffering, but to marvel at the majesty of the sacrifice of love that was made. I imagine Jesus speaking to the thief who had joined him the day before in paradise. Perhaps providing a tour or introducing him to the actual Moses whose words he had most likely heard most of his life. I can imagine the people gathering to Jesus, those who He had healed, touched, or ministered to during his lifetime. Stories could have been passed, “do you remember when…” I can imagine God the Father greeting His Son. The Holy Spirit could have joined them in a close embrace, as the plan that they had enacted together was changing so drastically for people.
   I would imagine that the praise started much sooner in heaven on earth. And on earth, it was a time of doubt and fear.

How Long

   I read an interesting question yesterday from the Making Disciples facebook wall, “How much time must a disciple-maker spend with one being made into a disciple?” It’s an interesting question, and may seem to be quite complex at initial glance. I admit that my first thought was to modern culture and somewhere between the thought of the mobile society we live in and Master Yoda of Star Wars.

   How much time must I spend discipline to make them a disciple? Wait a minute, I don’t make disciples. I can help mentor and grow and teach those who are learning to follow Christ, but it is He who makes them, not me. Now that the pressure of making things is off, I can think more about the time.
   We do live in a very mobile world now. People that may have once never traveled much farther than their homes, may now move around the entire world. When the physical distance grows, the time factor mentioned in this question can become quite difficult. Communication, even through the social media technology available currently, can still be quite different than talking in person. In addition, the person needed and most suited to work with that individual at that time, may not be the person to grow with them and teach them later. That is the beauty of the body, each piece functioning as it should.
   So, I will go back to my original answer of my post – “as much time as we are given.” As God moves us along our own lives, He will move us in and out of these places, so we are both “made.”

Just a Way to Occupy Your Time

   We had a blizzard and ended up with giant snow drifts here and there and, well – just about everywhere. After we tackled the driveway and cleaned around the car, there was time to come in and warm up. Personally, I have enjoyed the quiet day as work was even closed with the poor weather conditions. But, I understand that there are a few folks that were bored with everything being shut down.

   When I was a little girl, my mother had a cure for boredom. If I approached her and told her that I was bored, she would ever so sweetly send me off to dust. I didn’t have to dust that long, but any complaints of boredom it led to a dusting cloth in my hand. So, for any of you that might be having a quiet day and don’t want to dust, I thought perhaps I could provide a few ideas for something to do.
1. Dust – I just had to throw that in

2. Go play in the snow
3. Try a new recipe
4. Create something with an art project
5. Read a book
6. Play a game
7. Talk to a friend
8. Provide a neighbor with some snow removal assistance
9. Spend some time in prayer
10. Brush the dogs
11. Go take pictures of the wintry scenes
12. Take up sledding
13. Run a long hot bath with lots of bubbles
14. Take a nap in the sun
15. Write a thank you note – I’m sure you can find someone to thank
    Hope that you don’t have to spend a snow day dusting.

Impact Today

   A child born thousands of years ago had an eternal impact on our history. He lived, grew, died, and lived again – lives still. My impact on history, I have no doubt, is going to be smaller than that. In fact it will be considerably smaller than that. But, I can have an impact none the less.

   So the difficulty I’m having is how? I’m a busy girl. Places to go, people to see, presents to wrap, puppies to chase… There is work, activities, church, family, friends, some time for growth, study, me, time for creativity, time for prayer, time for studies. Where does that make an impact get slotted in?
   There are only a few days left until Christmas and as my to do list seems to grow rather than shrink, I stand between feeling as if I am making progress and just treading water. Make an impact, that vague statement gets moved down my list to a lower and lower number just because it’s difficult to act on something that is vague and unscheduled.
   So, between now and then, I’m challenging myself to make an impact each day and I’ll tell you about my successes (or failures). I’ll toss out the challenge to you as well. Maybe together, we can truly a large impact on our communities.

The Great Painter

   As a little girl, I remember driving in the car, looking out the window at the scenes going by. As the leaves would change color, she would tell me about the Great Painter. In my mind, I imagined someone cradling each leaf in their hand and applying paint ever so gently. Each leaf a unique creation of art. The leaves are starting to turn again, and with that my thoughts turn to the Great Painter. I am looking forward to seeing the creation of color again, the blending of reds, yellows, oranges, and browns with smatterings of late greens.

   Times whiz by, seasons slip past just like the scenery out that car window. It can go so quickly. It is important to pause and consider the art around us.

I Want to Do It All – Just Not All At Once

   Terri Clark came out with a song several years ago, “I Want to do it All”. I can completely relate! While I think that a lot of the things are on her list sound like fun, my own list takes form. However, I cannot just take a few days off, get it all in and be done. I do want to do it all, just not all at once!

   I had to turn down something a week or so ago, which sounded fun. But, I knew that my calendar was full and it just wouldn’t fit. So, I decided that it would have to go on the not all at once part of the list. That makes me feel better, knowing I don’t have to do it all at once.
   But, what to put on my list? Well, Paris in the fall does sound like fun. I’m not so much into the Mardi Gras scene at Mardi Gras – way too many people smushed into those streets for me. But, I wouldn’t mind going back to New Orleans. Let’s see what else…. I want to go to Marrakesh and shop in the bazaar, I want to make something beautiful, I want to take photos and have a display, I want to write a book, I want to plant a herb garden, I want to watch a space shuttle launch, I want to go back to IRAM and watch the horses, I want to serve and to help, I want to be a friendly face for someone who needs it, I want to be a success in my career, I want girls trips with my dear friends, I want to go to Wales and Scotland… My list could go on, that is only the beginning.
   Is there anything I should avoid because it sounds too difficult? No! Because through all of this is a desire to go where God wants me to go, to do what God wants me to do. I am the only me and want to be the best me I can. You are the only you, and I hope you have the same aspiration. So, my list changes over time with guidance from a Heavenly Father. Dream big!

Sweet Hour of Prayer

When I was in high school, I lived in Florida and was part of a small church there. It was a humble sanctuary, nothing terribly ornate, but it was clean and nice. Our pianist played Sweet Hour of Prayer many times during congregational prayer. It wasn’t distracting, but instead was softly played on the higher octaves keys and complimented the pastor’s voice as he led the congregation in prayer.

Yesterday I sat in church and listened to the same song played on a piano in the higher octaves. It is a different church, a different pianist, even a different arrangement of the song. But, the moment I heard it, I was taken back to the Florida church. Then, it struck me that they were worshipping the same time we were, being on central time. Maybe they were even singing Sweet Hour of Prayer right at that moment.
What a wonderful thing it is when we realize that the worship of God is occurring around the world. Not just in a wave of Sunday services across time zones, but in moments of praise and worship as we delight in the God who delights in his creation. The hour of prayer, the time we spend praying, is sweet. Especially when we are in the midst of that time with others.

Time

I have wondered, only occasionally, what time looks like. In my mind, it takes a hodgepodge shape, kind of like the joke about how camels were made. You know the joke, it’s a horse made by committee. I don’t think time is a horse or made by a committee, but I do think that it’s a strange blend of parts. Part leopard because it can go so quickly that you can’t keep up. Part owl as it is stealthy and moving when you don’t even notice that it is passing. Blend in a few roller coasters for up and down moments, and the thrill of the climb, and the hurdle of the slide down. A kaleidoscope for eyes, because the look of things changes over time, and the perception of time itself changes over time. A nail and a hammer is in one hand, as time holds you in place and it can be painful. But, in the other hand is a bandage because time can also heal. Time is such a strange creature, changeable and speeding and then crawling.

Just the Right Time

There are some books that are like old friends, their words are comfortable and familiar. For me, The Hiding Place, a story of Corrie Ten Boom is one of these books. The story of Corrie, her sister Betsie and their family is full of wisdom. There is also great tragedy in this story. For me, knowing that this is real and about real people makes the hurts so much deeper and more real, but the grace and forgiveness becomes even more beautiful.

Corrie is a woman who grows up learning of God through her life and her family around her. She learns of a God who loves her absolutely, who guides her through various difficulties, and always supplies the strength that is needed at the moment it is needed. If you have never read the story of this family, I highly recommend it and I won’t give away the plot here.
But, I will mention just one story. Corrie and her father are traveling on the train. Corrie is asking her father questions, trying to determine the meaning of different things. Some of the questions are very big questions for a very little girl. The father ponders the question for just a moment, and then reaches for his bag. Asking Corrie to carry the bag, she reached for it and found that it was too heavy. After telling her father that she couldn’t carry it, he took it from her. This object lesson was used to help Corrie understand that some things are too heavy for us. But, when we are called on by God to pick up that burden, he will provide the strength we need at that time. Until then, we do not have to carry the bags which we can only drag.
I find that a very real comfort. I have a God, a Father, a Friend, who not only knows when I will need strength, but then goes about providing just what I need, exactly when I need it.

For Such a Time as This

The queen, decked out in the beautiful garments, hair done, poised on the moment of destiny – for “such a time as this.” The cry was a rallying one for Esther, but it can be for me too.

Going back to Ohio and Kentucky always leaves me a bit off balance. After moving into different areas as I was growing up, I appreciate having a clear idea of where the grocery store is, that my pharmacist knows my name, a church, good neighbors, and enough understanding of where things are at that I can navigate through the area. But my extended family is around eight hours away. Which has led me to ask God many times, “Why am I in Iowa?”.
The thing about it, is that I don’t really feel that I can leave right now either. I have a good job, friends, a life here. Most days I don’t even think about it, but every once in a while I miss people and think how far they are. So, why Iowa? What if the answer is as simple as “For such a time as this.” Of course, this means that there is more than a mere implication that a purpose and plan are behind life. What a wonderful thing it is to have a plan and a purpose, for a time that is important.

My High Places

I recently heard a sermon on Psalm 121 and was amazed at the verse which I have ready many many times over the years, taken on new life and meaning for me.
Psalms 121 starts with a walk along the road to Jerusalem; the walker lifts their eyes from the view of the road and looks up. Looking up they see the hills surrounding Jerusalem. Hills at one time held the high places, the shrines of many different gods. The people would select the shrine which they felt would best suit their need and then go there to make a petition. Eventually, God pointed out – rather strongly – that the high places were where the view of the people was taken off of Him and onto something else.
I love hills, the softness of them from a distance, the way they shelter and embrace you from close up. And at the top, you can see so far. Sometimes though, the hills seem really far and really high – very high and very hard to climb. The roads are rutted, difficult to walk up. Each step becomes one of concentration and effort. Each time a foot is placed, it is checked for solidness before fully trusting. Looking up, I see the top of the hill and declare my effort and exertion worth it.
Looking up on the way to Jerusalem, the walkers would have been greeted with the sight of the high places. Could those really help them? No, of course not. Even the next verse goes on to say, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” There are high places in my life though, and if you are honest I would imagine that there are some in yours as well. What kind of high places? Well, security for one. I want to feel secure, and sometimes that means that I don’t really want to lean on God, because maybe it doesn’t feel secure. Another one might be trust as I have moved from place to place, why am I here God? Why not over there? Why move again? Time, priorities, matters of value, matters of conscience and integrity, decisions in a fast paced life.
When my eyes gather the view above, on the hills, I need to refocus. The refocus on God lets me cut past the places I put in place of God and realize where my help really comes from. “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Just on Time

Different plants bloom at different times. I don’t if you ever noticed, but it is spring – so take a look around. There are some trees which have budded, bloomed, leafed out and look ready to go for another year. Others are somewhere mid-process, while still more are just beginning to bud. What would happen if we set up a timetable of when this should occur? All trees that are going to be productive are going to bud and be fully leafed out by April 24. If they are not, then they are just weaker or dying and we are cutting them all down.
That sounds rather foolish doesn’t it? We don’t do that with trees, flowers, but do with people. So, let’s change the metaphor just a bit. If someone is to bloom, I’m not talking about an age range or biological factors. Instead this is blooming by perceiving and then reaching towards meeting your potential and purposes. Society often has this preconceived timetable of when this should be, the mysterious and shrouded “they” are in charge of this time table. We know that when someone tries to bunk the myth and ask why, “because they say so....”. Who says you have to college at a certain age, who says you are going to learn a new skill, you have to learn it by a pre-appointed time. Does that mean if I don’t meet your timetable that my head will explode or the time continuum as we know it will shatter?
Sometimes, we need to just provide a little encouragement. Provide a bit of fertilizer and nourishment, a word or two of pep talk, and then sit back. After some time and lots of sunshine, you may find that this person is not only blooming, but is one of the best fruit producers of the whole lot.
In the church, do we put age limits on ourselves or others? I’m too young to do that. I’m too old to do that. I had my time, now I get to sit back on my laurels and just watch. No offense, but who really wants to sit on a laurel – ouch! Nonsense! There may be years and years of nourishment that has gone into this person that suddenly springs forward in a burst of blooms and ability that is absolutely breathtaking. Where would we be if we just cut them down? It is important to remember that our timeline is not God’s timeline. He will insist we bloom just on time.

The Lesson Repeated

In the verses before, Jesus emphasized that we do not know the hour, the time, the place when God will move. This is reinforced in the next two parables, in Matthew 25: 1-30. I’ll include the verses below, but instead talk about the lessons instead…


When will this happen? I am someone who likes a schedule, I like plans, lists, etc… I can roll with the punches, but do much better in the framework of a general schedule. Then, I would really prefer to know as much as possible ahead of time. What can I say, the world needs planners. Not terribly change resistant, so long as I understand the why of the change. I am the personality that would have been saying, “Um Jesus, could you give me some more information? I could plan so much better if I knew what and when.”


That is something that God has been working on in my life. I still use, and hone, my planning and scheduling abilities. It’s a busy world out there, and if I have any hope of not wanting to get flung off of this gravitational orbit on a weekly basis for a break, I have to have a schedule. But, at the same time, I need to relinquish the greater control and schedule to God. I have asked myself why that is so hard. If I trust God, if I really believe that He is always good – why is that so hard? Wanting to improve upon that in me, God has placed me in some situations where I had no choice but to either go cry in the bathroom (which I did at times) or to trust in Him, lean on Him. My leaning skills got better, my bathroom crying days got less. The trust leads me to want to keep the trust, to keep the trust I have been given by Him.


The Parable of the Ten Virgins
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
'Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.


The Parable of the Talents
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.


"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'


"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'


"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'


"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'


"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'


"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.


" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

God's Stop Watch

I have four calendars on my desk at work, three more at home, plus the planner in my purse.  I keep my cell phone handy to serve as not only the communication piece, but it also serves as my watch.  I like knowing what is coming up next in my day.  I plan for meetings, plan for tasks, plan for planning - yes I am a list maker.  So, you can imagine why after reading all of this about signs and times and seasons, that part of me just wants a date on the calendar.  You know, God stamps it on all of the calendars at once in shiny gold, coming soon to the earth near you .....

Yeah, it doesn't work like that.  Instead, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father," (Matthew 24:36).  In other words, God has his own calendar and he's not sharing it right now.  Instead, "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left," (Matthew 24: 37-41).  Part of me wonders why this is.  If we knew, then perhaps more would be prepared for that moment, perhaps less would be left.  But, I also think that if we knew, we would all have a moment of mob temporary insanity and behave quite badly.  So, I will trust that God has a perfect calendar and I don't need to know what it says.  In the meanwhile, I need to just keep living each day as the gift it is.

Getting Away

Ever felt the need to get away?  You know, when the cry inside of you reaches out and starts screaming, “Stop the world I want off!”  Things get too much, too hard, too busy.  In other words, you need rest.  Then, following a good night’s sleep, have you ever noticed that it is a little better, a little easier?

Jesus stirred the city, he cleaned out the temple, he healed, he rejoiced in the presence of the children.  Sounds like a full day to me. 

“And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night,” (Matthew 21:17).

I have four calendars on my desk, three are paper and one is electronic.  Another electronic on my home PC, another paper one at home, and a bound calendar in my purse.  I have been there when my calendar was so jammed full of this, that, and the other that without all of those calendars, there was no way I could remember all of the to-dos to do during the day. All of the things on that calendar were good.  But, at the end of the day, I was exhausted and not being filled with what I needed.  How was it I couldn’t be filled with so many good things going on? I needed to make sure that I included one more thing in my schedule.  I needed to leave and get away, spending time with God.  The quiet time with God recharges me as nothing else does. 

Moonlight, Prayers, and Pillows

I am normally a very sound sleeper. Night comes, it gets dark, my eyes grow heavy, and quite often I have no difficulty in curling up with my pillows and blankets to find a soft and sweet sleep.


There are times though, when I am woken up. Not by the owl singing love songs to his feathered mate on the next hill, or the dog who occasionally howls in her sleep. But, woken for a purpose. It is something like a knocking at my heart, faint and gentle at times, stridently piercing at other times. It is a knocking like a hammer that knows exactly which part to strike. I wake up from my sleep and know that there is a need.

Sometimes it is a prayer need for a family member or friend. I try to focus my fuzzy sleepy brain around that as the moonlight comes into the room and coats everything. At other times, it is a sense of urgency to pray, but without a specific topic. But these times, though they interrupt my rest, are very special to me. My thoughts slowed down by the quiet, they are often more centered on the topic at hand. This may be something I have prayed about all day, and yet, somehow in the dark of the night, it is clearer than by the sunlight. I am less distracted, less liable to wander off my topic.

I wonder if you are ever woken up in the night by more than the crooning owl or the howling dog. Do you have someone knock on your heart at times?

Laughter

I had the joy of listening to one of my very favorite little boys in the world laugh and play through the phone last week. He and his mommy were playing at their home, about 8 hours away. Sitting on the exercise bike, she and I chatted while they played.


There was such joy in that laughter. I laughed just for hearing it.

When I’m a bit down, or I start feeling a week’s worth of stresses trying to creep up in one moment, I try to remember that little laugh. Ringing through phone lines, bouncing to his own particular wonderful humor. There is a time to laugh, a time to be merry and joyful. To splash in a puddle or lay in the snow and make angels. To laugh at the dog licking your face or the little boy wearing his tennis shoes and carrying his snow boots. To laugh at the beauty and strangeness of it all. There is a time to laugh.