Random Thoughts

Some days, the world is a busy, noisy place. People bustle from one activity, one obligation to another.  Traffic roars along busy streets and highways. TVs shout out fast-paced shows and stereos, IPODs, and Ihomes sing out an unbelievable assortment of music. Even in my own world where I rarely watch TV and can’t use an IPOD since I can’t see the screen, there is noise. The voice of a book on tape talks on and even my computer reads to me in its droning, mechanical voice.

In the middle of the noise, I keep finding people who are weighed down with worries and anxieties. I’ve talked to several people who have businesses that are suffering in these hard economic times. Most budgets – my own included – are stretched almost as thin as they can go. Many folks are struggling with varying degrees of depression in these days of financial unease and not enough sunlight.

My mind is drawn again to Psalm 131 which is one of the Scriptures I’m using at the service tonight. “But I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child against its mother’s breast. Like a weaned child against its mother’s breast is my soul within me.  I absolutely love this image. There is something almost magical about holding a small child on your lap and having him/her lean against your chest and either be still or drop off to sleep.  So many days, when my own kids were small, I would sit there, not moving them into their cribs, but choosing to hold them while they slept.  Completely relaxed and totally trusting me to keep them safe, they breathed deeply and seemed not to have a care in the world.

Through this Psalm, I am invited to experience this same rest and peace. Like that sleeping child, my soul leans upon the chest of God and is still.  I am encouraged to stay there for as long as I want, whether that’s a few minutes or hours.

One of the things I learned early on in my vision loss was how to be still. It sounds strange, but for most of my life I’ve rushed around doing things. In those early days of not seeing, I was unable to do what I was used to doing and found myself with long hours alone with nothing to do. At first this enforced silence and inactivity made me feel useless, but as the days went on, I discovered something wonderful. In the stillness, I found God in a brand new way and found myself soaking in His presence.  As I did that, I found Him reminding me that I didn’t have value just because of what I could do, but that I had value simply because I was.  In those quiet moments, I realized that for years I had been trying to earn God’s love by doing all these things and here He was, loving me just because I am.  It was important; it began to dawn on me, not just to “do”, but to “be”.

As the years have gone on and I am able to do more things, it is easy for me to forget that lesson. Lately I’ve felt God calling me back to a greater sense of being. I find myself longing to sit in His presence and soak up His love and grace and find my soul strengthened as I face the tasks ahead of me.  In those quiet moments I find peace for my struggles, hope for my fearful heart, and strength and energy for the journey before me.  My soul is fed and my faith renewed. May I not let the noise and busyness of life cause me to forget the importance of a few minutes of stillness and being.

So today I’m thankful for the chance just to be. I’m grateful that God invites me to sit and soak Him in and that He showers me with His love and grace which are more than enough for all I need.

Praying that you have a few moments of peace today. May you have a chance to soak in God’s love and grace as you do. Sending big hugs to all of you.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 29th, 2009 at 5:38 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.