Category: Challenge

Posted on in Aging, Challenge, Faith, Illness and Health, Journal, medical treatment, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth

Aging with Minimal Complaining?

Gee, did I just write that title? Sitting here at my desk watching a black cloud settling in to pour it’s rain over a nearby neighborhood, I have been pondering all the physical changes Bob and I have been going through. Sort of like having that black cloud park over our home. I was hit by a triple whammy recently.

Had a steroid injection in my right shoulder on a Monday afternoon. Just imagine the most tender spot in your body, put a needle in it. Inject steroids and see what happens. As a Type 2 diabetic those steroids (and every other situation) make my glucose react. This time to jump sky-high. Yes, next morning my glucose value was 210! I average around 79-110. Pounding headache arrived that Tylenol could not touch. Night #1 slept in recliner as no comfort to be found in the bed. Did not even try to go to sleep in the bed on Night #2. Meantime, I must have eaten something funky. In protest my bowels decided they must be emptied of all substances.

Before those things began my ear decided it was living underwater – or some such, with fluid that would not move out. Eventually, the steroid stopped making my glucose skyrocket. The BRAT diet of banana, rice, applesauce, and toast became just rice. Then a rice cake. After days of trying to hear my ear is still funky after plain Guaifenesin and Pseudoephedrine to try to dry it up. One ear felt left out so it too started to slosh. Shoulder is still touchy. Did not expect injection to heal the partial tear, just give some pain relief. Doc is still talking surgery. Need to sign up for PT. Again.

Meanwhile, Bob has had lung difficulties, pain that wakes him in the night, discomfort that makes it hard to sleep. You know, aging is NOT for sissies! Who knew the decline that comes with aging is not just losing your strength.Nothing here is unusual to humans. If we are blessed with a long life we will have illness, decline and perhaps suffering.

One neighbor fell at the community mailbox and bruised both eyes, chin, face and is fortunate not to have broken anything. Later turned out she did break her elbow. Another neighbor fell in his bathroom and needs shoulder surgery. The doc says he cannot repair both places, only one place in his shoulder. Another friend fell and broke her pelvis. Has been suffering all kinds of severe pain. Another friend flew home from Kentucky only to get home with fever, sore throat and likely Covid. Is it that new strain?

Photo by Sai Abhinivesh Burla on Unsplash

As we lose strength, dexterity and even our health can we fix our eyes on Jesus during these trials? Will we do our best to remember these are things we are going through? It seems when I experience these sorts of set-backs I never quite recover the strength I had prior to the event. Just a little slower, a little weaker, a little less young when things stabilize again.

Perhaps the most important lesson to hold on to is ‘these are things we going THROUGH, not camping here, just having to endure.’ Even chronic pain will not go on forever. When we die and go to Jesus we are promised a new body. Thank goodness for that! Cling to Jesus now. Like the tendril on this morning glory vine sculpture, we wrap our hearts and minds about Him the best we can. He holds us. We hold to Him.

Again and again I am brought back to my own prayer,

I have determined that this day, 

each time I am drawn up short by pain, 

I will praise You 

for I love You better than life – 

even better than quality of life.

Molly Lin Dutina

I am always amazed that if I pray this with focus and sincerity, (usually from a 4 x 6 card), my attention is drawn to Jesus and away from all the what-ifs and if-onlys. We cannot control our circumstances, but we can control our hearts, our mind-set. Using the pain to draw myself back to Christ is a powerful panacea.

Photo by Danie Franco on Unsplash

May you lean hard upon the One who loves you best and knows you even in the sleepless nights. Blessings, Molly D.

Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 46:4 NIV

Posted on in Aging, Challenge, Faith, Family, Poetry, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Loneliness

The vile mud pot that bubbles through my life. Wants to contaminate everything. Makes me irritable. Unable to see the best in others.

There was a poem I found that helped a bit. I first read this while on retreat recently. I believe Joan Chittister had it in one of her devotional books.

Home of My Loneliness   by Karl Rahner

In the curve of my heart 
lies a hollow place 
where grudging loneliness asks a welcome. 
In that empty chamber of solitairiness 
You rest Your consistent, welcoming love 
on the heartsick and patterned 
discontent of my gloomy days 
and shredded dreams. 
You care for my loneliness with affection 
during the times when no one 
and no thing soothes 
the deep yearning 
sitting listlessly 
inside the arid place of my discontented self. 
The Home of Loneliness welcomes me.

As I found solace in this poem I also remembered a piece of coral we found in Hawaii.

“You rest, Your consistent, welcoming love,” “You care for my loneliness with affection”. The Holy One knows my hollow place. I am held in that consistent, welcoming love. My loneliness, which at times I detest and want to deny is cared for by the Trinity. Even that place. Even those feelings.

Chronic illness has taught me so much about loneliness. Only those who have suffered can truly understand the plight of the chronically sick. The ambivalence of taking medication that may or may not help. The side effects that can send you into a ‘tizzy.” The wisdom of prayer and listening to your own body when making decisions about self-care. The Word says to ask God and He will give you wisdom. James 1:5-6 NIV

Photo by Tijs van Leur on Unsplash

My parents dying when I was young (aged eleven when Dad died, aged 24 when Mom died) has taught we so much about loneliness. When your family of origin is gone when you are just forming your own family, the word difficult does not describe the impact upon your life.

Next time you sense that “deep yearning sitting listlessly inside the arid place of (your) discontented self” I urge you to turn that place and those feelings to the Holy One. The internet says there one hundred verses about God holding us in or with His hand.

Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.

Psalm 73:23 NIV

Once during a retreat I spent several hours walking the retreat grounds and envisioning the Lord holding my right hand. Though that was many years ago, to this day I remember how poignant that experience was. You might want to try that for yourself. The Holy Trinity is always with us and walks close, even when we are unaware.

Photo by Iryna Marienko on Unsplash
Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth

Move Your Mind

Yesterday was tremendously difficult. Bob and I were both struggling with frustrating chores and situations. Then I snapped at him and things got even worse. I had to really work to get my brain and soul into a better, calmer place. There was nothing earth shattering, except great difficulty mentally and spiritually. I apologized for my outburst. He forgave me and the day went on.

Photo by Evgeniya Litovchenko on Unsplash

This morning on a podcast I heard an interviewee tell the moderator that with his broadcast he casts a ray of sunshine on an otherwise dark network of podcasts, social media, etc. I thought, “You know, that is that is what I try to do with this blog. A ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark world.” Then I returned to my desk and lying open was the following paragraph written by John Eldredge in Resilient.

Photo by Rocco Caruso on Unsplash

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, right and pure, lovely ad admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). Think about something beautiful, something that reminds you of the goodness of God. A place you love. A sweet memory. Something in nature. Something that makes you smile.

Now stay with that today.

Resilient by Eldredge Page 172

Even when things are terrible, we have the ability to move our minds to other places. We can cry out to Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help us. Nothing is easy when the warfare is raging against us. There are times I think for the Christian in this day and age nothing is easy period.

The chorus from the following song was rolling around in me this morning. I pray that if you come upon a warfare struggle like what I faced yesterday you can move towards Jesus and not away.

Lord I give you my heart
I give you my soul, I live for you alone
Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord have your way in me
Have your way
Recorded by Hillsong music, written by Reuben Timothy Morgan, 2002
Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

My Mind

Recently I came across something that said I need a mind that is peaceful, still, serene and quiet. That led me to the idea that all those things are promised in Scripture. I would imagine you could use a mind like that also? Here are some passages and images that might help you get to that state of mind.

You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

Another version reads “Whose mind is staid on you.” Staid as in fixed. Read that again and just sit with it a moment. Those of us who are familiar with the Bible tend to run right past the verses we think we know. Can you live this verse?

The mind that is still.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

Psalm 46:10a

It is easy to read or say “be still” but can you do it? Still yourself. Quiet yourself. Even sit still for an extended period of time? Dan Harris, former ABC news anchor, now heads up 10% Happier, an app based on his best selling book. He says even one or two minutes of stillness can make a huge difference. Take a pause right now to try that.

The mind that is serene. That brought me to two different passages. If you read Psalm 23 you begin to realize how serene life with the Shepherd can be. Though there may be dangers and enemies, He is able to keep His sheep. Philippians 4 with emphasis upon verse 8 came out on top though! It gives us very clear instruction about our mind and what to do with it!

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 

Philippians 4:4-8 NIV

We CAN take captive our thoughts to Christ Jesus. No, it is not simple, but oh so very worthwhile! Think about such things!

And finally we are urged to have a mind that is quiet. It is exhausting to have a busy, busy mind. Here is help for that situation. But you must DO it.

But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

Psalm 131:2 NIV
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Memories, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Go Outside!

When was the last time someone told you to “Go outside and play”? So often we take topics like faith so seriously that I think God is telling us to go outside and play with Him. Perhaps this is something you need? Even if your access to the outdoors is restricted by health, you can still have a playtime.

Ponder for a few moments the Scripture John 3:8. Here is the NIV version

Jesus said, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Reading Sensible Shoes and Two Steps Forward by Sharon G. Brown, I found great images about play and flowers. I will retell it in my own words as I do have permission to copy large portions of the books.

Hannah (a busy Christian servant) saw herself as a child running in and out of the throne room bringing flowers to Jesus. Then later she saw herself running in and out of the throne room taking flowers from around Jesus to others. Both times He stopped her, scooped her up and wanted to just spend time with her. He also told her in the second scene that the flowers were for HER! Later in Two Steps Forward she saw a pinwheel and realized it looked like the flowers she had seen earlier.

I have a large pinwheel and several small ones in our yard. A pinwheel can sit still all day or spin frantically in a heavy breeze. It helps me ‘see’ the wind and reminds me of the Spirit of God.

In Two Steps Forward Brown wrote

“There’s nothing useful and productive about pinwheels. They serve no practical purpose. They just wait for the wind without striving. An image of receptivity. And fun. Whimsical delight and wasting time. What a growing edge for me! And to have a pinwheel combined with the image of a flower is perfect. Thank you, Lord. The flowers are for me. The Lover’s gift to the beloved.”

Hannah in Two Steps Forward by Brown

In my Transfiguration Associates fellowship group I shared these ideas and passed out pinwheels for each person. I wish I could hand one to each reader right now! I bought ours at The Dollar Store which is now $1.25! I encouraged each person to go play, (but not to put them out the window as they were driving home.) You see, that is one of my first pinwheel memories, a summer day in the car having the X-mph wind blow my pinwheel.

I encourage you to play with God this week. If you do not have a pinwheel perhaps you could make one? https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Pinwheel

Can you relax with God and rest in His love enough to just have fun? He has so many aspects to His personality that you will never know all of them. How about learning more about this one? Remember that when you have a fun time with an earthly friend you have a deeper bond. Just imagine how having fun with God will deepen that relationship! Go play!

God is the fountain of life. The only fountain of life. His glorious life is meant to flow through us every day – healing us, filling us with creativity, courage, joy, playfulness, and resilience. It comes through attachment, bonded love, the soul’s union with God.

John Eldredge “Resilient”

The wind is His, but He lets us see it and use it. The wind is one symbol of the Holy Spirit! Go play! The pinwheel brought all sorts of things to mind such as the song “Breathe on Me Breath Of God.” Sit with God and the wind, play and discover where He will lead you. Just don’t put your pinwheel out the car window while driving!!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Challenge, Faith, Nature, Thanks

White Tailed Deer and Other Critters

Monday afternoon before I could grab my camera out of the corner of my eye I saw a large doe walking down our street with 2 fawns behind her. The fawns were larger than I usually see, but still had their spots. In one sense the sight was breath taking, in another scary.

If you are a regular reader you might remember I posted a week or so ago how deer came in the night and mowed down (ate) sunflower heads and roses and neighbors rare day lilies and all manner of garden flowers. I hoped this doe was not ‘casing the joint’ for tasty flowers. Last evening I went out and sprinkled repellent pellets on the flowers. They were all intact this morning. One neighbor feeds the deer on a platform feeder in her front yard. Not many of us are happy with her about that.

This one in our backyard, but you get the idea.

Deer trotting down the street in afternoon sunlight.

There are times I take Lucky out for her evening walk and the air is rank with the smell of skunk (which some peculiar people like m husband think smells good). There have been a few times when we have the bedroom windows open at night and I can smell skunk. My next door neighbor has a driveway camera. She told me the skunk is a little one but he travels all of the yards in the dark. We know from camping that you can smell skunk without them spraying. Like Pepé Le Pew they just radiate that stench! Please Lucky, do not get sprayed by that thing! That is one of my concerns when Lucky gets out and takes off.

Skunks roaming our property at night.

Did I mention the rabbits? The web says that cottontails only get about 2-3 pounds and 15-18-3/4 inches long. The ones in Sherry’s yard look huge. Like as big as large cats get! These things can move or just sit so perfectly still that unless they twitch an ear you might not see them. They are out grazing morning and evening. I wonder what their burrows are like. Instead of a drone I would love to get a tiny camera in their nest to watch what goes on. Maybe I can attach a GoPro to one and get the hopping action? A few visit the garden and likely eat the plants. One more reason not to try to garden next year. Otherwise the rabbits are lovely and peaceful.

Lucky has occasionally found toads or frogs along the sidewalk as we walk in the evening. I am guessing the drought conditions this spring led to the death of many tiny frogs. Lucky finds them dead along the edge of the grass or occasionally on the sidewalk. Like Grogu, Baby Yoda, she would like to eat them. She never forgets where she has found them either! I am kept on my toes trying to remember so I can warn her to “Drop it!” or “Leave it!” One day someone left a large dead crayfish on the edge of their driveway. That she did not like! Jumped in the air and backed up in fear.

Maybe the death of the baby frogs explains the huge population of crickets?

A few neighbors have seen snakes. I am afraid of snakes. A very primal, visceral fear that brooks no explanation. I know they eat mice and other things. Perhaps one would like to consume the chipmunk that taken up residence under the deck, runs tunnels through the gardens,etc? I just do not want to come upon it catching, eating or digesting! Or even resting.

We live in suburban Amelia, Ohio yet the wildlife are right here with us. Deer, skunks, frogs or toads, snakes, oh my! All manner of things reside here and we are in their midst. I have not seen a single coyote recently? No explanation for that. I hope the Canada geese stay gone. The sidewalk around the retention pond is much neater without their droppings. Only a few rabbit pellets lately.

Treasures in Plain Sight! What have you seen in your neighborhood recently? I praise Him for all of creation.

Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

J. Philip Newell

Listening to a podcast where J. Philip Newell was interviewed, he mentioned that when he teaches and/or writes he is not informing us of anything radically new on the earth. He is simply reminding us of things we already know. I pray you have found this true from reading my blog, (though it is a lofty thing to compare myself in anyway to Newell). If my words ring true from Scripture and the journey of following Jesus, then I would think there should be some familiarity to you. If you are a brand new believer or someone just exploring the faith, then perhaps not.

J Philip Newell

I took his quotes from talk #1 which begins after about 5+minutes of introduction and announcements from Rob Bell.. Here is the link https://www.earthandsoul.org/podcasts

In the interview J. Philip Newell mentioned that he had a new grandchild. When she looked him straight in the eye he was reminded of the idea that Dickens captured:

“It is no small thing, when they, who are so fresh from God, love us. ”

-Charles Dickens

Have you had a similar experience? That piercing gaze of a newborn or very young child? One so fresh from God. Many years ago my husband bought me a bookmark with that sentiment on it. At the time I had raised our children and was working as a nanny to other children. When those babies would gaze into my eyes I was deeply blessed.

There is a story that speaks about a man who went into a church everyday and sat. Finally the priest asked him was he was doing as the priest never heard the man pray. The man answered, “I look at Him. And He looks at me.”

Have you spent time just looking at the Lord and allowing Him to look at you? Could you pause more often during any day or night and turn your eyes upon the Holy One, allowing yourself to be seen, inside and out? Do you love God enough to gaze and rest and be made new with this holy looking?

I think trying it will provide your best answer.

I had a friend named Char. I met her through crochet lessons I was offering. She had lung cancer, but was determined to squeeze every single drop of life out of the time that remained for her. As she came nearer to the end of her life she asked me about prayer. She wanted to know if she was ‘doing it right.’ She said as she went about her day she spoke with Jesus about everything. I was floored. I told her that was absolutely correct as I understood Christianity. We involve God in our every thought and action and even our resting. I have been studying Brother Lawrence for years and trying to practice His presence always. Speaking to Jesus, listening for instruction and direction. Doesn’t get any better than that!

I pray you will enter into ‘continuous communion with God’. Nothing on earth will reward you like that practice!

Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Journal, Just do it, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

A Living Sacrifice

That has been my word or phrase for the year 2023. I have been pursuing what that actually means. This year I have tried to learn more about this concept. I blogged about it last January. https://wordpress.com/post/treasures-in-plain-sight.org/11031

I do not usually read the Bible interpretation called The Message. I came across this and had to find who wrote it. Yep, it is from The Message!

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:1-2 Message

That is it in a nutshell! Guess I need to get out the nut cracker and unpack that?

With God’s help – take your usual life – and place it before God as an offering. Meaning all of your life is given to Him and lived for Him and to Him. An audience of One! I must never think I can do this on my own. I need help and should ask for that help regularly.

Embrace what God does for you. This means I am not taking credit for His work. Remember the gratitude list? All the things in a single day that God does for you and in you. Embrace it all. That can be hard when He does not do the things I want like remove chronic pain and illness. Embracing is ‘the best thing I can do for Him.’ Have you ever asked God how you can please and delight Him? Here is one way!

Do not expect to fit in with the culture around us. As we grow closer and deeper in the Holy One we will NOT fit in with the culture!

FIX YOUR ATTENTION ON GOD. Not easily done, but with practice it does get easier and the more one does it the more one misses it when wandering begins. The Holy One is where I want my attention to remain. It is a kind of super glue for those of us living in the world but not of the world! Fix our attention on the Holy One.

Recognize and respond. I see what You want, Lord and {not I will get to that later} I am on it! The more we love someone the more quickly we will delight to please that one. I recognize what is required of me and I am quick to do it. Not running out before the right time, but willing to fulfill what is being asked in a very timely manner.

The promise is that God will develop well-formed maturity in us. Oh yes, Lord, let it be so! That we will not longer be spiritual babes, infants in Christ.

And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NRSVA

That is just full of promises and this I am to do and let glory be given to God and just wow.

Are you willing to give it a try? If we stumble and think that is failure we are wrong. If we stumble and do not accomplish the challenge it just means there is room to grow and like the Benedictines we need to say, “Always we begin again.”

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Humor, Just do it, Listen, Nature, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Traveling, Yield

Hawaiian Chickens

and roosters, and chicks. They are every place you go. I even stopped at a grocery store Starbucks. When I came out the people on the porch sipping their beverages were amazed at the hen and chicks that were passing through looking for bakery crumbs.

We stopped at one overlook to take some photos. There at our feet was a rooster. Bob captured this portrait.

Chickens have been on the islands for decades. Storms caused many of their coops to be destroyed. After their escape they have found life on the islands rather easy. There are no natural predators in residence! Talk about free range chickens!

We even walked the jungle trail to Honolua Bay on Maui where the snorkeling is said to be tremendous. Guess what?

You can easily see 7 chickens here! There were many more around our feet!

I often wondered if I caught a chicken and took it to a restaurant would they kill, clean and cook it for me for lunch? Does any one harvest the eggs?

Some of our neighbors here in Ohio keep chickens. The crowing of the rooster always makes me smile. The by-laws of our subdivision prohibits the keeping of chickens on our property. I wonder how these residents would view free range chickens!

I wonder if Jesus told every church leader in the greater Cincinnati area that Christians were to keep chickens, how that would go over? His words in the New Testament are

 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34

Jesus longs to gather us to Himself. Just as in Isaiah 30:15 there is that haunting phrase, “But you would not.” Are you resistant to Jesus’ call to come to Him?

All four Gospels refer to the crowing of the rooster when Jesus is speaking to Peter about denying Him. Can you imagine how Peter felt when He heard that crowing?

So the next time you hear a rooster I want you to ask yourself if that is Jesus calling you to His side like the hen gathers her chicks or is it a reminder that each of us has the propensity to deny knowing the Lord Jesus? Either way I urge you to be willing to go to His side. He will lead you in paths of righteousness. Do not be a free range chicken. We, unlike the chickens in Hawaii, do have an evil predator seeking to destroy us and our faith.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Art, Challenge, Faith, Journal, Just do it, Listen, Memories, Nature, Special Event, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Nautilus or Ammonite?

I mentioned I would get back to the shell on my soul collage.

“The nautilus and the ammonite are similar organisms. Both are aquatic molluscs with spiral shells. Ammonites, however, have been extinct since the K-T event that killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago while the nautilus still roams the seas. There are numerous other differences between the two creatures, most of which are minor.”

https://sciencing.com/differences-between-nautilus-ammonite-8687704.html

Since childhood I have been fascinated by shells. Grandma Rush used to bring them to me from her bus trips to Florida. I likely found some on an eastern seaboard beach with my Dad before age 10. Even the land snails I found along the banks of the stream in Kuhner’s field fascinated me with their shells.

The nautilus creature makes a larger shell as it grows. Then it closes off the old chamber where it lived. Once when we were traveling the east coast we found a nautilus shell that had been cut open in a shop. Bob let me get it. For years it was hanging in my office. It was very fragile and got broken on the edges when not packed soundly for moving. From another vacation I now have a small cut open nautilus in a stained glass piece. In Hot Springs, Arkansas we found an ammonite in a rock shop that had been cut open. Again, Bob said, “Get it!”

Ancient to Arkansas to Ohio
Inner ancient chambers

Why are these special to me? When I was learning about the Center down silence, the nautilus showed me a way to do that. Instead of growing outward, to enter meditation and silence I need to travel from the largest chamber to the smallest, dropping things that hinder my listening to God along the way. Also note, the smaller the chamber, the fewer things it will hold.

During the retreat when I finally was able to come to stillness, a stop, I sensed the Lord saying that I had not been going to that quiet place enough with the Spirit for about 6 weeks or so. That is why I was so tired and drained. It was a gentle enlightenment and I immediately knew the wisdom of the statement. I forgot to drink from the Living Water, daily. I failed to enter the center down silence. Before retreat I was so hungry for silence. No wonder! I had not been there consistently for a long time. Yes I checked off boxes, did devotional readings, even read Scripture and Christian books. But no concentrated peeling away of distracting layers and just listening.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:1,4,6 NIV

How could I skip going to the Living Water God offers me? The Word says the heart is deceitful above all else! I am so easily deluded. Help me, Jesus my Redeemer, to rest in Your holy place daily.

Much more important than showing you the photos is to ask you to try entering that center down silence for yourselves. Even Monica Brown understands! Look at the CD cover of hers I found in my favorite colors!

Will you try this for 21 days? Just listening for that still, small voice. It makes all the difference in the world! Give yourself to listening. Quiet your thoughts and heart. Sit still. Be quiet.

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust is your strength,
    but you would have none of it.”

Isaiah 30:15 NIV