A wise man once said, ‘”To be still sometimes requires great effort.”\u00a0 That is according to my new box of Tazo Rest tea!\u00a0 It is true, though, what the wise man once said.\u00a0 Here I am, two weeks into my quest to seek the still in 2011, and I am already feeling like it could easily be a losing battle.\u00a0 My grand plans for meditation and prayer time, nightly bath soaks, yoga by candlelight, and long walks in the woods have been replaced by the reality of a new work schedule, three jobs, kids’ classes, dinners, housework…you get the picture.<\/p>\n
Yes, it takes great effort to be still.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
Or does it?\u00a0 Maybe my grand ideas are worthy to explore during this journey, but perhaps they are not the entire answer.\u00a0 Maybe the still is right in the midst of the daily toil.\u00a0 Maybe it’s there in the snow day morning when my girls climb into my bed to share their dreams from the dark night.\u00a0 Maybe it’s in the lingering kiss with the love of my life, stolen\u00a0 in the middle of the busy kitchen.\u00a0 Or in the flames leaping in the fireplace, and the little toes warming nearby.\u00a0 A game of checkers with the blue-eyed, golden hair girl who is too quickly becoming a young lady.\u00a0 A chuckle with the hazel-eyed darling with the heart of gold.<\/p>\n
The still is everywhere, really.\u00a0 Our loving God has given us eyes to see and ears to hear all of the blessings each day brings.\u00a0 But how often we shut them out.\u00a0 How often we breeze right through without thanking Him and praising Him for the gifts.<\/p>\n
I have been given a marvelous reminder of the beauty in finding the still in the midst of the ordinary. It’s in the form of a majestic owl who perches on barren tree branches on a nearby, busy road.\u00a0 We see him almost daily now, as we drive from here to there.\u00a0 My eyes search the trees for his majestic, white chest and piercing, wise eyes.\u00a0 He has become my reminder to seek the still in the mad rush to make it to the next destination on time.\u00a0 I will him to be there.\u00a0 To remind me to slow down and take notice.<\/p>\n
How many times did I drive right by and just not see?\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
Our Heavenly Father seems to have a history of giving divine meaning to ordinary things.\u00a0 The Savior of the world born an ordinary baby with an extraordinary life ahead.\u00a0 An ordinary shepherd boy who would become the greatest of kings.\u00a0 Fishermen and tax collectors who led a revolution to bring light to a dark world.\u00a0 Maybe, just maybe, in the midst of our ordinary lives, He brings the divine to us.\u00a0 And most amazing of all is that we are told, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.\u00a0 One day, as God’s children, we will be in the presence of the One who made the still.\u00a0 The Creator of all things good and lovely.<\/p>\n
The best is yet to come, my friends.<\/i><\/p>\n
Do you want to join me in taking notice of these daily divine moments of still?\u00a0 I am starting a Seeking The Still journal.\u00a0 Nothing fancy.\u00a0 A simple book to jot down moments as they occur.\u00a0 To give them weight on paper.\u00a0 To remember.\u00a0 To share.\u00a0 What are some of your moments of still from this past week?\u00a0 Will you share in the comments below?\u00a0 Will you invite others to do the same?\u00a0 I will randomly select someone from the comments to receive a personal Seeking The Still journal!\u00a0 Just leave a comment below and either sign in or leave your email.\u00a0 Check in next week to see who won!
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A wise man once said, ‘”To be still sometimes requires great effort.”\u00a0 That is according to my new box of Tazo Rest tea!\u00a0 It is true, though, what the wise man once said.\u00a0 Here I am, two weeks into my quest to seek the still in 2011, and I am already feeling like it could […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53650,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n