Dennis stuck his head in the door. “Put your shoes on and come out here.”
I slipped on a pair of Keens and rolled up my p.j. bottoms and followed him out to where the dogs were playing–in a clearing.
I gasped. There’d been a chainsaw massacre while we were gone yesterday.
Dennis had asked our son to trim a few branches from two pines in the back, and Jeremy had gone above and beyond. He’d trimmed all the dead wood 10-15 feet up and cleared away all the tall grass and nightshade and poison ivy underneath. Wide rings of dirt encircled the trunks.
It looks great, though the pups aren’t so happy about their inability to play hide-and-seek in the weeds.
We can see more clearly now. Not only that, but my husband says the pruning will make the trees more resistant to winds while allowing them and surrounding trees to receive more light. I care about trees, but I don’t know much about tree care. I looked it up. I think this is called crown/canopy thinning and lifting.
Maybe sometimes we need to thin things out of our spiritual trunk before it can grow thicker.
Meister Eckhart, a 14th century Dominican mystic, theologian, and convicted heretic, wrote, “God is not found in the soul by adding anything, but by a process of subtraction.”
I’ve been thinking about that.
And I’ve been feeling a little–I don’t know–lonesome? Maybe a little left out because other friends are gathering in places I can’t, getting book contracts that I don’t. I sense a hunger deep inside.
Madeleine L’Engle wrote in Friends for the Journey, “Solitude and loneliness–though outwardly they may look the same–come from different kinds of fasting. Solitude is the chosen fast, while loneliness is the unbidden hunger. Solitude brings a deeper kind of living. Loneliness brings a kind of death.”
Maybe I’m not so much missing out as missing Him.
And so I sit here with a pup on my lap, rubbing peanut butter into pine-tarred fur. Out the kitchen window, yellow leaves spiral to the ground in the breeze.
And I make my decision final.
I had a topic all picked out for this year. But instead of joining in with The Nester and others blogging for 31 days in October on one topic (like I did last year on Coming to Grips with My Age), I’m not going to blog at all.
I’m not only not going to add on this month, I’m going to subtract. I’m going to quiet my own noise.
I’m going to fast from this blog. I’m going to choose solitude.
This will be new for me since I’ve never taken more than a few days off at a time in over four years. I’ve blogged through vacations and through my mom’s illness.
I don’t know how it will all turn out.
What will I do instead?
I hope to:
Spend some time praying for all of you.
Rethink my writing goals and this blog’s purpose.
Concentrate on my writing class through Tweetspeak Poetry.
Reorganize my writing space.
Clean my house.
Finally strip the wallpaper.
Take a mini-trip to the Upper Peninsula.
Spend more time noticing and listening.
Drink more tea.
Read more books.
Watch the birds.
Take a few photos.
Visit your blogs and soak in your wisdom and words.
Or maybe I’ll just sleep.
So… head on over to The Nester’s place and choose from over 1000 topics and bloggers you’d like to follow along with this month. And just so you know, I’m not going to miss these by my dear friends and fellow prayer warriors.
Diana Trautwein on 31 Days of Giving Permission
Michelle DeRusha on 31 Days to an Authentic You
Shelly Miller on 31 Days of Letting Go in the Deep End
Cindee Snider Re who’s exploring 31 Days on Holy Ground
Kristin Schell on 31 Days of Outrageous Hospitality
Megan Willome on 31 Days of Dogs
Ann Voskamp on Missing Him: 31 Days of Calling on Jesus
Elizabeth Marshall on 31 Days of Noticing
Linda Chontos on 31 Days: Journey to Trust
Karin Fendick on 31 Days of Surrender
Laura Brown on 31 Days of Today (tweetables)
Laura Boggess on 31-ish Days of Prayer
Still Saturday will continue through the month hosted by our favorite psalmist with a camera, Patricia Hunter of Pollywog Creek. So you may link your posts over there (and I’ll be reading them.)
And I’ll continue to write on Tuesdays for BibleDude, though I will not be posting “teasers” here.
I’m not entering total cyber darkness. I’ll still post periodically on my Facebook page, so if you haven’t “liked” me yet, you’d honor me by doing so.
However, this blog will be silent… for the whole month. Pray for me? Love you all, and I’ll see you back here on November 1.
Stilled and going silent,
Sandy
Oh I miss you already. :o{
That is so funny, Sandy! I almost did the same thing! I watched all the “31 Days” posts going live and I thought – “Man, I’m gonna do 31 Days of Un-blogging. That’s what I need right now.”
To each his own.
I’m certainly thankful for your list and for all my friends who are doing 31 Days – good soul food for the resting that will be my October.
I love your tree analogy. Praying this is a fruitful time of solitude, even if you don’t get anything done on your list but drink tea and watch birds (because I forbid you to give up on those!).
I thought, last year, that I’d do it this year. Then I forgot until the last minute and felt overwhelmed by the whole prospect. I think yours is a mighty wise idea. Not the idea for me, but mighty wise. God’s blessings to you as you take this break.
There is a heap or two or three of real wisdom in this post Sandy. I love how you explain the difference between loneliness and solitude, makes me think. And that quote: God is not found in the soul by adding anything but by a process of subtraction. So rich, I copied it. Thank you for sharing my 31 Day series, you are such a gift. I think, no I know, you will return to the blog world richer and refreshed with new eyes and we will not forget you, that is a fact.
You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers. Soaking in the autumn loveliness here.
Such wisdom, Sandy! We need to step back and take stock occasionally and eliminating blogging will free up a good chunk of time to do so. A little judicious pruning and trimming is good for the health. I pray you will find blessing in your solitude, and answers to questions.
I’ll be off the grid for a couple weeks myself, but because I will be at our cabin where there is no electricity, no cell service, etc. It’s my hubby’s annual hunting trip and my annual writing retreat. I may try to schedule a few posts ahead of time for the blog… or I may not. 🙂
I have stepped back as well this summer and wondering if I should try to step up for fall, or continue as I have done. We had a kitchen remodel from a leak and I just couldn’t blog with the house and my life torn up. And now, I am just so busy that I would like to slow down until I feel like I really can flow out peace. I am just not there yet. Enjoy your break, may it be a time of rest of healing.
Beautifully said, Sandy. I may have to try this someday soon. And thanks for the link, my friend.
yes,… breathe deeply and enjoy… you are loved.
Sandy, this was absolutely beautiful and beautifully said. May God refresh you in this time of silence and solitude — two of my all-time favorite words! — as you enjoy your tea and His captivating creation, soaking in the autumn sunshine and His holy Presence. Love You, my Friend!
I am certain God is going to meet you in a very new and special way as you honor Him with your silence.
You are awesome! This is beautiful. Truly. xoxox
I can’t ‘like’ this, but I like the sentiment. Very much. Kudos, Sandra.
Maybe I’ll actually work on my memoir. 🙂
I love the quote about the difference between loneliness and solitude….I think we may need to embrace and touch our loneliness before we can find the utter peace and joy in the solitude ….blessings upon blessings as you meet with Him in the quite places…the wallpaper stripping( I would need a lot of Him there for sure
I am so story…I don’t know what I did…please excuse/ delete all the multiple posts
I love the quote about the difference between loneliness and solitude….I think we may need to embrace and touch our loneliness before we can find the utter peace and joy in the solitude ….blessings upon blessings as you meet with Him in the quite places…the wallpaper stripping( I would need a lot of Him there for sure
I love the quote about the difference between loneliness and solitude….I think we may need to embrace and touch our loneliness before we can find the utter peace and joy in the solitude ….blessings upon blessings as you meet with Him in the quite places…the wallpaper stripping( I would need a lot of Him there for sure
You will be so missed, Sandy, but I can surely relate to the need for a break. All I’ve managed to do to change up my routine is staying off the internet on Sundays.
I don’t think I’m ready to stop blogging just yet . . .
Loved the wisdom in this reflection, too, especially about the difference between solitude and loneliness. I’ll remember that one . . .
Blessings, and may you find rest and renewal this month!
Sssshhhhh! We’re hunting a wascaly wabbit!
Seriously, this could be good. If you get really quiet, who knows what you might hear? Something amazing could start calling to you through the blogging silence. I’m looking forward to seeing how this unfolds.
You brave, brave girl. I wonder what wonder-full things will come from listening to your heart? I’m sorry for the lonely, I know that place. You know you are one of my favorite writers, right? Sometimes the harvest is hard fought. Most times, it seems. You have my love, my friend. I’ll be praying through all this.
a wonderful and healing decision.
you will love it.
This post is filled with wisdom and beauty and graciousness. Praying with you. Enjoy!
You will be missed. Hugs. Janet
Although 31 Days of blogging impresses me, this 31 days of silence, well, this one excites me.
I pray your time away is refreshing.
Good for you.
Rest is a good thing. I’m always looking for things to use as illustrations in writings and teachings. After a while, I miss out on the personal blessing because I want to tell the story to others
Well, it is so very peaceful, as always over here. And grace-filled, and wisdom-drenched. And thank you for mentioning little ole moi. That was a generous surprise. Love to you in this time of relative quiet. But you and I will have words…..over at Tweetspeak, dear friend.
Great idea! My first time to post for 31 days and I’ve missed one because I was sick! I wonder why i started at all!!!! Challenged. :^) patsy