In quietness and trust

Isaiah 30:15 says -

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it."

This afternoon, as I watch my beloved Peyton Manning play Denver Broncos football
while wearing the Peyton Manning jersey I received for my birthday, (Go, Peyton!!!)
as I eat the last half of the mini key lime tart my husband gave me on my birthday,
as I read today's reading in Behold: Cultivating Attentiveness in the Season of Advent,
as I ponder the many blessings and greetings that have arrived in my mailbox, my inbox,
and delivered in person - including the aforementioned Advent book,

in quietness and trust, I give thanks for the many blessings in my life, for my family, friends, our home, for tea, for fruit dipped in chocolate, for tear-soaked times of prayer, for poetry, for photography.

in quietness and trust, I mourn with those who mourn life's tragedies - death, disease, divorce, depression, deceit, job loss, manic episodes, loneliness, separation, bankruptcy.

in quietness and trust, I rejoice with those whose lives are joy-filled and grace-filled - those with new babies, impending nuptials, new job opportunities, straight As in school, and children who have returned home safely from college and study abroad.

in quietness and trust, I prepare myself for tomorrow, my second healing therapy session.
by this time tomorrow, in the mid-afternoon hours, I will be back at home, recovering.
in quietness and strength, I will do all within my power to make tomorrow a good day.
in quietness and trust, I will find the strength to bear all that is yet to come.

the last part of that verse, the part that says, "but you would have none of it,"
that part does not and will not apply to me.

I will have all of it:
repentance for all the wrong I have done - and there has been much wrong.
rest before, during, and after tomorrow's healing treatment.
quietness within and without.
trust that all shall be well. deep trust.
trust that will remain steady before, during, and after the many tears that will surely flow.

in repentance and rest will be my salvation.
in quietness and trust will be my strength.

may God have mercy on us all, on Newtown in particular, and also on me.

******************

Yesterday, my daughter and I had a photo shoot with one of her friends,
a gifted young man named Graham Morrison.
Here are a few of the photos he took.