Hi, everybody, It's Faithful Friday here on Whispers in Purple and I'm delighted to present a thoughtful devotional offering from author LoRee Peery.
Enjoy.
One May Day
by LoRee Peery
I went out at 10 a.m. to pull a few daisies. And pulled a
lot more than a “few.” I also yanked up sage that had spilled amongst rocks.
Then I transplanted a pot of prolific moss rose. At 11:30, I felt the heat of
the sun. It dawned on me that I wore no hat to protect the encroaching crow’s
feet.
Bogey, our 90-pound yellow lab mix alerted that he needed a
walk, so I scrubbed my hands and we had a romp.
Unleashing him, I recognized that my feet needed attention. Inside,
I also readied writing materials related to my present project to work on while
my feet soaked. I set a jug of sun tea on the porch, along with foot scrub
tools, a towel, my work in progress, a pen and paper.
With the lavender foot salts, the pan, and soothing warm
water just waiting for my tired feet, I slipped them into the scented soothing
soak. I reached for my highlighter to mark research notes and specific topics
on my printed pages. Stretched my fingers a bit farther because I was already reading,
and…my pen rolled out of reach.
I also had no green highlighter.
My first thought: what
do I do now?
Duh.
How long had it been since I did NOTHING but sit in the
fresh air? I LOVE my home in the country. I inhaled the breeze, absorbed the
birdsong concert, and smiled over two distant p’cawing peacocks as they called back and forth down the road. I
feasted my eyes on glorious flowers along with the sun shining through cobalt
and green glass decorating my rock gardens.
An epiphany struck. The Lord knew I NEEDED to do nothing but
sit and concentrate on deep breathing. I was meant to listen to the God speak
to my soul and count my blessings for longer than a few fleeting prayer words.
I called up a song… let my mind go…
And wondered. When had I redeveloped the habit of always
having something to read and/or a pen in my hand when I sit?
Prayer: Lord, forgive
my multi-tasking, preoccupied busyness. Help me set everything aside and praise
You. Help me concentrate on the life You have given me. I long to be still and
know You are God. You are the Creator of a calm soul rather than inner turmoil
of spiritual chaos. I ask that You remind me to rest in You. In Your Holy Name,
amen.
Nebraska country girl LoRee Peery writes fiction that hopefully appeals to
adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective, focusing
on the romance. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the
Contemporary, Romance, Historical, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense
categories. She writes of redeeming grace
with a sense of place. She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian,
country girl, wife, mother, grandmother and great-, sister, friend, and author.
Thanks, Peg, for letting me share with your readers today. And you know what? I needed my own words. I'm facing surgery for a broken shoulder as well as a shoulder replacement because the rotator cuff repair didn't take.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you facing right now? Whatever it is, rest in our Lord.
Hi, LoRee, praying you through the upcoming surgery without a hitch or a glitch, and speedy recovery. I did enjoy your devotional today. Thank you so much for sharing. As for me, all I'm facing is a writing deadline . . . AND getting old-er with all it's ramifications. Sigh. But then, I'm not ready to STOP getting older, either. =:)
DeleteAppreciate your prayers, Peggy. We will be forever young in heaven!
DeleteAmen!
DeleteHi LoRee,
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful to hear your words this morning. Love how you show getting distracted from one thing to another. That's so like our lives, we allow many things to distract us from Him.
Yes, rest and be still, I need to do more of this in the right ways. Thank you for the reminder!
So sorry to hear about your shoulder. I will be praying for you! Hugs
Hi, Renette. thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment for LoRee. Blessings . . .
DeleteThank you for stopping over to read, Renette. My mind always goes faster than my fingers or what I'm presently doing. Recovery makes me slow down, all in God's time. Thanks for the prayers and the hugs.
ReplyDelete