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James 1: 19

“Be quick to listen and slow to speak.”

My ALS has taken away my ability to speak, but I can still communicate with the help of my eye gaze.

It is an iPad with lights and sensors that track the movements of my eyes. As I look at the letters on the keyboard, the letters are typed onto the screen.

It does take longer to type than it does to speak, but the  “silver lining,” is that I have more time to listen.

The weekend of the Austin Artworks Festival, a friend of mine and I had planned to meet up to listen to some music.

Unfortunately, I realized that we would not be able to communicate because my eye gaze device doesn’t work well in the sun. When I texted my friend to tell her that she said “It’s okay. We can just be.”

So we enjoyed the music as we sat in the tent surrounded by others who were laughing and talking. We had been friends since high school, and we would have had a lot to talk about. I could have been frustrated with my inability to communicate, but somehow I felt nothing but gratitude for this tiny slice of time we were able to spend together. After the music was done, she talked for a while, and I listened.

Our family dog and I spend quiet time together. We both enjoy each other’s company. He snuggles happily beside me, and together we enjoy a few quiet moments at the end of each day.

I spend time in the morning sitting in the warmth of the sunshine as it streams through the front window. It is a reminder that God is with me in all of these beautifully quiet moments of my life.

Lord, help me to consider my extra listening time as a gift, especially when I need to hear your voice. Amen

Choosing Joy Volume lll is available at Sweet Reads on Main Street in Austin,MN and at SarahLysne.com