For dear friends glimpses from the past

For dear friends far away.....

A palantir in my own shire...

My soul was heavy.  News from faraway lands were weighing me down, pulling me so close to the pit.  Information from different ends on different subjects were crowding my head and creating such noise.  The noise of words, events, places, and people is the loudest kind of noise.  Wars somewhere faraway were making their way slowly my way.  A Pope elected and all about his shoes and humility have captured people's eyes.  Lord have mercy on me a sinner, for my eyes were also focused there and not on the lack of shoes on my neighbors' feet.  People creating, people destroying, people to pray for, people to avoid, words to be said, words to be written.  What a loud noise and a most distracting one!  More news of death and pain, my heart shattered on the floor.  My mind realized it was staring into the heart of the palantir.

Hands quickly closed the window to this noise and distraction from my shire.  Legs nimbly pulled away from the computer.  Like a nursing babe I looked for my source of nourishment.  Grasping the prayer rope I held onto it like a nursling to its mothers breast.  Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner!!  The heart in pain and the mind troubled I kept on praying this prayer that heals the heart and stills the mind.  Tears dripping softly on my cheeks I walked to my kitchen window.  Quietly I opened the window to my own shire.  The raindrops were holding onto the branches a silent reminder of not so long ago rain.  Birds were chirping in gratitude for the meal we provided for them.  Tulips and daffodils were picking trough the cold soil.  My little girl needed help with her shoes.  Bending down to kiss her wiggly toes and put her shoes on I saw the poor in my own shire.

Walking outside in the garden I realized the need to clean things up a bit and help the plants bless me with their nourishing gifts.  The humility to serve and be served was right here in my own shire.  Lord have mercy on me a sinner, for I looked out through a window that was not mine.  Now the tears were healing my heart as God was showing me his light.  Two boys disagreeing over a game needed my attention and help.  Wars in my own shire need my prayers and attention.  The needs were many in my own shire and those needs were to be met by me.  The only needed news to know were the one for which I needed not open a stranger's window for they were in my own shire.  Lord Jesus Christ son of God have mercy on me, for in your love you have shown me that the news we need to know even when heavy they can be carried with your help.  They do not steal our peace but they deepen it.  Our daily life in the shire and dealing with the daily news here is the only place we can find you.  For where you are Lord there is that deep peace of the heart that surpasses all understanding, that drowns the noise of all things that are not for us to see and know.  My heart feeling healed I picked up my baby and walked back inside to nurse her to sleep.  Her body calmed and her face softened; she was content at peace and so was my heart.