If you follow me on social media, you know about my swing. I talk about it quite a bit, as it’s a place of respite for me.
Lately, however, I’ve had no time for its pleasures. The pace of my life has taken a turn that even NASCAR would envy, and being a person who doesn’t handle that speed very well, at least for very long, I’ve been looking longingly out the window at my wooden friend, wishing for a moment or two to enjoy its company.
That moment came this weekend.
Saturday, Kevin had a special reunion of sorts, on the golf course, with a bunch of his old football friends and coaches, and Sunday, he and Maddie spent the afternoon on some barn projects. I had two whole days basically to myself. It was quiet in the house, and while I had some things to accomplish, they were things I really wanted to do, and they had no deadlines, or agenda to be followed.
It was bliss.
The weather turned oh-so-slightly this weekend, so that by last evening at dusk, it was really pleasant. The swing sits just on the precipice of a drop-off to the lower pasture, and seems to be placed in a sweet-spot where a breeze is always blowing. I walked out there and just sat for half an hour. Prayed some, but mainly listened. I watched dragonflies and birds. A deer passed way down below. The crazy rooster down the way was crowing, obviously confused at the time.
I felt my frazzled spirit calm, and the jumbled pieces of my life start to shift into place.
I know there are people who don’t crave the quiet and still like I do. I have enough introvert in me to actually need it to function; a demand from my body to stop and regroup. But I think we all should do it. We live in a world whose dizzying pace and constant noise is blinding us from staying connected to our Center. We can’t hear a single thing He is saying, or notice much of anything He is doing, because we are so caught up in the chaos of 21st century life.
So, I beg you…find your swing.
When you do, you’ll find something you didn’t know you were missing, and you’ll be overcome with thanks.
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 NLT
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Psalm 37:7 ESV
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.” Psalm 62:5 ESV
this just makes me happy … i have a spot, it’s not a swing, but i find myself in this spot every single morning. my front porch, my rocking chair, my blanket, and my sunrise. along with jesus calling. and my four legged friends close by. and when the iowa winters blow in i move all these things into the hearth room where the fireplace is now just a flip of a switch away. i’m looking forward to having doug right next to me full time in just a few more days.
“So, I beg you…find your swing.
When you do, you’ll find something you didn’t know you were missing, and you’ll be overcome with thanks.”
i hope people will listen and not wait to long to find their ‘swing’…
thanks friend.. happy monday!
A sweet post that draws you in. You are so your Dad’s daughter. He has racked up hundreds of hours on his swing, where he prays, reads his bible, watches the birds, the sky, the leaves turn, etc. We all need our quite spot to just be!
Thank you for mentally nudging me back to my place 🙂
Namaste’