I think about the wonderful young ladies we had in our home through an exchange project. Even thought they were from the US, their culture was so different from mine. If my posture had been one of standing tall, trying to tower over them because of my age and experience, the week would not have gone well. Instead, I tried to have that posture of curiosity, of kneeling with curiosity. I wrote about it in a blog post: https://travelingwiththefather.christinelangford.com/?p=2728
Curiosity strikes a chord for me in this season of life, actually, this is the third time this week that the idea of drawing closer and pondering has arisen. Thanks for sealing the word into my thoughts...maybe my word for 2022!
In this season I am pursuing quiet and simple living. After years of child-rearing, homeschooling, eldercare, and then loss of parents (I feel ya), I am worn. But there is still a bit of intrigue within me for new things that I have not had time to experience, and now I can and will....after I sit a spell and revive. For now, I have time to read your blog, make soup, weed my garden and grow my hair long, spend lengths of time in scripture; rewriting it in my own words, taking time to deep dive into anything I find intriguing like star gazing and teaching a dyslexic grandchild how to read, and just rocking on the porch until the Spirit moves me. My 60th birthday is on the horizon, until then life is small but after and the pandemic recedes I feel a long walk on another continent is in order! Thanks for asking! I'm not sure I would have come to clarity on these issues without your prompt
I love all these things, Julie. Blessings to you in each and every one of these things. Like you, I've needed to sit a spell and revive, but it's a revelation to begin to dream and hope and plan again. Your list sounds a lot like mine.
Love this! The question of posture, that photo - the imagery of Jesus possibly picking up shells, seaweed, and “Did he cup his hand over his face to block the sun as he watched the ravens soaring through the air?” So powerful, Charity! Also, so true about the library!! You made me think how I used to go all the time in my teens, a few times with the children but I haven’t been for years. I want to change that now.
I want to change that, too. I miss browsing ... the in-person kind.
And aren't libraries the best? Here in the US, the Carnegie family (who made their wealth in the steel industry) built almost 2,000 libraries throughout the country in the late 1800s and early 1900s. We have one here in our community. If it weren't for the Carnegies, I doubt that our public library system would be so vast or helpful.
(I'm just reading now that Andrew Carnegie was actually born in Dunfermline, Scotland, and that perhaps the family gave generously in the UK, too. Are you familiar with him?)
I think wonder might also be kneeling down, getting close, letting our interest draw us near. This is the posture of curiosity.
Love this wonderful quote of yours!!! YES!
Thank you so much, Christine. How does this ring true in your own life?
I think about the wonderful young ladies we had in our home through an exchange project. Even thought they were from the US, their culture was so different from mine. If my posture had been one of standing tall, trying to tower over them because of my age and experience, the week would not have gone well. Instead, I tried to have that posture of curiosity, of kneeling with curiosity. I wrote about it in a blog post: https://travelingwiththefather.christinelangford.com/?p=2728
Curiosity strikes a chord for me in this season of life, actually, this is the third time this week that the idea of drawing closer and pondering has arisen. Thanks for sealing the word into my thoughts...maybe my word for 2022!
I'd love to hear more, Julie. What would drawing closer and pondering look like in this season?
In this season I am pursuing quiet and simple living. After years of child-rearing, homeschooling, eldercare, and then loss of parents (I feel ya), I am worn. But there is still a bit of intrigue within me for new things that I have not had time to experience, and now I can and will....after I sit a spell and revive. For now, I have time to read your blog, make soup, weed my garden and grow my hair long, spend lengths of time in scripture; rewriting it in my own words, taking time to deep dive into anything I find intriguing like star gazing and teaching a dyslexic grandchild how to read, and just rocking on the porch until the Spirit moves me. My 60th birthday is on the horizon, until then life is small but after and the pandemic recedes I feel a long walk on another continent is in order! Thanks for asking! I'm not sure I would have come to clarity on these issues without your prompt
I love all these things, Julie. Blessings to you in each and every one of these things. Like you, I've needed to sit a spell and revive, but it's a revelation to begin to dream and hope and plan again. Your list sounds a lot like mine.
Love this! The question of posture, that photo - the imagery of Jesus possibly picking up shells, seaweed, and “Did he cup his hand over his face to block the sun as he watched the ravens soaring through the air?” So powerful, Charity! Also, so true about the library!! You made me think how I used to go all the time in my teens, a few times with the children but I haven’t been for years. I want to change that now.
I want to change that, too. I miss browsing ... the in-person kind.
And aren't libraries the best? Here in the US, the Carnegie family (who made their wealth in the steel industry) built almost 2,000 libraries throughout the country in the late 1800s and early 1900s. We have one here in our community. If it weren't for the Carnegies, I doubt that our public library system would be so vast or helpful.
(I'm just reading now that Andrew Carnegie was actually born in Dunfermline, Scotland, and that perhaps the family gave generously in the UK, too. Are you familiar with him?)
Nooooo I'm not - but now I need to look into this! That's fascinating!