Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Listening Day #10 of Thankfulness

She contacts me on face book. 
She found a recording of his voice from a history project. 
She laughed and cried when she heard it. 
She wondered if I would like her to send it to me. 
I breathe deep. 
Another recording of his voice. 
Another piece. 
Yes. 
Yes, I would love another opportunity to hear his voice. 
To listen to my sweet, sweet son. 
I play the recording. 
The deep places of my mommy's heart ache.
Oh how I miss him. 
He was so articulate. 
Always. 
His first word ex-ca-va- tor.
Yes. 
Truth. 
No da da for him. 
I continue to listen. 
There is back round noise so I have to listen intently. 
Carefully. 
I seek out the inflection; wonder at his hand motions-there was a piece of me in him- and picture his facial expressions as he spoke. 
I listen intently. 
So much of our life requires us to listen intently. 
To hear the speaker. 
Dig deeper for what is being said. 
Trying to understand our children. 
Attempting to decipher angry co workers words. 
Listening.
Hearing. 
Understanding. 

It is an Art. . . to listen. 

God calls us to enter in. 
To listen for his voice. 
Carefully. 
Purposefully. 
It takes time. 
There is waiting. 
There is heart ache. 
There is joy. 

John 19:27
My sheep listen to my voice; 
I know them, and they follow me.


May we all take to time listen to those around us. 
To seek God's will for the ways in which we should meet needs. 
Help a friend. 
Serve in some way. 
Spend time listening to His voice today to guide you. 
To lay down your burden. 
To be set free. 
He is always there. 
He neither slumbers nor sleeps. 

Psalm 121:3-4
He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber;indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

He will guide us. 
He will show us where to serve. 
If we would only listen.




I am thankful for:

The gift of hearing my sons voice
Being able to hear
My sons friends who still remember
a new pastor and wife who are digging deep
a church body that prays; we are not perfect but with grace and mercy we step into God's ways
A season of Thanksgiving
10 more sleeps until the college girl is home
a gorgeous view of the mountain 
time to spend in God's word
correction and growth
a God who loves me and forgives my wretched soul
my farmer who works so hard each day
my girls who get up in the mornings to help their daddy
a farm boy that loves music and Jesus
 the two farm girls that are off the farm and making their way in this world
the farmette and the joy she brings
the hope of a new farmette and all she will bring
the naming of my gratitude; may it change me and grow my being to be more cognitively aware of the good around me
a sister in law who walks with grace and beauty through the trials of this life


May you seek to listen today. 
For the joy. 
For the broken. 

“There is a kind of listening with half an ear that presumes already to know what the other person has to say. It is an impatient, inattentive listening, that despises the brother and is only waiting for a chance to speak and thus get rid of the other person. This is no fulfillment of our obligation, and it is certain that here too our attitude toward our brother only reflects our relationship to God. It is little wonder that we are no longer capable of the greatest service of listening that God has committed to us, that of hearing our brother's confession, if we refuse to give ear to our brother on lesser subjects. Secular education today is aware that often a person can be helped merely by having someone who will listen to him seriously, and upon this insight it has constructed its own soul therapy, which has attracted great numbers of people, including Christians. But Christians have forgotten that the ministry of listening has been committed to them by Him who is Himself the great listener and whose work they should share. We should listen with the ears of God that we may speak the Word of God.”  (emphasis mine)

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