I chose the white chair positioned in the backyard to be my ‘Quiet Place’ of peace without even the distraction of notebook, pencil and the WORD.

     I planned to sit and have a two-way conversation with the Lord.    Listening for His still small voice

  It felt like positioning myself in the sunshine for a chat with a friend.

    Instead, life around me erupted into a drama.

     Two large white cockatoos cruised in on a wind gust and positioned themselves comfortably on a tree branch.   

     Their presence seemed to create quite a disruption.

  A small, agitated bird with rapidly flapping wings flew straight across the parrot faces emitting a soft but piercing whistling sound.    Other tiny birds arrived and together they hassled the much larger tree occupants until finally the white parrots, raucously screeching,  flew away.   

      Then, unseen voices became a reality.   From behind me a group of kookaburras began to laugh exuberantly.   Their territorial high-pitched cackling chorus was joined by other strident hidden reverberating   voices. The tree branches shuddered with the sound.     

       Quiet peace was splintered as JOY burst forth.  Even the parrots returned with their whole flock wheeling across the sky with parrot screeching. (They happily roosted that night on a dead tree far from all the territorial ‘others)

       For now it was JOY!  JOY! JOY! 

         His answer to my desire for communication came to my comprehension from ON HIGH.

        I AM!     I AM!  BECAUSE I LIVE I AM. LIVE IN ME YOUR LIFE WITH FULLNESS OF JOY.

      I returned inside refreshed and grateful I chose the outside quiet place.

      Thank YOU LORD!

                  A-men

       .