Rare Stillness

Silence.

Deep breath in.  Quiet sigh.  Open ears.

Silence is rare stillness in our home filled with noises of our kids playing (and sometimes bickering), their music loud coming through the crack under the door, the washing machine or dish washer rumbling, the background noise of the construction still going on nearby, and even this past weekend, hearing the announcers and cheers coming from the TV showing the Olympic games. 

Life is constantly moving, constantly noisy.

But this morning I sit in silence…and have the gift to be for a few days.

With this gift to just be…with just me… will be many opportunities to be in silence.

But this silence does not make me feel alone.

Silence is holiness in the Presence of God.

There is humble gratitude for the gift of short moments of time of silence, whether they be a few sacred silent minutes in a crazy day or the few times of an extended retreat away from the every-day noises of life.  

I’m thank-full for this retreat…and I ask for God’s whisper to drown out all the other noises that I’m used to, and other distracting voices I constantly hear, to just be and to just hear... 

Because often when we carve out time for silence, we’re allowing ourselves the gift to listen.  And truly listening often comes with the gift of revival and revelations…fresh revelations of God’s goodness and grace.

Silence can be difficult.

Silence can be a challenge… so this I pray this week…and you can too for your own moments of stillness and silence.

“Uncrowd my heart, O God,

until silence speaks

in your still small voice;

turn me from the hearing of words,

and the making of words,

and the confusion of much speaking,

to listening,

waiting,

stillness,

silence.”

-Thomas Melton

#751  to just be

#752  silence

#753  time to listen