Solitude and Silence

This week I am reading "Intimacy with the Almighty" (Charles Swindoll) as part of a team I am serving on at church for our Deeper Worship Conference in January. Okay - stop - I need to plug this event before I go on.....DON'T MISS IT!!! This is going to be such a great time of worship and teaching, Steve Hardin from The Village Church and Billy and Cindy Foote - wow! The planning team God has put together is incredible - everyone with very specific giftings and talents. This will be a great time for personal growth and family bonding. Okay - plug over. So as I am sitting on the back porch on Monday morning reading about the importance of solitude and silence before God, I realized that even though it was a still and quiet morning, the birds were chirping and it was beautiful weather that I am still not completely quiet and still. My phone was dinging - an e-mail and then a text, a different text, the dog needed my attention, I was taking notes, another e-mail....you get the picture. I realized that even when I am having a "quiet time" I was busying myself with other stuff in the middle of it. I realized I do this alot - I think I'm being quiet because noone is home or there is no music or tv but really I am still multi-tasking. I am cheating myself out of quality time with God by giving Him just some of my attention. Even in praying - I seem to "pray on the go" - praying for people and situations all during the day - which is good but no real time to just stop and listen. So, as our Life Connection Group leader has asked us to read and have quiet time 7 days out of 7, I am realizing for me that means more than just reading - it means being QUIET and STILL!!! I'm still thinking through a realistic solution (getting up at 5 is not realistic for me) for this - to set aside a completely quiet time with God, no phone, no people, no dog, no computer, no music - this will be a learned discipline.

As you know, we were suppose to be on a cruise this week. Instead we are maintaining our regular routine here, which is fine. Wayne was planned ahead so it's good because this gives him a chance to work on some longer range projects and he was able to pick Kelsie up from school yesterday and go play a little golf. They had a good time. I worked in the 3 year old class at First Friends yesterday (they are so cute) and then was able to go and do a little shopping since Wayne and Kelsie were busy. I was thinking yesterday how much I love that I can be at Sam Moon and Stonebriar Centre in 20 minutes! For the first time, I went to Sam Moon and didn't buy anything (I was looking for a specific thing they didn't have). Usually when you drive over an hour to shop there you stay for hours and buy whatever you find that you like because you won't be back for 6 months.

On a family note - my 76 year old grandmother had neck surgery yesterday to repair 4 disks...ouch. She did really well and is doing well today. I know many of you were praying, the whole family was a little nervous I think about future nerve damage and other complications that come with that kind of surgery but she did very well and is on the road to recovery, I think scheduled to go home as early as Thursday. Thanks for your prayers and e-mails. More soon.