Hello there! Glad you stopped by! This post is part of a 31-Day writing adventure, of which I’m in the third quarter! I’d love for you to meet up ’round here and read along. You can find the introduction to the series, and a “Table of Contents” as each day goes live, right here. Thanks so much for dropping in!
You know what isn’t particularly fun? Trying to manage a household of small people without a voice. I have scarcely thanked the Lord for my voice, but man, what a challenge it is when I don’t have it!
Yesterday I woke up with my throat feeling much better {yay!}, but without a voice {harumph!}. I could scratch out raspy whispers when necessary, did a bit of signing and motioning to communicate sometimes, and occasionally somehow pushed through a deep and bellowy holler when the situation really, really, really called for it. But that kind of hurt so I tried to keep that to a minimum.
HH works from home on Mondays, so fortunately he was able to communicate in a lot of the areas where I wasn’t. He also read the literature book for homeschool story time for me — big help! Hoping I’ll find somebody reading it on youtube today…
You know how there are those days where you just kind of feel ‘in a funk’? Yesterday was one of those days. I don’t think it had too much to do with me not having a voice, although that didn’t help. It felt like there were lots of things on the to-do list and the little people around were making it difficult, and as much as we love each other, sometimes my precious Hubs and I struggle to communicate in a way that really puts us on the same page.
Even though I made chicken salad and artisan bread
And here’s the funny conclusion I’ve come to, retrospectively:
Even when you don’t have a voice, you still have a voice.
What was really missing yesterday, for me, was just taking those small, continual moments — those slivers of negative space — to remember that God is present, willing to lead and guide and just breathe life and peace into every situation.
If I will use that little voice in my heart to direct my soul’s attention toward Him, He can bring such a refreshing, such a peace, so much presence.
Today is always a new day, and it is always a day that happens on purpose.
Regardless of what hurts or frustrations come your way, completely regardless of your circumstances, there is still the potential for you to experience joy today. I often find it in the place where I turn my heart to the Lord and use that inner voice to just start thanking Him for whatever comes to mind.
A little bubble from the dish suds catches flight and soars around my kitchen before disappearing. The silly, noisy goose down at the pond near our house, honking furiously because the ducks are flying off and he isn’t sure how to follow. A glimpse of the Jeannie B out my window — a big and beautiful ship — taking passengers for a sail on the river.
And the awesome Hubs who does so much for our family, for me, who is such a great father to our kids, the Hubs I’m so glad found me. And the three small people, although they are a little tough now and then, we often wonder together what our lives would be like without them. They are gifts of joy in tiny packages.
Look high, look low — you can always find a reason to give thanks.
David once asked the Lord:
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. {Psalm 139: 7-10}
As a child I think the idea that the Lord was always watching, always present kind of freaked me out. Like, He sees me when I take my sister’s hairbrush? But now, I see that His choice to be omnipresent is a gloriously good unexpected gift.
There is no kitchen sink I’ve stood long at where He hasn’t stood beside me.
There’s no late-night baby-rocking session He isn’t present for.
There is no hospital room He’s never visited. Thank you, thank you, Lord.
Whether you sense His presence or not, He is here. Remember that, even if you’re in a meeting at work and can’t really pray aloud (might be awkward), or you’re on the train somewhere (also awkward) or you’re in front of a classroom of kids, or you’ve just plain lost your voice altogether, you still have that inner voice to do with what you want.
You are still able to take a snippet of a moment for your soul to say It is well, Lord, no matter what it is well, or thank you for Your presence or Lord, I need You.
He commands the universe with His voice, but He is closer than a phone call to yours.
Don’t forget your voice today, friends.
xCC
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