“It was an unusual experience—not to be needed. I never knew how much I depended on it for meaning.” I felt that line especially having been laid up with my recent injury!
I have secretly (or maybe not-so-secretly) cringed at the suggestion of a silent retreat. But your description made me look at it differently. I’m glad you had that experience and were willing to be vulnerable in sharing it ☺️
If I had known how physically and emotionally challenging it would have been, I probably wouldn’t have gone! So I’m glad I didn’t know because I really did learn a lot. Sometimes it’s better not to know what to expect I guess 😁 I’m so glad parts resonated— I hope it gave you something to “chew on” 😋❤️
Another excellent essay. The description of your time at the retreat was so vivid--my mind read it in TechniCOLOR!!
I have Joseph Prince's app and use it for daily devotions. Today's devotion was called Taste and See! I'm not kidding. I took a screenshot of it but couldn't figure out how to post it. Coincidence? Don says the Holy Spirit moved you both at the same time to get this message out!
Love you! And love getting to know you through your writing!
That is wild, Mom! I’m so glad you enjoyed reading this. I’m also glad for my journaling because it helped me re-live the experience and details for this essay! ☺️ I love you too!
I want to quip that this post is food for thought, which it is, but truly it brought me to a place of prayer this morning. The bucolic setting of my home allows for deep meditation set to the background of bird chirps and tweets. If you listen closely, you might hear the bushes blooming; it’s a delicate crackling of a sound.
The only obstacle to this quiet is the internal noise, typically tech-inspired but often self-wrought. Last week, however, I attended a “retreat” at home for 48 hrs. The first 12 hours of the power outage silenced our home and souls with a low-simmered excitement as candle-lit rooms hosted dinner, instrumentals, and board gaming. I joked with my family that we should “flip the switch” for a week each month - let God’s rhythms replace ours.
Frenzy supplanted quaintness when silent morning alarms gave way to generators and searches for battery packs and an uptick in internal chatter and concern. I longed for God’s rhythms, for heaven. As I write this, I am also texting with a friend who is still displaced due to lack of power - I long for God’s peace in her life, I long for heaven.
Yet, your final verse, Psalm 107:9 reminds us that our longing and hunger provide opportunity for Him to satisfy us. It’s yet another day “to taste and see!”
This is poetry, Kim 🥹❤️ I, too, secretly “celebrate” the loss of power (for a time haha😉) How the surrounding calm eventually finds its way inside— and begins to quiet the mind too. I love your description of home!😍 After my retreat I became somewhat obsessed with the idea of having a mountain cabin that offered no electricity! (Indoor plumbing, yes, but no tv or internet!) 😁 Maybe someday…
Beautiful essay my love❤️ and you flatter me with your praise of my sometimes successful efforts in the kitchen🥰
You are modest 😘❤️ another admirable quality of yours! I love you!! and Miss you!! (and not just for your delicious food!) ☺️
Your writing resonated with me once again, Sis!
“It was an unusual experience—not to be needed. I never knew how much I depended on it for meaning.” I felt that line especially having been laid up with my recent injury!
I have secretly (or maybe not-so-secretly) cringed at the suggestion of a silent retreat. But your description made me look at it differently. I’m glad you had that experience and were willing to be vulnerable in sharing it ☺️
If I had known how physically and emotionally challenging it would have been, I probably wouldn’t have gone! So I’m glad I didn’t know because I really did learn a lot. Sometimes it’s better not to know what to expect I guess 😁 I’m so glad parts resonated— I hope it gave you something to “chew on” 😋❤️
Absolutely! 🩷 (And sometimes it’s better for me not to have all the details in advance of doing something either 😁)
Another excellent essay. The description of your time at the retreat was so vivid--my mind read it in TechniCOLOR!!
I have Joseph Prince's app and use it for daily devotions. Today's devotion was called Taste and See! I'm not kidding. I took a screenshot of it but couldn't figure out how to post it. Coincidence? Don says the Holy Spirit moved you both at the same time to get this message out!
Love you! And love getting to know you through your writing!
That is wild, Mom! I’m so glad you enjoyed reading this. I’m also glad for my journaling because it helped me re-live the experience and details for this essay! ☺️ I love you too!
I want to quip that this post is food for thought, which it is, but truly it brought me to a place of prayer this morning. The bucolic setting of my home allows for deep meditation set to the background of bird chirps and tweets. If you listen closely, you might hear the bushes blooming; it’s a delicate crackling of a sound.
The only obstacle to this quiet is the internal noise, typically tech-inspired but often self-wrought. Last week, however, I attended a “retreat” at home for 48 hrs. The first 12 hours of the power outage silenced our home and souls with a low-simmered excitement as candle-lit rooms hosted dinner, instrumentals, and board gaming. I joked with my family that we should “flip the switch” for a week each month - let God’s rhythms replace ours.
Frenzy supplanted quaintness when silent morning alarms gave way to generators and searches for battery packs and an uptick in internal chatter and concern. I longed for God’s rhythms, for heaven. As I write this, I am also texting with a friend who is still displaced due to lack of power - I long for God’s peace in her life, I long for heaven.
Yet, your final verse, Psalm 107:9 reminds us that our longing and hunger provide opportunity for Him to satisfy us. It’s yet another day “to taste and see!”
This is poetry, Kim 🥹❤️ I, too, secretly “celebrate” the loss of power (for a time haha😉) How the surrounding calm eventually finds its way inside— and begins to quiet the mind too. I love your description of home!😍 After my retreat I became somewhat obsessed with the idea of having a mountain cabin that offered no electricity! (Indoor plumbing, yes, but no tv or internet!) 😁 Maybe someday…