I’ve been filling the salt shakers
– pepper shakers, too.
Wiping off finger prints
and dusty build-up,
Crazy Gluing bunny ears,
digging into cabinets
match-making pairs
lost to each other,
finding peace that one snow-woman shaker
found in a what-not box
given when my mother moved to warmth
and wholeness
cannot be reunited with her pepper
snow man
I’ve been filling salt shakers
after the tearing
of growing where I was planted
for a season in uncomfortable
soil
because He called me to it
to be planted there
until right timing
His big and little hands of timing
pull the roots of myself loose
shake out the soil
and carrying me
to a new place where
I am to grow where He plants me.
As He pulls me,
shakes me,
moves me
to a different way to live
the daily
I’ve been left wordless
silent
awed by His faithfulness
His plan
His protection
in this journey
to this place where
filling salt shakers
is so much more than
filling salt shakers
Salt: seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, and as a unit of exchange. Salt symbolizes permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, and purification.
“a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak“ (Ecc 3:7)
Store after the poem coming up. Be patient with me. I’m not used to silence. When my 5th son was born, the anesthetist, after the planned C-Section, said if I was in distress to let him know and he would, “take me out.” A few minutes after my son was born, I became quieter and quieter. My husband told the anesthetist, “She must be in distress. She’s not talking.”
I think I’ve been living a situation where God was definitely in the driver’s seat. It was a harrowing time, a heart-bruising time. I held on to Him, kept focused on Him. I still don’t have a lot of words. It’s a time for mending, a time for silence – but there will be a time when the words come – and I cannot wait. Right now, I’m going to immerse myself in this time of silence, in doing things like filling salt shakers, crazy gluing broken things, baking chocolate chip cookies and finding the carpet beneath the laundry, shoes and backpacks, walking Sadie – and, one day soon, following an idea down a rabbit hole to its conclusion.
Blue Cotton Memory 
“It’s a time for mending, a time for silence – but there will be a time when the words come.”
Seasons. Mend, my friend. I’ll look forward to your words when the time is right for you to share them. Until then, rest in His holy presence and heal. We will be still be here on the other side.
Thank you, Lisa – today I felt such a surge of the joy of the Lord. It was a liberating feeling, all the way to my soul toes! Keep writing – your words are such a blessing and minister to me!
So glad you’ve held on to God during your hard times. Sometimes we need the silence to process all that we’ve been through. I’m sure your words will come at the right time. Like Lisa said in the comment above,you need the time for healing and rest. I hope you will be able to rest, to ponder things in your heart, to commune with God. In His timing you will know when to speak. I pray that He will bless you, bring healing and continued trust, and that you will know you are loved. God bless!
Thank you, Gayl – you said it exactly – a time to process it all – kind of like a car coming to a screeching halt and everything behind slides to the front because it didn’t realize the ride was stopping!
Love those everyday inspirations. Wonderful! Thank you. 🙂
God slips all kinds of love notes into the daily – which has the potential to be so much more than the mundane! So glad you stopped by Jason!
This is beautiful. Thank you.
So glad you stopped by, Donna! Wishing you blessings revealed in your week!
In the Bible Study Fellowship lecture last night the speaker reminded us of how sometimes there are seasons when God is calling us to do nothing. And in that season He wants to teach us to know that He is in control. I think that can apply to your season of silence too, right? Maybe it’s a season to reflect on His faithfulness. Praying for you, friend. Thank you for sharing your heart so beautifully with us. And thank you so much for the encouragement you always leave at my place. xoxo
Thank you, Beth! You are a beautiful encourager! I feel like it’s a sifting time – where I’m still, letting him help me process – and, praying, only things of Him remain afterwards!
Oh, friend, I’m so sorry that you’re going through a distressful, silent time. May you feel the comfort of the Holy Spirit as you minister in the mundane and work through the words.
Thank you, Anita! When I pay attention, I find the Holy Spirit, right there, even in the simple tasks – and it changes everything!
It is so important to know what season we are in and to own it, even when difficult. I worked when my girls were so small so I missed out on so much. I am sure it was a lonely gig 20 years ago before we had blogs and others to encourage us, too. Hang in there; God will bless you mightily! ~gina
There are so many beautiful, Christ-filled women in the blogahood – and their encouragement has so lifted me up – either in their blogs or their friendship!All things can be used for the glory of God – including blogs! Wishing you blessing and encouragement in your week!
Hi Maryleigh! You capture your quiet time so well in your poem, and in your writing too. There is a lot of ‘white space’ (as Bonnie Gray would say) in your days now…times to just breathe in the invisible, but always present grace of God. Some days it’s hard to just rise up and know it’s another white day, but I think in the end, you will see the power of this time.
Dedicate your salt cleaning time to Jesus. Tell him it’s all you can do, and you offer it to him. It’s probably more wonderful to him than any offering; because it is your prayer. And that makes it precious.
Peace and joy be yours,
Ceil
You express it so beautifully, Ceil! “Just breathe in the invisible, but always present grace of God” – I know I will see the power of this time – I believe that the most important part of living is the wait in the journey of a prayer sent out – whether it’s a big or little request – and living faith that His power, His plan, and His timing are in everything. I don’t always living that wait gracefully, but so try to live it grace-filled!
Shalom!
Maryleigh
That’s how I feel about polishing my silver and copper. There is peacefulness in the motion of rubbing polish on, thinking and talking to, and hearing from God. There is joy in the end product – a shining beautiful item that I enjoy. Then the gleam as the pots glow in the over-the-sink light in the evenings, glowing from their pot hangar. The individual pieces of silver, the silverware, pots, creamers – so beautiful once the tarnish is gone, reminding me of how I look to God when I was delivered so many years ago through His saving grace. A MOST excellent posting.
Thank you, Nan! I was looking at the silver the other day, and the gas from the fireplace has tarnished it, like it always seems to do so much more quickly in the winter – and it needs polishing. I will definitely be thinking about His saving grace when I turn to that task. So glad He cleaned me up and pulled me into his family – filled with sweet sisters like you!
Shalom!
Maryleigh
It’s hard to force it out, but sometimes I am guilty of doing that. You are a wise woman to wait, to savor the silence, and grow, only the Lord can do in you.
Jennifer, I’ve had to learn that some deadlines (the ones I impose on myself) – can be thrown out the window – and need to. I’m learning that there really is grace in throwing the schedule out the window – because I’m learning to listen to His plan, no mine! I love that “only the Lord can do in you” – and I need to get out of the way and let Him.
Shalom!!!
Maryleigh