Be Still

One of my favorite scriptures:

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

--Psalms 46:10 

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What do you do when the world seems full of darkness?

Fill it with light. . . . for every act of darkness, I need to do a thousand acts of light. The only way we win is by living better, by pushing back harder, by loving, and by nurturing in tiny and slightly less tiny ways and then repeating. Darkness only wins when the good people of the world stop generating light.

We will never do that. . . .

If I am part of the light, I need to commit every day to shine brighter, to love stronger. We can never. Ever. Give up.

 --Kathryn Thompson, daringyoungmom.com

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Lo, in the silent night
A child to God is born
And all is brought again
That ere was lost or lorn.
Could but thy soul, O man, 
Become a silent night!
God would be born in thee
And set all things aright.

--Anonymous, circa 15th century

May we all become that "silent night" this season.

May we be still enough to let God be born in us to make us the bright lights He needs us to be. 

--Shawni Pothier, 71toes.com 

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And a song that is becoming a favorite:

Be Still by The Killers

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I've been contemplating next year and what my goal might be for the year. Life is getting busier as my kids are getting older. They are more involved which means I get to be the transportation taxi. Ten years ago my good friend Sharon who is more my mom's age with older children told me to just wait. If I thought life was busy with toddlers, just wait until they're older. At the time I couldn't fathom life being any busier. But I've discovered different stages in life have different types of busyness.

At this stage it's becoming harder for me to find time to be by myself, to experience some quiet revelatory stillness. Even the bathroom isn't off limits when you have a two-year-old and you are his only friend for the entire day. Funny, because I thought this was my life ten years ago.

(not my picture, but one that reminded me of my little Alex)
 
If I'm going to be a light that shines brighter in this world, I need God to help me know how. And for that to happen, I need to BE STILL. This just might the goal I need.