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Those words ... softly, peacefully, silently ... describe how I am wanting to live these days.  Disciplining myself to not allow to hold onto an inner hurry and physically turning off the constant threads of conversation and information available everywhere that offer too much input, take too much of my attention, and end up causing me to overthink many things.  No thank you.  It's not that I don't care, yet in a way, I don't. There are better ways to live ... much better, and I know that and want that.

Ah, my studio!  Where I can create quiet for myself, be quiet, and quietly create new paintings about what is beautiful to me.

We can  find ourselves living in a constant state of overload if we don't become aware of how that overload builds up slowly, creeps into our souls creating shorter and shorter attention spans and low lever anxiety. When constantly overload our senses we aren't likely to feel the depth of weariness that the overload of input, emotion, and media information can instill in us.  My phone is not, never has been, and never will be my constant companion. In today's world, have you ever noticed the role that cell phones have in shows you may watch?  They have become an "actor" and indeed play their part to subliminally influence their significance, even if at times it is to our detriment.  

I watch the birds a lot. Where I live we have many, many songbirds, woodpeckers, robins, owls, and seagulls, and these days, even awe inspiring bald eagles that regularly fly above my neighborhood and along the lake shore ... all kinds of delightful, free spirited, trusting winged delights that come to my feeders and bless my daily world. Wild turkeys and deer abound here, too. 

They can all teach us lessons if we take time to ponder their freedom, their sounds, and their instinctive and abiding trust in their Creator God.  Their instincts are intact and as I watch them, I sense how many of my instincts have been subdued as I live in these complicated and rapidly changing days we know now.

The more time I spend quietly and thoughtfully reading the Bible, in simple prayer, and with continual thanks for the beautiful natural world around me, I feel the peace of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which truly does pass all human understanding, and I am able to live more softly, peacefully, and silently as each day goes by.

Thinking of you, the reader of this blog, with prayers for your own inner softness, peace, and creative silence,

Diane