Awaken Your Senses: Hearing

February 27 begins week four of the "Awaken Your Senses" Contest on Facebook, on your own blog, as a comment on Brent's or Beth's blog or on your twitter. Beth and Brent explain:

This week's sense is HEARING! "Take a moment and listen to the sounds around you. Pay attention to them in love. What sounds do you notice? What news are they bringing? Are they blessings or calls to prayer? Or both?" (from Awaken Your Senses)

the sound of... weather!

All day Monday was overcast with a winter storm predicted; during the day we had little more than some heavy mist and random rainfall. Monday evening no stars were in sight, clouds covered the moon and gradually it became very dark and truly stormy. I live on the third floor of a 3 story building, a good arrangement for getting a panoramic view of the world outside my windows and an excellent resonator for sounds on the flat asphalt and gravel roof.

Eventually the rains came! At first normal sky tears that made an almost comforting and familiar sound, though I easily could hear the quiet computer keys and some ambient room noise. Before long the sound got louder and then roaringly percussive! I wasn't listening through earbuds--this was surround sound! The building shook just a little, and I remembered the sound and feel of the Sierra el Mayor "Easter Earthquake" in 2010. Was this another temblor? Recently this area has been experiencing many many 3.0 and higher quakes, so it well could have been. I exchanged a couple of Facebook comments with Jessica, who lives on the other side of the floor below me and suddenly realized I was listening to a rare hailstorm! Gradually it subsided, and how wonderful it felt to be protected inside my dwelling place and at the same time to sense such close connection to nature's meteorological activities.

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.
He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!
Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and women alike, old and young together!
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord!