Psalm 46:10

"Be still, and know that I am God..." (NIV)

How often in our crazy lives do we stop and think, "If only things would slow down, I could find some peace and quiet in my life."

• If only I hadn't agreed to help with __________.
• If only I hadn't signed my children up for __________.
• If only I would learn to say "No."
• If only things would slow down...

Our lives today are so fast paced compared to that of generations before us.  Gone are the days of lingering walks to town, visiting the neighbors while sitting on the front porch watching the kids play,  and slow cooked meals simmering over the fire. We no longer have time to help our neighbor's, putting up food together for the coming seasons, sharing the household chores through work frolics, or sitting around a quilting bee sharing the latest news.  It is said that it takes an army to raise a child, but what happens when that army is to busy to assist in the raising of the child?

I often times find myself surrounded by the busyness of family life, and I'm not talking just the physical aspects of busyness.  The type of busyness where your mind never shuts down, not even when you find yourself lying in bed in the wee hours of the morning.  Your thoughts are filled with replaying the previous days happenings, thinking what needs to be done around the house, going over tomorrow's schedule, all while praying you are able to keep it together while juggling so many things.

I often find myself thinking, "I am sure this is not how God intended life to be spent."  And then I remind myself of Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God".  Wow - I don't know about you, but that being still part is what gets me every time!

So for today, I vow to slow down.  I will take 5, 10, or however many minutes I can grab, and just sit each day and be still with my God.  I  may only be able to shut life out for one minute in the beginning, but that is one minute more of being still than yesterday.

I will learn to say "No", to choose more carefully what my family and I take part in.  Yes, every activity may be tempting, something we would love to do, but is it what's best for our family?  We may have to learn to let some things pass us by, and that is O.K.

God does not command us to fill our minutes or hours to the max, he commands us to live a life abundantly, loving one another as He has loved us. 

"Be still, and know that I am God..." (NIV)