Joeletter 12.4

The Joeletter


After Monday and Tuesday, the rest of this week has been great at work. The temperature dropped from having 77's to having 58's at 5:30 in the morning, and from having 97's to having 79's at 2:15. Even without a fan, it has been quite comfortable on line 253. I've been loading the plater fairly regularly, and even did it all day a couple times.

Another good friend of mine had her last day of work on Wednesday, lessening the temp. ranks once again. She had (has) a great smile, and is a hard worker. We all miss her.

On Thursday Delta held it's annual Cookout for all the employees. Instead of packing a lunch and eating it in the cafeteria, we all trooped outside for our twenty-minute break. They had erected a large tent in the parking lot and grilled up juicy steaks. If you preferred, you could have chicken instead. They offered us tasty scalloped potatoes and green beans. Ice cream and peach or berry cobbler rounded out the meal. It was quite fantastic, and according to the regular workers it was the best meal that Delta had served in at least five years.

Today, Saturday, we had mandatory overtime. I heard various reasons for why we were all required to come in. One was that Monday and Tuesday being so hot, we didn't get as much work done.

Whatever the case, today was probably the best overtime that I have worked yet. Since everybody was coming in, all the lines were running. This meant I was able to work on my home line, 253, all day. And, all my friends were there today too. It was basically a regular week-day of work, except we were being paid time-and-a-half. I enjoyed it.



Changing gears . . . . .

I really love my little 7-year-old brother. He's great. It's fun to play with him, and do things together. He gives great hugs, and is always enthusiastic.

But he doesn't seem to understand that I just love him. Unreservedly. Whatever he might do, even if I get angry, I still love him. There is nothing that would keep me from loving him.

He seems to think he needs to earn my love. He tries to tell jokes (usually unsuccessfully) so that I'll think he's funny. He's always talking! He tells me things that he's thinking, asks me questions, and keeps talking.

And it's great. He is allowing me to share his life, to be his older brother. This is how it's supposed to be. But sometimes I just want him to be able to sit in silence. I'd like to savor just being together, each of us working on whatever we happen to be doing. To listen, for long periods of time. To be secure in our relationship, knowing that I will always, unconditionally love him.


It's the same way with God, I think. All of our talking, questioning, sharing, all of it, is exactly what we need to do. We need to be constantly opening up our life to Him. But then we also need to make times to sit in silence. Not just being quiet. But being quiet before Him.

Not trying to impress God. Our attempts at impressing Him really just distract us, and are thus annoying. But taking a break from always talking, and always asking, to listen.

God intensely desires that we speak with Him, that we verbally share our hearts, lives, and thoughts with Him. But He also desires that we listen. Much has been taught, and rightly so, on listening through His Word. But we oftentimes neglect to listen in silence as well. Trusting that Jesus is speaking, and that we can hear Him. Part of speaking, is listening.


While I was in Taize, France, at the ecumenical prayer community, I was given the chance to experience this firsthand. I've already written about this before, but it bears repeating.

During each service, immediately before or after a meal, we joined in a time of singing and a time of silence. The first service, I didn't know quite what to expect. And the time of silence seemed a little long.

After that, I was always startled when the silence was over. I always wanted it to last longer. There is something precious in sitting or kneeling quietly, free to merely sit in God's presence. No requests, not necessarily a subject. Just sitting, thinking about and before God.

It might sound kinda boring. It might feel kinda boring, at first. Here at home, I set a timer for fifteen minutes. I commit to staying there and quiet until the beeper goes off. And with time it becomes so much more meaningful.

Sitting in silence is very easy to put off, let me warn you. I, sadly, am lucky to make time once a week. It's not something that comes up and demands doing. It's just like dating and marriage, in that you have to set aside time, and make an effort. When was the last time you accidentally went on a date, or spent time with your spouse? Same principle.

And God is speaking to us. He guarantees that. We can hear Him. He guarantees that too. All it takes is a little time.






Thanks for your interest, prayers, and notes to me on the Harry Potter writing that I'm doing. I have set up a second xanga site to post all of that too. If you're interested in this subject, that is where I'm encouraging everyone to go to. And if you're not interested, this way it won't intrude upon your life. Thanks so much for your prayers.


In His Time,