Do you have a hush harbor? A place where you can retreat to, to be alone with your thoughts, to pray, to dream, to just be? I had never heard this expression "hush harbor" until our Bible study lesson today which centered around "hope" from the book "With" by Skye Jethani. I have mentioned this study in earlier posts, the best study, only in my humble opinion ofcourse, so far. It has made me stop dead in my tracks and really examine my relationship with God. Each chapter has revealed a new insight in my constant spiritual growth.
Hope was all the American slaves knew, they knew that God was with them in their suffering. Many slaves attended church with their white masters, but any expressions of hope or prayer for freedom was strictly forbidden, "all the preacher talked about was for us slaves to obey our masters and not to lie and steal" a quote from the book "Slave Religion: The Invisible Institution in the Antebellum South". But that hope and desire to have a relationship with God was too strong for the slaves to constantly suppress. Thus the beginnings of "hush harbors" places where the slaves could openly express their love of God and their hopes & prayers of one day becoming free from slavery They would huddle together in hushed tones worshiping & singing and forget all their sufferings during those moments.
Today we do not have to find a safe place to worship or to dream or to hope, but I think we all need a hush harbor, a place to pray, a place to be alone with our thoughts and our dreams, a place to just be. Depending on the time of the year, I have 2 hush harbors, if it is warm my back porch chair and if it is cold, a chair in the living room. Now I have many chairs on the back porch, and also in the living room, but I have specific chairs in both places that are my hush harbors. Do you have a hush harbor? I bet you do, you just have never given it a name. For my hush harbors I am grateful.
Today is my little girl's birthday. Somedays I wish she was still a little girl and my life was what it was then, poorer than dirt, but happy as a kid in a candy store. Happy Birthday, Lisa....Mommy loves you.
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." ~ William Arthur Ward
Until next time....
i hadn't heard that expression before. i'll have to think about where mine are. happy birthday to your daughter!
ReplyDeleteI have not heard this expression before, Deanna, but I sure do love it, and yes I do actually have a few hush harbors.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite ones is the loft in House #2. Known as the "Man Cave" because my son laid claim to it, but since he is always away at school, I have made it my own! :-)
Your daughter is just beautiful!
Happy Birthday, Lisa!!!!!
Always happy to hear new expressions and this is a terrific one! And Happy Birthday, Lisa!!! Woot!
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful expression. i think my "hush harbor" is a moveable one: my feet when i'm out running in the mornings. that's when i feel closer to Him than any other part of the day. can "hush harbors" be portable? ; ) happy birthday to your beautiful little girl (because our daughters will always be our little girls no matter how old they get)!
ReplyDeleteMine is my big chair in our bedroom when I want to escape!
ReplyDeleteHI Deanna I never hear that expression but outside it would be my summnre house adninsidemy bedroom. I was thinking when you say there is no slavs now. Oh if only that is true. there is a trrible slve trade adn traafficing goingon even here in Northern Ireland. Have you seen the Film, The Butler? Itis just out here fr the first time this week, proabably has been out in US earier. I hope to see it. 'Lee Daniels' The Butler' is a powerful and poignant biopic about an African American butler who served in the White House for over three decades.
ReplyDeleteForest Whitaker stars as Cecil Gaines, a man who joins the White House serving staff as the Civil Rights movement begins to gain traction. Cecil continues to serve seven American presidents and we see the long and often tumultuous arc of the civil rights struggle in 20th century America through his eyes.
'Lee Daniels' The Butler' also stars Oprah Winfrey, while A-list actors including John Cusack, Robin Williams and Alan Rickman all appear in cameo roles as various U.S. Presidents.
I think my hush harbor is on my morning walks, that is when I feel closest to God and can have conversations with him.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree about Gratitude! P.S. You're featured in the Texture Twist at Life-n-Reflection!!
ReplyDeleteThe beach, a special secluded spot on my birding trail, my living room, my front porch . . . I had never heard it called that. I'm going to have to share that with my history major daughter ...I wonder if she has come across that.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a hush harbor...and I will check out the Bible Study too. We do a couples study on Wednesday nights, we are always looking for new ones.
ReplyDeleteMy hush harbor is local park - quiet and beautiful - or with my church community of friends.
ReplyDeleteI bought a small red velvet chair for my bedroom last year, intending to use it as my "prayer chair", but rarely use it. But lately I've been going to it and kneeling in front of it. An adult child who is struggling in the world will bring a mother to her knees pretty quick. Even if I don't physically do it, I imagine myself kneeling in front of it, wherever I am, pouring my heart out to God. It's very comforting.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your 'little girl'. I love the new header. I used to love to sit in the chair on the front porch by the shade of the dogwood. It was a great location to meditate, daydream, and silently wish.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of this expression. Thinking about mine I would say it is when all is quiet and my thoughts are my own no particular place comes to mind though. Happy Birthday to your daughter.
ReplyDeleteI love that expression!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your beautiful baby girl!
xo
Good expression! Mine's on the deck in the summer, and this time of year, I read my Bible on one corner of the couch when it's still dark out, or, when the sun's coming up, I'm in my rocking chair facing west. A time and place to listen to God is special no matter where it is.
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