From time to time I get the rare gift of a quiet house. A quiet house ranks right up there on my list of good things such as the smell of walking into Dillard's with the bright hope of a day of shopping ahead of me, Sunday afternoon naps, freshly mowed and edged lawns, mom's roast...all happy things.
This morning I was surprised with the unexpected gift. The big boys were out running errands with Dad. I was at home doing schoolwork with our youngest son when the garage door opened. All the boys were invited to head up to the church to work. The baby was napping. I was already ready for the day.
I moved into action right away. Candle, blanket, cup of goodness, Bible, pen, book, lamps.
This place right here? No one brings me here. Days can go by on end and no one is going to bring me here. Other things feel urgent. The laundry mounded high with stained clothes. The empty cupboard that needs to be refilled. The sink full of dishes that need scrubbing. The floor that needs attention. My every sticking step reminds me.
But this? If I don't purposefully bring myself here it does not happen. Most days this time looks like my Bible spread open on the kitchen counter. It looks like reading together with my crew first thing in the morning. It looks like grabbing 5 or 10 minutes here or there. Some days it looks like putting one single verse before my eyes to think on through out the day.
This place can be hard. If I've been away for too long, it all feels hard and unfamiliar. Proverbs is always my starting place when I open to dive in. Sometimes I choose a book to read through. In those times, that is my starting place. I like the short books toward the end. Those are good ones to spend a week or so in.
But old faithful is Proverbs.
Just opening and flipping to the chapter that corresponds to the day of the month.
This is my other old faithful. Streams in the Desert. Sometimes devotionals can be kind of hokey, but I find myself always coming back to this book. It is jam packed with wisdom.
Coming here is what I was talking about yesterday. Making yourself go to the places that refresh you. Yesterday my one verse I prayed through all day was simple and easy for me to remember. "Please help us grow in grace and knowledge of you." All day long I prayed that over myself. Over Shane. Over each child. Over the members of our church family. It was one simple request that was the focus of my attention.
Be encouraged if coming here is a struggle for you. The more time you spend here and the more time you spend cultivating this habit the easier it becomes.
