Back Porch Listening

Recently, while walking through a crowded store I heard a voice call out, "Mom!"  I stopped and turned toward the voice but quickly resumed my walk and laughed at myself.  My goodness, my children are adults and live several states away from me, yet I still stopped at the sound of 'Mom'. I heard the familiar call and stopped to answer.

Those calls used to drive me crazy as they came frequently and more often than I wanted.  I was a working mom and pretty exhausted in the evenings but the calls continued.  Now years later, I LOVE the call of 'Mom'.  It's a dear call, a reminder of relationship, of love, of life lived together through thick and thin!!  I especially love the call of "Kaki" when it echoes through the house.  Kaki is my grandma name and one I treasure.

My ears are full of sounds and calls in any given day.  This weekend we had a brief cool spell and I spent the morning outside.  Doing nothing.  It was quite an experience.  I heard the leaves from our tall trees rustling, the wind whistling.  I begin wondering what sounds I had been missing in my busy days spent running about, or my un-busy days spent watching football, reading or generally lazing about.  Surely, God gave us ears for listening but am I hearing the right sounds?  Interrupted, I ran off to my to-do list.  I'm really good at squelching the moment and running back to busy life.

Alas, today I chose to again go outside and just listen.  What did I hear in the five minutes I sat on my back porch?

The rustling leaves on trees     insect sounds     trucks rumbling down a road     birds tweeting     

a barking dog     a child's voice down the street     an airplane roaring above     wind chimes     

a lawn mower     cars moving   boats on the lake

Is there more I'm not hearing?  God gave us five senses: sight, taste, touch, smell and hearing.  Why five, I wondered?  Is it through these five ways that I can find and know Him?  And/or is it through these five ways that He can reach us, show us, testify to us of His love for us.

On this back-porch day, I strain to hear more.  I'm stretching to hear more.  I'm focused...and yes, I do hear another sound.  It's a voice that was buried in me on the day I was created.  A voice calling out saying I'm here.  I'm here, not to condemn you but to love you.  It's only love that I have for you.  Do you hear me? It's the voice that echoes through my spirit.  A dear call, a reminder of relationship, of love, of life lived together through it all.  It's a special call just to you....and me.  Listen.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10