Jan. 6, 2013

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself – John 6:15

Right after college, I applied for a job called Alice in Dairyland. This is a marketing position with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. This person’s job is to promote Wisconsin agriculture through speaking and media engagements. After an intense three-day interview process, I was first runner-up. After the winner was announced, a judge approached me. During the interview process, I was asked if I was a better speaker or a better writer. I was honest and said that I felt at the time, I was a better writer. Yes, I felt very comfortable speaking in front of people. But in the end, my writing skills exceeded my speaking skills. Based on this response, the judges chose another person for the Alice job.

Today, I have a job in which speaking skills are often the basis of what I do. What I say during worship, at meetings, in conversations with people is important. Several years ago after Sunday worship, a little person came up to me and informed me that I had used a word three times in worship that she is not allowed to say. As soon as I said the word “crap” that Sunday, I knew it was going to come back and bite me. Sure enough, it did. But then I went ahead and said it two more times!

Words are important. They can be so beneficial and sometimes very hurtful. As we use technology more and more, sometimes the meaning or thought process behind what we say gets lost. We use these tools in ways that aren’t always beneficial.

One of the reasons I started this blog awhile back is because I wanted to go back to writing. One of the best ways for me to process my life is by writing. Maybe you all get sick of my silly little stories and I’m confident I repeat myself. Just today, someone shared with me how my husband gives me lots of good sermon material. You blog readers probably get sick of hearing his latest antics.

Years ago, I loved milking cows because this was a time when I could sort through things in my head and solve situations. Yesterday, Rick told me he needed some quiet time for himself. How does he do this? Watching a line drop through a hole with a little bit of bait on the end, hoping some fishy will decide its hungry enough to test his bait. Lately, I have been using my keyboard.

My prayer is that you have a quiet, peaceful, still way for you to pause, reflect and contemplate daily life and how you deal with it. Jesus gave us the example of withdrawing and spending time alone, unhooked from the world. How do you unhook? When do you shut your cellphone off and not answer it? When you do turn the TV off and simply still with God? Life is too short not to make time for quietness with God.

We run and go and fill our lives way too full, Lord God. Thank goodness Jesus understood and modeled the necessity to withdraw and simply be with You. Lord, encourage us to make this a regular part of our daily live. May you fill quiet times with such peace that we simply must have them.  Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne