The primary virtue is: hold your tongue;
who knows how to keep quiet is close to God.
~Cato, translated from Latin
Praying
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t
try to make them elaborate,
this isn’t a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.
~Mary Oliver
…a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak… ~Ecclesiastes 3:7 ✝
**Image of blue iris via Pinterest


This was so peaceful and beautiful… Thank you!
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You are very welcome, and thank you for the comment. I’m glad you found peace and beauty in the post. Have a great week. Hugs, N 🙂 ❤
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So beautiful, thank you for sharing.
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You are welcome, my friend. Love and hugs, N 🙂 ❤
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that is always a lesson for me–learning to be quiet more, listening more–rather than rattling on as I tend to do 🙂
Many hugs—
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Well, that would make two of us then, sweetums.
I used to do it daily but I have gotten out of the habit and I need to get back into the program. I pray things go well in Atlanta this week and that you are feeling much better. Hugs, hugs, and more hugs. 🙂 ❤
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So lovely, Natalie. ❤ Being still and acknowledging our smallness is one of the biggest things we can do. I like Mary Oliver quotes.
Blessings & hugs ~ Wendy
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You are so right, Wendy! I need to do more of it too. I adore Mary Oliver’s poems and quotes, and I’m glad you do too. Have a wonderful week, my friend.
Huge hugs and blessings to you as well! 🙂 ❤
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A doorway into grace! 🙂 Thanks Natalie.
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Oh I love that Brad and you are so so right!!! You are so welcome, my friend. I pray that you find Grace at every turn this week. Love and hugs, N 🙂 ❤
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Thanks, I could use some grace and finding a place to live!
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I agree with Cato, he was so right. I love the Iris, it is so gorgeous.
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Oh I do too, Charlie. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Love and hugs, N 🙂 ❤
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I really needed the deep simplicity of Mary Oliver and this sweet song tonight. The freshness of the blue iris was a treat too. So many blessings here! Thank you, Natalie!
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Isn’t she wonderful?! I just adore her poems, and this song is one of my favorites too. I would love to have a blue iris like that in my garden. Many blessings here as well my friend. I pray you have a wonderful week filled with bunches and bunches of them, JoAnna. Love and hugs, N 🙂 ❤
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A lovely post Nat… and interesting, too, because yesterday, Sunday, (out of the blue) the Lord led us to have a quiet time with Him before we began the service.
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Thanks, and that is an interesting coincidence. Have a great week! Hugs, N 🙂 ❤
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Lovely Natalie
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Thank you, Raewyn! Hugs, N 🙂 ❤
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Thank-you for the wonderful tune Natalie, it is just what I needed this day, as is the whole focus of your post which relates so well to one of my favorite Bible studies, the concept of “being still before the Lord” (Psalm 46:10). But it always is good to visit this site, so I thank you again for the amount of care and love that simply overflows in each of your postings. Take care, and God bless.
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Wow, what a lovely comment! You are so welcome, and thank you so much for your kind and loving remarks. I’m so glad that my post fill a need in you. This is one of my favorite concepts in Scripture. I pray that you have a great week filled with the Presence of the Lord at every turn. You take care too and abundant blessing unto you. Hugs and love, N 🙂 ❤
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🙂 ❤
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