Quiet. Stillness. Peace.

Quiet. Stillness. Peace.

These are things that do not come easily, or often to a mother of three living in the city. Schooling, shepherding, diapering, feeding, moving, ministering... the list is good, but it is lengthy. I often crave a trip to the country somewhere, where we could all be outdoors (my favorite place to be) together and just BE. Not have to plan a slough of activities and figure out how to make them fit into the budget. Not having to keep the kids still or in one place for too long. I'm pretty sure they'd love my country dream trip as much as I would!

I'm reading Edith Schaeffer's book The Hidden Art of Homemaking. She is a lovely, godly woman, and I have been privileged to read several of her writings. I read a chapter today that she titled "Creative Recreation". Before today, I hadn't quite understood my cravings for some quiet time in the country, as I really do love the city.  But lately I have felt so hurried with all that I have to do, so rushed and overloaded that I scarcely have time to think.  Even the basic things seem like a burden sometimes because there are just so many of them! But of course, Edith brought me some good words today that are helping me think through this season of life and how to navigate it a little more joyfully. She says that God designed nature to stimulate our creativity, and when we are always in the hustle and bustle of the city, in the midst of it's concrete, engines, unnatural noises, smells, etc. that it can become hard to think creatively. In my case I'm having a hard time thinking at all sometimes! Her words have helped me make sense of why I have been craving the quiet, stillness, and openness of the country.

In the place I am right now, I have to fight for quiet, stillness and peace. These things will allows me to listen to God more than I'm listening to the demands of the world, which are overwhelming because they are never-ending!

God meets us in the stillness of our hearts. We can't meet him when we are frenzied, running around doing a million things at a time, not stopping to speak with Him or hear His voice through the pages of scripture.  In reading Colossians 3 today, I was reminded of the necessity of setting my mind on things above, rather than things on earth. Listening to and trying to meet the world's demands all of the time is exhausting, and I am thankful for that--because when I am tired and overwhelmed, I am reminded that my focus has probably shifted to the world, off of the things of God, things that don't shout as loud but are much more important.

So, today I am thankful for quiet, stillness, and peace, even though they seem so hard to come by. I am thankful that despite preoccupation with the things of this world, God is gracious to bring His children back to where we need to be, gently and kindly, through the words of scripture and of thoughtful, dedicated prayer. I'm thankful that my children are reading quietly by themselves in another room so that I can have this time to think, pray, and process. Be encouraged, friend--God is there, and He is good. He listens when we cry out to Him, and provides what we need to be faithful in the way that we love Him and love others.

I'm praying today for more quiet, stillness, and peace that will help me to love God more and love the people He has put in my life more. If you're reading this, you can pray for me, too, as I try to be a faithful servant of God, wife, mother, and friend during this crazy season of our lives. God gives me what I need to live life well and I need to remember that and thank Him for it! And I need to get out to the country. Never thought I'd say that! :)