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Turn Down the Noise and Listen to Jesus | Desiring God

Allow me to reminiscence a bit regarding my childhood:

My great grandmother never learned to drive a car, therefore whenever my parents and I would come visit my grandparents (who lived a 1/2 mile north of her), she'd start walking the gravel road to pay a visit in tandem with our own.

She'd know we were fast approaching my grandparents' abode there in rural Humphreys County because we always sped by her house (leaving a sizable cloud of dust behind), and inevitably, she'd be swinging on her front porch in anticipation of our arrival.  (I have no idea why my parents never stopped to offer her a ride, but I suppose it was because they knew she'd refuse it.)

Grandma Ray, as we all called her, lived alone in her dogtrot house for decades.  The time she spent isolated out on that porch swing is hard for me to fathom.  Keep in mind that this was during the late '70s / early '80s, therefore there were no smartphones (w/ wireless earbuds).  And no, she didn't own a Walkman.  

This petite lady lived an immeasurably quiet life which resulted in her being an exceedingly quiet lady.  When she'd eventually arrive at my grandparents' 900 sf rancher (about 15 minutes after we did), she'd sit adjacent to the backdoor, never saying but a few words whilst observing the comradery.

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As an only child, I immensely enjoyed swinging on my family's back porch swing (ranch house in Madison).  On days when the weather was tolerable, I'd plant myself therein, and swing to my heart's content ('till my butt numbed).  Sometimes I'd sing to myself, but mostly I'd fall inward into my imagination as I allowed the repetitive back & forth movement to become seemingly hypnotic.  

Eventually, after being lassoed in by the gospel in middle school, I began praying.  But it was difficult for me to translate that discipline over to something so casual as the porch swing.  It felt a little too casual.

Whilst looking back, I see clearly now what my great grandmother was doing on her front porch swing there at her dogtrot.  What a wise lady she was.  A leader for sure.  Always pointing towards her purpose as one of my silent advocates.