The Sound of Silence

I breathe in….

                         …and out…
                                 
                                                     …in…

                                                                      …and out…

In the silence, I can feel the soft beating of my heart…hear the slight whoosh in my ears as I sit here in this place I’ve called home for so long now.

It’s times like this when so many memories fill my head.

It’s times like this when I begin to reflect on my life, remembering the good, the bad, and the terribly ugly.

It’s times like this when regret sets in…

…when shame hovers dark and heavy…

…when loneliness taunts from every shadowy corner…

…when tears brim and eventually spill…

…a heart wrenches and a soul cries out “why?”…

And in the silence, through the tears...over the sound of the heart that is breaking…

I hear His small, still voice…


{“I’m here”} – my breath catches
{“I always have been”} – I am humbled
{“I love you”} – my heart leaps
{“I always have”} – I believe
{“I always will”} – and now the tears are those of joy

With every wrong turn I make, he puts another turn in front of me, steering me back in the right direction – gently prodding me and guiding me.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”   ~~Isaiah 30:21

I feel His strong and gentle arms wrap around all of me…


Heart
                    Mind
                                      Body
                                                         Soul

In the silence, I am in awe that He could love me…a sinner of the worst kind…and yet I have a knowing in this wildly beating heart of mine that, like King David, He sees me as a (wo)man after His own heart. It gives me cause to bow down in thanksgiving, here in this quiet place where it’s just me and Him.

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.  ~~1 Samuel 16:7

The sound of silence is the small, still voice…His voice…

Listen...

He’s calling your name…

Walking On Sunshine

Ahhhhhh... bright, beautiful, warm sunshine!  After several days of cloudy, cold, windy days and bone-chilling nights here in Central Texas, I woke up this morning to a glorious sight - the sun was out in full glory.  The sky a crystal clear blue.  It took all that I had to not go outside and hoop and holler a chorus of hallelujah's to the heavens (I did so rather quietly in my bed while still tucked under the covers, lest the neighbors think I had completely lost my mind).

It is true, there are some real dangers to sun exposure, but I am truly saddened that the sun has been made to be some kind of "monster".  As with many other things potentially dangerous, moderation is the key.  There are so many wonderful benefits of sunshine that have been pushed aside and forgotten.  Scientists and doctors seem bent on scaring us all to stay into the dark caves of our homes and offices out of fear of what "might" happen to us if a little bit of sun touched our skin.

Below are some wonderful benefits of enjoying the sun, but first I want to point out that God made the sun - and God does not create "bad" things.  The sun is SO important that God made it in what is known as the very first day!!!

Genesis 1:1-5 says:  

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Did you catch that?  It says "God saw that the light was good..."  That alone is enough to convince me that the sun is not my enemy!

But for those who need a little more prompting, keep reading!

A daily dose of sunshine enhances your immune system. It increases the number of white blood cells in your blood, and helps them to fight in destroying germs better.

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Sunshine encourages healthy circulation, and stimulates the production of more red blood cells which, in turn, increases the oxygen in your blood.

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Got the blues? One of the major benefits of sunlight is that it soothes your nerves and boosts your mood by increasing the production of endorphins and serotonin in your brain.

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Getting enough sunlight during the day can help you sleep better at night. Exposure to natural light during the day increases your melatonin output at night.  Melatonin is a natural hormone made by our bodies that enhances sleep and slows down the aging process.

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Sunlight helps to balance out your hormones. Some studies show it may even help to relieve certain symptoms of PMS (can I hear a good Amen?!)

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Sunlight helps your body convert a form of cholesterol that is present in your skin into vitamin D. This results in lower blood cholesterol levels.

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And of course, a definite plus is that sunshine gives you a healthy looking complexion. It will make your skin smooth with an irresistible healthy glow.

 So, get on out there and catch a few rays!  Yes, be wise and take necessary precautions so that you don't over-do it.  Remember, the sun is not your enemy - it is the source of life and growth for us and all the earth.  Go enjoy it!