(Re) Calibration: Can You Hear, The Silence

February 15th, 2023

To my friends ~ thank you for your continued support of my blog but more importantly; I thank you for your kindness, love and support of me as a fellow human being.

It has been several weeks since my last post and I’ve been trying to hear and listen to the silence in my world. My mind has been cluttered with so much noise. The audible white noise of daily living, the wants and needs of caring for loved ones; the duties and privileges of a job along with work responsibilities; the fears of the ever increasing cost of living; the longing to provide love, compassion and assistance to those in need that have less than me; and let’s not forget world peace. I say, world peace somewhat sarcastically because of the gravity of the divide that exists with all humanity on every continent of our world. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I know that I can experience peace, I also know that everlasting peace is coming, and I know the cost to make it possible.

These are a few of the things that spin around in my head both during my waking and sleeping hours. Usually I can convey my thoughts through writing but as of late, the words just won’t come, only noisy silence.

I made a statement about a year ago to a friend and the response what not what I had expected. With hindsight, I believe God was at work in this exchange and perhaps it was meant to shake me to more fully explain myself. This is what I said, “Your silence has not fallen on deaf ears.” Since voicing this out loud I’ve been reminded just how our world takes a comment out of context and runs wild with it. For the record, my friend DID NOT take anything out of context and honestly I don’t remember if I explained it, she merely thought the quote had already been said by someone else. She did not doubt the quote or even misunderstand it. Since that time I have engaged in other conversations with friends. The feedback I received was that the quote could be interpreted as offensive to the community of individuals with hearing impairments. I had to admit that was possible, but had not been my intent. Since my hearing is adequate at the moment, in my statement I merely meant, the message was received and effective without words. In many ways, my spirit/soul recognizes the message that was not relayed with any practiced form of communication. In retrospect, a seed was planted and over the past year it has been cultivated through my life experiences and allowed to grow. I was initially upset about the quote because I wanted to be known for something great, it’s a writer’s thing (maybe), but as I look back it was only a pride thing! God talks about pride throughout the Old and New Testament.

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2

10 Key Bible Verses on Pride: Click this link https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-pride/

📕 • 📗 • 📘 • 📙 • 📖 • 📚 • 📙 • 📘 • 📗• 📕

The closest quote I found, similar to mine was by (pen name) Truth Devour, an Australian born author.

“When you speak and your words fall on deaf ears, know that the universe listens.”

Truth Devour, Wantin (Wantin #1)

My faith in Jesus had taught me that He speaks and because of the Holy Spirit I can hear even when no audible voice is speaking to me. God tells me in Psalm 46:10a, “Be still, and know that I am God!” Take notice of the coma after the word still; I believe that’s important because we need to pause, being silent, be calm and know that God is God…the God of all creation and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! (And, of you and me!)

The world, our world at times seems to me to be…overwhelming, that is the word that jumps out to me.

Our world is filled with places of overwhelming beauty. I have never visited most of them and yet as it has been said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Some of us are beach lovers, while others prefer the mountains. Others may enjoy the jungles, rainforests, coastal shores…that’s the wonderful thing about our world there’s literally something for everyone. I personally enjoy all the seasons, with winter being my least favorite. I love a bit of snow for Christmas and then I’m good. Our seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter are very much like our lives. We are always changing and growing. Much to my dismay, changing is merely part of the human experience. I’m so thankful I’m not the same person I was ten years ago. Our ability to look back in hindsight, allows us to see more clearly the roads we have navigated. I know I have accomplished more than I ever thought I might because I only saw obstacles in my way and not opportunities. Life is every emotion challenged at some moment in our lives, difficult times are but a season. Embrace the good and hold it in your heart and when your hope needs reaffirmed, REMEMBER.

Click link below to view the 7 Wonders of the World

https://www.thecollector.com/what-are-the-seven-wonders-of-the-world/

The phrase beauty is in the eye of the beholder means that different people have different opinions as to what should be deemed attractive. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder means that beauty is subjective. Whether or not beauty is subjective has been debated at least since ancient Greece. Shakespeare wrote of beauty in Love’s Labour Lost, saying “Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye…” Benjamin Franklin wrote “Beauty, like supreme dominion/Is but supported by opinion,” in Poor Richard’s Almanack. Margaret Wolfe Hungerford is credited with coining the exact phrase beauty is in the eye of the beholder in her novel Molly Bawn, published in 1878.

https://grammarist.com/

MARGARET WOLFE HUNGERFORD "THE DUCHESS," 1855-1897

Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, who wrote under the name The Duchess, was an Irish author of popular romantic fiction. A widow, she supported her young family with her writing after the death of her first husband. She continued to write after her second marriage to Thomas Henry Hungerford, enjoying considerable success in Britain and the United States. She was the mother of six children, and died of typhoid at the age of 41.

Molly Bawn is The Duchess's most famous novel. Written in 1878, after the death of her first husband, it tells the story of a flirtatious young Irish woman. The Duchess is credited with coining the idiom "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" in Molly Bawn. 

Friends, when you feel overwhelmed hold onto HOPE, your hope and help comes from the Lord God Almighty. Place your trust in Him and as the storms and seasons of life come and go, God will remain with you always. Even in my distress of feeling overwhelmed I knew God was with me.

~Peace to you my friends, with love always.

A few of my favorite photos, may you feel joy. All photos where talked by me in Indiana.

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God;my hope comes from him.” ~Psalm 62:5

References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps.46.10&version=NRSVA

https://grammarist.com/phrase/beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the/

https://yellowbacks.digitalscholarship.emory.edu/exhibits/show/

https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-pride/

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps.62.5&version=NIV