Listen. Ponder.

“Listen a hundred times; ponder a thousand times; speak once.”

Turkish Proverb

Spititual Listening

"Listen to all the teachers in the woods.

Watch the trees, the animals and all the living things--you'll learn more from them than books."  

~Joe Coyhis~

To listen requires quiet--a closed mouth and focus. The busyness and noise which surround us interfere with our ability to be quiet and listen. But it's not impossible. We can learn listening skills through practice. Companies teach their employees listening and communication skills. Spiritual listening can be learned as well. 

All growing relationships require listening. Each person reveals details about him/herself, each time becoming more vulnerable, more intimate. But the other must listen or the revelation will be lost. 

God reveals Himself to us in nature, in His word and within our spirit. He listens when we speak. He knows us completely. How well do we listen when He speaks? He will reveal Himself to us if we listen.

Let's take a few moments today to quiet our words and our minds and listen. The One who created the trees and the animals has something to say to us.

 Listen, my son, and be wise,
And direct your heart in the way.

Proverbs 23:19

Bucket List

Is it the natural characteristic of a Christian to have a bucket list? You know a list of things you want to do before you die, or "kick the bucket".

I suppose there's no real harm in it, nothing that God would consider a sin as long as the activities on the list aren't sinful. But it always bothers me when I hear it. I've wondered if I should have a bucket list, but I honestly can't think of anything I must do before I die. Sky diving or bungie jumping would certainly never see ink on my list. I was thinking about it this morning, asking the Lord if I should have one and what would please Him to have on the list. After all, He's the only One who knows what I'm truly meant to do on this Earth before I die.

So here goes . . . my bucket list:

1. To be fully submitted to God's will and effective for His kingdom (with signs and wonders following).
2. To leave behind a godly legacy.
3. To leave an inheritance for our boys.
4. To publish a number of books (novels and non-fiction) that draw readers into intimacy with God.

They're fairly generic, I know, and they sound so over spiritual as I write them, but the working out of these goals will include many smaller, more practical goals along this journey of my life.

So what's on your bucket list?