by Sharon O | Feb 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
Expanding on lessons learned.
In my original home I was the youngest and the most quiet.
Often times I would have a pad and pencil with me and I would draw pictures.
Or write stories.
Or listen to songs.
Music was my place of escape.
My room was a place of solitude even though it wasn’t my own room
it often felt like my own.
I would sit on the floor close to the speakers as the old fashioned record player with the turn table would play the 60’s and 70’s vinyl albums or 45’s.
The large stack of square record jackets showed the singers pictures.
Diana Ross and the Supremes, Janis Joplin or the original beach boys music, there was Jan and Dean, Barbara Streisand, original Michael Jackson with the Jackson five, Sonny and Cher, plus so many more.
In fact a lot of those original albums are still in a storage box.
Music was my hiding place.
My imaginary escape where I could go and pretend.
I remember holding my hair brush up as if it was a microphone and I would lip-sync the song in the mirror.
Imagining myself on stage with the lights and the sounds.
Music was a place I could go to and spend hours escaping.
I still enjoy music and as the words wash over my ‘spirit’ many times I find it healing.
To this day our room is a place of refuge.
Even when it is messy or disorganized with things not exactly put away.
It is my/our room not shared by others.
by Sharon O | Feb 16, 2014 | Uncategorized
On the river it is quiet.
One can hear birds and the sound of the water splashing as the oars move in and out pushing us along towards new landscape and new experiences.
Sometimes we stop to see a bald eagle perched high into a tree or watch a hawk flying over our heads.
Sometimes we stop to watch deer walking along the waters edge or the ducks and geese swimming not far from us.
I love this time and season when we can get away and sit in the middle of nature.
It is peaceful.
It is calming deep into our spirits.
It allows us to slow down and build friendships as we are not alone on this journey.
Kind of like life.
We are never alone unless we choose to be.
We need each other for companionship, friendship and prayer.
On the river it is quiet.
And we learn many lessons inside a canoe as we head in the same direction with the same goal in mind.
Kind of like life.
Joining Still Saturday and the Sunday community.
(picture is of a canoe trip we took near Sun River, Oregon)
by Sharon O | Feb 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
I read this quote the other day and it spoke to me.
Let me try to interpret what I think it is saying.
“Let us, then, labor for an inward stillness-
labor means work. so we work and center in on purpose.
an inward stillness and an upward healing,
meaning I quiet myself internally and then I reach up to receive.
that perfect silence where the lips and heart are still,
again I quiet myself and move away from noise.
and we no longer entertain our own imperfect thoughts,
I do not try to fill in the blanks or figure it out.
and vain options,
non helpful or non productive that have no purpose.
but God alone speaks to us,
we know his voice and we listen.
and we wait in singleness of heart,
a heart attitude that is not divided.
that we may know His will,
we listen and become sure
and in the silence of our spirits,
again being quiet
that we may do His will and do that only.
which speaks relationship and focus.
Let us then labor for an inward stillness – an inward stillness and an upward healing,
that perfect silence where the lips and heart are still, and we no longer entertain our own imperfect thoughts, and vain options, but God alone speaks to us, and we wait in singleness of heart, that we may know His will, and in the silence of our spirits, that we may do His will and do that only.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Reminding me of the verse:
Psalm 46:10
Be Still and Know that I am God.
by Sharon O | Feb 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
The outside is quiet. Peaceful. White. Silent and still.
Internally breathing in the coolness of the air.
It is a slowing down. A calm place.
The gloves and socks keeping one warm.
Listening to the crunching of boots in the cold snow.
The wind whipping across cheeks. Shocking but refreshing.
A pace that is slow and deliberate.
Peaceful even for a few days.
It is good to enjoy the beauty around us.
We watch children playing without a care of warmth or safety.
Then we return to our warm home.
Dinner was cooked and coffee was hot and it was amazing and refreshing to go on a cold crisp winter walk.
by Sharon O | Feb 6, 2014 | Uncategorized
Following my last writing and continuing the sermon notes.
Pastor was sharing about Saul and how his life was changed in an instant as he was approaching the road to Damascus.
Pastor said, “The company you keep holds you up or pulls you down.”
Who do you choose to walk beside you?
Saul was not alone in this journey he had companions (close friends) walking with him.
How did they help him during the life altering moment?
The men stood speechless.
(meaning that they had no opinion to share)
Finding him alone and blinded in the dark they didn’t leave him there.
Acts 9 vs 8: So his companions led him by the hand (to Damascus).
We don’t know how far that was for them to walk but they had to trust in the process of leading and he had to trust in the process of following not knowing where he was going.
Reversal of roles is often hard for us if we are used to being a leader.
Companions don’t always have answers.
They lead by the hand and wait for the final results with us.
Touching is a part of leading by the hand which is a close ‘physical presence’ in the same room.
It is not just saying, “I will pray for you.”
It is going to the person IN person and helping them out where it is needed.
Leading by the hand requires trust and patience and long suffering.
It is a commitment. A promise to stay.
Realizing Saul was now blind and could not see they had his best interest in mind.
They were going to find Ananias and whatever it took for them to do that, they would go and face the dangers together.
Saul had to trust in this process in the dark not knowing where they were leading him.
It could have been a very rough journey for them.
Companions don’t mind being inconvenienced.
It was not in the plan for them to lead Saul but they knew there was no choice.
Companions are cheerleaders and encourage.
Companions often lead us to a place of healing and refuge.
The meaning of refuge:
(protection, a source of relief, help or comfort in times of trouble)
Companions can be a life saving anchor for us.
Saul could have given up.
Afraid. In the dark. Unsure.
Companions see potential.
So often we don’t have confidence or we are unsure of ourselves.
Companions help us see the positive and cheer us on towards our goal saying to us as we journey, ‘let me remind you, God wants to restore you.’
Companions affirm our identity over our activity.
(Saul was touched by God and his past no longer mattered)
Companions aide us in seeing perhaps for the first time.
Our new truth.
Saul was going to become a different man.
Companions partner with us and help celebrate our new life and new changes.
They are happy for us and rejoice with us.
The question for us is this:
Who walks beside you and are they a good companion to you?
Who is with you during your transformation?
Who is a positive voice in your life leading and cheering you on?
Do you have someone like this in your life?
I think it is something for all of us to think about.
