HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO DWELL ON THE BIG QUESTIONS OF LIFE?"

DAILY READING
Psalm 46, Verse 10 - "Be still and know that I am God."

Quotes from I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack  
"Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance." 
"Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance."

Quote from Broken Heart by Sarah McLachlan
"Are we just drops of rain falling for a little while?"

Quotes from Blowin In the Wind by Bob Dylan
​"How many seas must a white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand?"
"How many times must a man look up before he really sees the sky?"
"The answer [to the above] my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind."

Quotes from The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel
"Hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk to you again."
"In restless streets I walked alone."
​"And the people bowed and prayed to a neon god they named."
​"The words of the prophets are written on the subway halls and tenement halls."

Lyrics to Amazing Grace
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind but now I see. T'was grace that taught my heart to feel, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils and snares, we have already come. T'was grace that brought us safe thus far, and grace will lead us home. When we've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise then when we first begun. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind but now I see."

Dreaming of Blueberries, poem by Michelle Murphy
She wrinkles her lips dreaming of blueberries 
How does one dream of blueberries when a babe? 
Only knowing of the suckling of the breast, 
And the warm pure mama’s milk, summery, gold.

She dabbles in the dreams of her ancestors, 
Her mother, her father, her Italian greats and English roots. 
She dreams of cinnamon sticks and galloping horses, 
Windy days and stormy rains, meadows and great big oak trees. 
All the things we would like to see in Heaven.

Dream on, dream until your dreams come true. 
As we age a little, we have freedom and duty, 
We wake up for life with a readiness about us, 
While we sleep – we plan, we pine, we heal.

Sleeping beauty, she schemes and projects, 
Onto a radiant platform left by her forefathers. 
Kissing the blossoms, batting the eyelashes, 
With no fear, she is soon ready to wake and triumph.

DAILY MESSAGE
Babies are born thinking and pondering everything in sight. At night, we often continue to subconsciously think or process by dreaming. Humans were made to think, and ponder, to pine, to plan, to do, and to create. As women we may carry a created life inside of ourselves, and both men and women may raise a young child into adulthood. And while some believe knowledge and intellect is reserved for the elites, the poets and the "thinkers", it is all of us that are called to determine for ourselves our beliefs, our faith and our actions. We may up until this point carry over in the ways of our ancestors - grandparents & parents, and we may not question much - not since the questioning days of childhood anyway. We may also rebel against our upbringing, culture or village-ways, and adopt something new without much thinking other than to rebel or follow. This is just instinct and reaction. Epigenetics tells us the past comes through our genes for maybe 14 generations (including our mental outlook), yet science also says we can develop a new footprint starting any day going forward - we can make a line in the sand and walk over it at any moment like a new person and begin re-wiring ourselves. Pondering the big questions in life is a duty of every human being - not just once or twice but throughout our lives. Most humans have faith in something, but questioning and testing that faith throughout our journey will only deepen it and bring it to maturity. "Are we just drops of rain falling for a little while?" is a deep intro to one of my favorite songs. It likely stems from a songwriter who was suffering with grief. We tend to reflect during times of suffering, which is the way God has often worked through my life. And yet we often ask God why bad things happen - the answer is obviously right there. For finding you in the silence is a beautiful experience that often coincides with someone's first acknowledgment of God in a mature way, but when we are not prone to listening we may find truth during hardship and suffering. To triumph righteously we must not be deaf to the words of prophets, or to what is "blowing in the wind" - we must accumulate truths and essential answers in our life. We must develop faith ("develop" being a verb or action word). We do so through experience and listening. We must be hearers and doers of the Word, not just readers. Knowing about God, His Son, the Word, being prayerful, and doing good, plus living righteously - these things are the fruit that is born of our reflection and faith. For "be still and know that I am God," but also be ready to walk alone in restless streets in search of the truth. An amazing grace will meet you there, in the stillness or on the streets - and bring you along. 

DAILY PRAYER
Dear God, I was born a curious and rebellious child, and was both a learner and an instinctual reactionary throughout most of my youth and adulthood. And yet I have walked alone on the restless streets, and thought and pondered further about my faith and other essential truths. For some time now I have thought that the truth is overrated (and much knowledge is), but there are essential truths that we must all seek as part of our lives here on earth. It is a blessing to find You in the stillness, and to stand for righteousness. I pray for an even deeper faith for myself. There is no way we are "just drops of rain falling for a little while". It is clear to me that Your hand is in everything and Your presence omnipresent. I pray that others are brought to their knees if it is required for them to find You in the restless streets, and that others be blessed with knowing You in the silence. There is a blueprint for humans in our origins to think, ponder and overcome - thank You for making us that way. I pray that mankind overcome much and bear great fruit in Your name. Thank You for Your amazing grace; without it we would all be lost. Amen.