Be Still-It's On My "To Do" List

Today is one of those days.  I'm tired and a bit testy.  It's one of those days when I wish I could just sit quietly in prayer and meditation.  I can picture it in my head-a quiet spot, soft pillows, surrounded by the soft glow of lighted candles, the soft sound of birds chattering in the trees outside, just basking in the presence of God!  Ahh....

Then reality smacks me in the face.  I'm a mother!  Quiet just doesn't happen and hasn't happened in my house for years!  The closest I get to "quiet" is waking up at the crack of dawn while everyone else is sleeping!  Even then, I have to contend with the dogs.  If I am fortunate, all four canines are busily snoring away dreaming their doggie dreams but usually, I'm not so lucky!

Yes, life runs right up against my best laid plans.  During the school year, there are papers to sign, buses to catch, a teenager to get out the door on time!  Other times, there is a dog to let out, a dog to let in, a dog to step over because he's laying right in the way!  Then of course there's laundry to do and dishes to wash and sneakers to be found and a million other things which means continually juggling the "to do" list.  Daily Bible reading-if it's short can be accomplished in one sitting.  Longer daily readings or Disciple Bible Study for the day faces 2 to 3 interruptions at least!  Prayer comes in short snatches between loading the laundry into the washer and putting the clean dishes away in the cupboard.  Meditation-taking a piece of scripture and reflecting on it...yeah, I wish!

Yet, I must be meditating without really realizing it because the connection between scripture and life will catch me in the weirdest places and at the strangest times!  I'll watch my children playing and the verse "you are fearfully and wonderfully made" will pop in to my head.  Or I'll notice a flower in the yard and "consider the lilies" will jump forward in to my thoughts.  Driving the car, shopping at the grocery store, hanging laundry on the clothesline, working in the garden, all of these ordinary moments have been moments of extreme clarity where a scripture verse will pop in to my head and I go "huh, that's kind of cool!" 

So maybe I can't "be still" in the classic sense because life just doesn't work that way for me.  However, God seems to find ways to inject "be still" moments in to my every day moments without any help from me!  Amazing grace indeed!