“To be contemplative we must remove the clutter of our lives, surround ourselves with beauty, and consciously, relentlessly, persistently give it away until the tiny world for which we are responsible begins to reflect the raw beauty that is God.”
~ Joan Chittister
I woke abruptly from an unpleasant dream this morning; my heart heavy with grief for something I couldn’t quite identify.
Maybe my heavy heart this morning is as it should be in light of all that is wrong in the world. There’s been so much in the news of late that is worthy of grief and yet I fear we sometimes become numb to it all. What’s worse? To become numb to the craziness or to give in to despair over it all?
How do we bear one another’s burdens and yet still walk in joy and gratitude? How do we balance the darkness that sometimes seems to overtake all that is good and light in the world?
This morning I turn toward my God for comfort. I pray for two families who have just tragically lost children. I pray for those in my sphere of concern who have needs. I pray God will keep me from becoming numb and, at the same time, hold my fragile heart in His tender care so I can carry on.
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This photograph is if the daisy bud I plucked from my yard a few weeks ago. After I photographed it back then, I put it in a bit of water and almost forgot about it. Just the other day I noticed the bud is unfolding and a flower is forming.
It seems a picture of perseverance, of beauty in that which is simple, of the wonder of creation, of a little bit of magic in the middle of one of the darkest months of the year.
I’ll take it.
Your post resonates with me as I have so many of the same feelings…loving and giving to others and while having ‘joy and gratitude’….My Scripture one day last week was 11 Thessalonians 5:16 -18…..I am holding on to it and repeating it often in order for God to help me keep the balance I need in my life these days.
Your writing touches my heart; you have a wonderful talent. I always gain insight while visiting you….
Amen to those verses in 1 Thessalonians. Thank you for reminding me . . . they will be in my mind now too.
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement.
Linda, I have no idea why you get the site that comes up when you press my name….If you have any idea, please let me know…that is not my website….
Nancy, it looks like you had a slight typo when you entered your blog name and putcreatedforajourney.BLOGPOT.com instead of BLOGSPOT. It doesn’t appear I can update it at this end, unfortunately.
Linda, your writing in this post resonates with all that I’ve been feeling of late. You put it into words beautifully. I’m so glad I stopped by to read.
Thanks for stopping by, Karen. It’s hard sometimes, to navigate this crazy world. Having like-minded sojourners along the way always helps.