image courtesy photobucket.com
The heavy duty chains were strong enough to support our weight and the swing would hang from hooks attached to the porch ceiling.
Our back porch was like a covered deck that extended just outside our kitchen door and along the windows. This was the ideal place to hang our treasured swing.
Resting in the welcoming arms of the mounted swing we could view the cows munching the grass in the pasture just the other side of our rear cyclone fence.
Early in the mornings we would enjoy a second cup of coffee while the air was still cool.
In the evenings we would watch the fire flies dance and demonstrate a fireworks show.
The relaxing sway of the swing would lovingly relieve our tension and the rush of the day.
There is something calming and comforting about a swing that soothes our thoughts and relieves the stress that we often carry with us.
Our gentle swing was like a therapy, a place to unwind, settle down, and to let go of those things that bother. A place to release our anxiety and worry, and to simply rest in God our Savior.
I searched on my favorite online Bible: http://www.e-sword.net/ for the word “porch” and most references referred to the porch of the Temple. There was also a porch where the Priest would present the burnt sacrifices on the alter.
Our porch with its swing was also like a temple to us as we could reflect on the Lord and pray for those we loved and cared for. It was a quieting place, and a place of sacrifice, giving up our will for the will of the Father.
Just thinking about that swing reminds me of that old Gospel spiritual “Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Coming for to carry me Home.” It was Elijah who was carried up into heaven in such a swinging chariot.
You Tube has Johnny Cashing singing "SWING Low Sweet Chariot along with the lyrics:
In my vivid imagination I can envision God having a front porch equipped with a swing where he sits and dangles his feet as he sways and bends down to smile upon his children.
Job 28:4 “Forgotten by the foot; They hang and swings to and fro far from men”.
This post has been shared at “One Word at a Time” Please SWING by there and view the other posts using the word Swing. http://peterpollock.com/2011/07/swings-blog-carnival/
10 comments:
A swing is very soothing, a wonderful place to reflect on God.
Vicki said: "That was my favorite place to be with my Grandparents... We read the Bible, drank lemonade, talked about the day, wound yarn into balls, every day was special sitting in the swing."
Oh, I think God might just have a porch swing. And he will invite us to come drink ice tea with him and just...talk.
When my son was born, we had a front swing. I spent many hours out there and I miss those days.
Thanks for this.
i also appreciate porches and porch swings.
That was an awesome post! I love the imagery and how you tied it into scripture, I'd forgotten about that verse. Very clever. I haven't thought or heard that song either, "Swing Low Sweet Chariot."
A building supply huh? Maybe I need to go shopping...
Thanks so much for that video. It was enjoyable, again... I'm pretty sure my dad had that on an album that I heard often when I was a kid. It's been close to 40 years. Wow. It's even more powerful now than it was then.
Thanks for taking the time Hazel, I truly appreciate it.
That's song's gonna be stuck in my head for weeks...
I love my porch swing in that way too. I'd never thought of the temple porch in quite that way, but now I will. Thanks, Hazel!
Just reading your reflections on your swing is soothing!
Thanks a lot Hazel for this wonderful post.As I was reading I remember my childhood and oh how I love to go to children's playground and spend some time with the swing.I guess I need a swing in my porch too.Take care.
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