I am a woman of many words. Perhaps too many. And so often I wish I could retract something spoken in haste… It’s one of my faults, really. Because I’m an open book. I can’t hide a thing. And what I feel is usually splashed across my face, and bubbles forth from the depths of my heart right out of my mouth for whosoever is in the vicinity to hear. I think all, and I tell all. And so, I’m quite perplexed by this week. For I have no words. And so today, the words penned by King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3 hold greater meaning for me… There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven… a time to be silent and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3). Yes, it’s very apparent that words fail me… I am silenced.
And so, for now, that’s what I shall be… silent. I hear not, so I speak not. For how long, I cannot say. But, in case there is someone out there who may wonder why, I felt an explanation was necessary. Simply, I have no words. But I’ve heard it said that silence is golden. When I return, I’ll let you know if I find the saying to be true.
Until then, I will leave you with words from, Thomas Carlyle, a poet who lived long ago…
“Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together; that at length they may emerge, full-formed and majestic, into the daylight of Life, which they are thenceforth to rule. Not William the Silent only, but all the considerable men I have known, and the most undiplomatic and unstrategic of these, forbore to babble of what they were creating and projecting. Nay, in thy own mean perplexities, do thou thyself but hold thy tongue for one day: on the morrow, how much clearer are thy purposes and duties; what wreck and rubbish have those mute workmen within thee swept away, when intrusive noises were shut out! Speech is too often not, as the Frenchman defined it, the art of concealing Thought; but of quite stifling and suspending Thought, so that there is none to conceal. Speech too is great, but not the greatest. As the Swiss Inscription says: Sprecfien ist silbern, Schweigen ist golden (Speech is silvern, Silence is golden); or as I might rather express it: Speech is of Time, Silence is of Eternity.”
painter's daughter (a work in progress) 
Pam, I was blessed with laryngitis today. I too am being silent.
I learned a LOT & I listened a lot more.
The only bad part was that I couldn’t yell for Mathew at his baseball game. But I clapped really loud!!!
I wish I was a better listener!
And I’m counting it a BLESSING to have laryngitis!
Jill
Yes, some of us are hard headed, but God has a way if getting our attention.
I enjoyed listening more today!
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You said it… it’s about listening. And until I hear from God, my lips are sealed 🙂 From one hard headed woman to another, so looking forward to seeing you in October!