This thread pulls me backwards in time, will the tree fall on us? Tall pines wrap our home like a shelter in the summer, but now they threaten with their imposing height swaying in the winds of the upcoming hurricane. A tree? My father fell under the weight of a tree and died at age 52. I am not that old, but so near and I bear the sorrow of those days, fatherless and alone. Why did tragedy leave such a deadly blow on my spirit, why does sorrow engulf me so? I can see the levee of my soul giving way under the waves of sadness and God reminds me, "Get out the sandbags, shore up the weakness inside." I find comfort in the One who quiets me in His presence and speaks through His Word.
Medicine from Holy Scripture: "I am a Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners with singing." Psalm 68:5-6
Medicine from Ancient Writing:
"Solitude is of the greatest purpose for stilling our passions. For just as animals are more easily controlled when they are stroked, lust and anger, fear and sorrow, the soul's deadly foes, are better brought under the control of reason , after being calmed by inaction, and where there is no continuous stimulation." St. Basil's Letter to St. Gregory Fourth Century
Beautiful, honest, and true. I like the new format, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Riah! So glad you like it :) Diane
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