The sky glittered last night with a billion Hand-tossed diamonds.
The blackness was so clear.
This morning I take a cup of tea (not coffee) and the Dora blankie to a porch rocker. (L.L. Barkat will be pleased to know I spent 55 minutes out there.)
The sky is crinkled with gray. But as I sit here and sip, some of the crinkles begin to blush and plump. And then I see some golden branches and a dappled tree trunk and a golden river that flows across the front yard.
And I consider how much I miss when I stay within the silence and the warmth of walls.
I go back inside for a Bible, the new little Message I just bought. (Previously I only had the New Testament and the Wisdom books.) I like that version sometimes for devotions.
And I open it at random to Psalm 104.
Oh my soul, bless God!
God, my God, how great you are!
beautifully, gloriously robed,
Dressed up in sunshine,
and all heaven stretched out for your tent. (v 1-2)
And then I turn to Matthew 4, after the temptation, and read how Jesus “completed Isaiah’s sermon” when He returned to Galilee after His cousin John was arrested.
Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali
road to the sea, over Jordan,
Galilee, crossroads for the nations
People sitting out their lives in the dark
saw a huge light;
Sitting in that dark, dark country of death,
they watched the sun come up.
And I’m stopped cold by the word “crossroads” and determine to dig deeper into that.
And then I read how He called Simon and Andrew while they were fishing (standing?), throwing their nets into the lake. And He called James and John while they were sitting and mending nets. And all four let go to follow Him.
And I think about how some of us are better at fishing, better at standing and throwing nets and pulling in the catch. While others of us are better suited to sitting and mending caught souls–picking off the scales that cover pain and brokenness, tending to bloodied lips created by the hooks of life.
And I’m surprised again about new things we can see in scriptures we are already familiar with.
And I wonder if I’m cheating my yard time if I open the Word. And then I remember that L.L. read the Psalms, so–whew–I’m okay on that point.
Later I remember that today is Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday with Duane and how I haven’t linked there for a few weeks–how I’ve been kind of serious and subdued, I think.
And suddenly I wonder if Pokito is going to be the ringbearer and if I’ve toasted any of the little black ants that traveled my kitchen counter this summer and what will fall out of the tray when I clean it and how many baseball caps does one man need.
Wait, I think that Pistons cap is mine.
Hmm, those caps would be good for a whole blog post sometime.
So I think this is now officially random and disturbed enough to link up.
lol. Pokito would be awesome.
Ring around the collar! (I just cracked myself up!)
Thanks for the laugh. You know one book I want REALLY bad? God in My Yard. I just can’t justify the $20. I think that’s a bit ridiculous when I come to think of it. It’s just, I’m getting married, there are plenty of OTHER things $20 could be spent on.
And Pokito, poor guy, will about 1400 miles away from the wedding service.
I’m not sure how he’ll survive.
You’d only have to sacrifice a few bags of Cheetos. 😉
And about Pokito, see response to Michael.
I agree that Pokito should be the ring bearer. We should see what we can arrange..
I think he’d be adorable in a doggie tux.
Hi Sandy –
We do limit ourselves when we stay indoors. Being outside and surveying God’s creation can be healing to the soul.
Blessings,
Susan 🙂
And it’s so easy to get caught up inside. L.L. sat outside every day for an entire year–even on a kid’s sled in the snow. I don’t know if I can do that. 🙂
I just came in from sitting in the gold and my heart was so filled with gratitude for the beauty and the freedom of it all my heart could hardly contain it …
I would love to sit in the gold with you, Susan.
It’s good to sit and breathe in the world around us. And good also to read the bible and find new treasures 🙂
I started to read your post this morning and got to this sentence:
“And I consider how much I miss when I stay within the silence and the warmth of walls.”
I had to stop reading. I’ve been thinking how still I’ve been lately and the price paid and the guilt I feel almost for holing up so tight.
Now, after a think, I’ve finished reading. Call me convicted.
Ah, this is how it goes for me, you know? Normally I see big picture, miss the details. But when I read, He catches me with a word, a phrase, a sentence. I love when He does that, and I love how He did that here.
the part about the ants made me laugh! 🙂
some of the yard made it into the house? 🙂