Thursday, September 15, 2011

Pilgrims & Whispers: part two

... from yesterday:

As I was forced into a day of whispering to preserve my throat, I was thinking about quiet and what I could learn from this forced silencing.

How my words meant more to my children when they were fewer.

How my whispers quieted their little voices and the tone of our home was quieter and more peaceful.

How my to-do list sort of faded away in light of just resting and doing a few things for my children.

How I was more aware of simple joys and graceful looks. There was a definite slowing and awareness. Sweet, sweet.

My next thought was of Elijah and when he heard the gentle whisper of the Lord passing by. And, I wondered what other verses there might be with that word: whisper.

Here are a few:

"After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave." ~ 1 Kings 19:12-13

"And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?" ~ Job 26:14

"He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed." ~ Psalm 107:29

I'm not asking God for a sore throat very often, it really is no fun. But, I've learned something in the quietness of my voice.

I need to weigh my words more carefully and use them more sparingly.

Quieter words are softer words to hear and speak. It is less stress on the tired mama and on the children trying to just grow and do what pleases.

The few little things we did do together went more smoothly, were more enjoyable, etc... My quiet voice also quieted my heart and expectations by lowering my views of my to-do list to meet my energy level.

I made sure I really needed to say something to use my limited voice. Oh, what I could learn from this!

Want to try whispering today?
It was a blessing to me and in our home!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love how God can bring blessings and peace out of our downtimes! Christy S.

Ami said...

Yes, I am indeed whispering today. It's a blessing to see your post on this just as I'm losing my voice!

Sarah Belle said...

These 2 posts are precious. I love days when we are *forced* for 1 reason or another to slow down. We become so aware of the simple ,beautiful life all around us. Beautiful gifts. tammyp

Intentional Living Homestead said...

Thank you for this gentle reminder of quietness that is needed in my home and how the children respond when "mom" has a quieter tone.

Blessings,
Connie

angie said...

When I am plagued with allergies, I often loose my voice. I find that because I can't talk loudly, I must look directly at the person to whom I'm speaking. This is different from the usual multi-tasking my kids, hubby, and I do while carrying on a conversation with each other. So much more meaningful.
Your food photos are making my mouth water as of late!

Leanne said...

I enjoyed these posts...especially, in light of the fact I have had bronchitis all week... my body finally caught up with what my mind and heart already knew---I needed to rest and prioritize those things which were REALLY important☺ hope your throat is all better, by the way!