Saturday, January 9, 2016

Doing Nothing


by Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt

It’s been a year of deadlines for me … going from one deadline to the next to the next … and repeat, repeat, repeat.

Add in the non-writing parts of life and there’s not been a lot of doing nothing in 2015.

I often find those quiet moments of nothing in the middle of the night when I’m awake and everyone else in my house — including all the assorted doggies — are asleep. Silence is indeed golden and often toasted with a cup of my favorite tea. (Constant Comment, anyone? Or Lady Gray?)

And what do I hear when I’m not bothering?

Whispers of conversations that encouraged my heart.

Snatches of laughter … always the music of laughter.

The sweet nonsense chatter of my GRANDdaughter, who in her mind, is making complete sense.

The mind-mentions of friends’ names … which turn into prayers for them.

But mostly I savor the stillness, the hush, that’s overtaken the house. There’s not much to hear … but there’s a knowing that loved ones are resting … and God is still awake.


In Your Words: 
When is the last time you did nothing? 
What did you hear when you listened to all the things you can’t hear
What do you think is the value of not bothering?

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” 

A nonfiction writer and editor who said she’d never write fiction, Beth is now a novelist with Howard Books. She enjoys writing inspirational contemporary romance because she believes there’s more to happily-ever-after than the fairy tales tell us. Connect with Beth on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or check out her blog on quotes, In Others’ Words.

10 comments:

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  2. Well written, Beth. I've experienced those personal pause with a cup of Lemon Lift. There is a comfortable feeling of doing nothing in Christ's presence.

    Thanks for putting into words the encouragement for everyone to listen to the stillness of the Good Shepherd's late night watch.

    Write on!

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    1. Thank you for your encouraging words, Carolyn. And I love your phrasing of "the Good Shepherd's late night watch."

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  3. Beth, the last time I did nothing was over a period of several days, just a few weeks ago. (He knew it would take more than a few minutes with cup of tea!) Praise God, He used that time to refocus my mind on Him. What a strong, yet loving, God we serve! Thank you for the validation!

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    1. Vonda:
      Ah, the treasure of several days of uninterrupted times with God!

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  4. how many years i didn't know this! funny thing, tho, it's in those doing nothing moments, however brief or not, that i can hear, well the voice of the muse—and that still small voice of our Father

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  5. Robin: Agreed. I had to learn this truth, too.

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