A few of my favorite things . . .

picture from a postcard by Karin Muller 2002

I Love . . .

I love flowers in full bloom
replacing winter’s gloom,
a garden to admire
and roses.

I love Fall leaves turning gold,
hot chocolate when it’s cold,
a blanket by the fire
and candle light.

I love walking in the rain,
thunder’s deep refrain,
lightning in the sky
and puddles.

I love the chorus of the night,
a full moon shining bright,
stray clouds floating by
and star gazing.

I love wind dancing with the leaves,
singing through the trees,
lifting up my locks
and chimes play.

I love sitting by a stream,
listening as sun glints gleam,
to water rushing over rocks
and peaceful days.

I love morning’s gentle glow,
how evening colors flow,
rainbows’ banded hues
and prisms.

I love mourning dove’s soft call,
its melancholy drawl,
soothing as it coos;
and you. . . .

I
  love
         you
                too!
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This post is a little on the lighter side. I need the lighter, even the downright silly side sometimes, to write something simply to make me smile. I hope it makes you smile too!

I remember listening to my Dad's old albums and 45s when I was little. I would happily sing along to Lynn Anderson's "I Wish I Was a Little Boy Again", to Bobby Vee's "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" and many, many others too numerous to list. The other day, I was watching TV and there was a commercial with baby ducks on it  and an old song by Tom T. Hall called "I Love" started playing in my head: "I love little baby ducks, old pickup trucks, slow movin' trains and rain..." Next thing you know, I was replacing his list with my own. And so became this little poem; my own little list of my favorite things (and yet another song pops in my head, "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. . . lol) I have been adding to and rearranging every night for a week now. Yes, I am proud to say, I have been keeping my birthday promise to myself to make time to write a little bit every day. Yeah!

So, my question to you is, "What do you love?" Start a list today!
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Creator of All Things Wonderful, thank you for opening my eyes to things that I love! In the negative world that we live in, it is so easy to mentally list the things we "hate" and the things we think are going wrong in our lives. Help me, Lord, to keep my eyes focused on the positive and I will keep adding to the list to remind me of the good things that surround me. Give me strength to handle the negative and to grow in faith due to them. I'm counting my blessings, Father, starting with knowing that Your list of "I love. . ." includes ME! You Love Me! Thank you for that. I love You too! ~ Amen.

Listening. . .

Listening for a Whisper

Caught in a world of
constant noise,
how can we hope
to hear God's voice?

I close my eyes and
strain to hear
the voice inaudible
to faithless ears.

Sometimes that voice
is silent,
still,
waiting intently,
MY will to kneel.

If hurried, the voice
will go unheard.
I've learned calmly wait
upon the Word.

From time to time
the roles reverse
and He seeks with me
to first converse.

A whispered word when
least expected
sings to my soul
God's love projected!

Eagerly listening,
I strain to hear.
May God see fit
to open my ears.
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To quote the Grinch, "Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!"

In the chaotic world we live in, we are surrounded by by a cacophony of clatter 24/7! Some people have to have some form of rackett constantly. They wake and they turn on the TV or radio immediately. Those with TVs in their bedrooms may have never turned them off the night before in the first place; sleeping with the noise filtering in their ears as they sleep and seeping into their subconscious. Music blares from their cars as soon as they crank them (some even shake the windows of my third floor office with their bass). They must have noise to entertain them constantly or they are "bored".

Others of us prefer at least some quiet time, but even we stick the headphones of our iPods in our ears as we exercise. We too turn the TV on in the evenings to get lost in the programs and forget the stressful day. The doctors' offices, that once had magazines to read while waiting, now have television to watch instead. There was a time women knew if they took their families out to eat, they would finally have a captive audience and they would  talk to each other as they ate; but, now even restaurants have televisions to steal the focus of our families off of one another. Many places have music, rather your genre of song or not, playing in the background. We have phones ringing, sirens screaming, cash registers dinging, people chatting, children crying, etc. etc. etc. Noise all around us, every day, all day.

Sometimes I think it is a sneaky conspiracy to fill our minds with anything but a chance to have thoughts of our own! I have to wonder, with all this noise pollution surrounding us, if God does speak in a still, small voice, how can we possibly hear Him? How long can we, as individuals and as a nation, continue to ignore the voice of God before He chooses a more drastic measure to capture our attention?
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Prince of Peace, In our hectic world filled with ever-changing "progress", I sometimes wonder if in our electronic age of convenience, we are not losing the most important asset to our lives - conversation with You. So much noise surrounds me at times that it honestly unnerves me. I search for silence throughout the day so that I might hear your voice guiding me. And yet, so many times, some interrupting noise disturbs the moment of meditation. I long to talk with You as Elijah and other prophets once did. I delight in the knowledge that one day we will converse face-to-face in heaven. Until that day, Lord, please open my ears and magnify Your voice so that I might hear. ~ Amen 
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1 Kings 19:11-12 "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."