Gratitude Day 507

Wed., Sept. 9, 2020

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!”

The last few weeks have felt way too full. There have been lots of good things … but maybe just a few too much.

It hit home for me when Hubby Rick shared a little story with me. He was having a cook-out with some friends earlier this summer. I wasn’t able to join because of another commitment. When someone asked where I was, Rick shared his normal response, “Out saving the world. You know Dianne. She begins the day figuring out who she’s going to help today.”

Rick said all of this with admiration. But it stopped me. Once again, I’ve let my husband down. Too often, he gets relegated to the bottom of the importance list.  Again, and again. I’ve lost count of how many times Rick has been replaced with something else I deemed more important. In just the last week.

Rarely does he complain. His acknowledgement of this most often happens via a story that he shares as part of a conversation he’s had with someone else. I often wonder what the response back to him is. Probably not as much admiration as he expresses and a lot more “Hmmm.”

When Rick asked me last week if we could squeeze in a kayak outing with our friends Dave and Kris, it moved to the top of my priority list. For a few hours, other things COULD and WOULD wait. In total honestly, I mentioned a couple errands that I would like to do as long as we would be “in the area.” Ever multi-tasking and trying to be efficient, Rick complied, and the date was set.

We loaded our kayaks up into his 1995 pick-up. It used to be my father-in-law, Tony’s, pick-up. Rick acquired it after his Dad passed away. It is two-wheel drive. (Who has one of those anymore?) It is old enough to vote. For many years it was the vehicle we had with the least number of miles.

The truck has a cassette player. Tony always listened to polka music in the truck. The cassette he usually listened to remains in the truck’s cassette player. Often, we’ll crack up the tunes for a bit and remember Tony. On this day, the music was silent as Rick and I took the opportunity to reconnect and share during the drive to the pre-appointed park where we’d meet our friends.

After a picnic in the park, all four of us launched our kayaks into Mirror Lake and paddled up and down the lake. For many minutes, the world slowed. The hum of traffic from the interstate remained close at hand and increased in volume as we paddled underneath bridges that crossed the lake. We stopped short of the dam at the upper end of the lake and retreated back in the direction we came from. Along the river, the landscape replicates the scenery the area around Wisconsin Dells is famous for: layers of shelfed rock formations that stick out from the landscape. Incredibly beautiful, we agreed to return back later in fall when the leaves are turning color to see the anticipated color explosion.

I tried not to feel guilty about taking an afternoon to drink in the great outdoors. I willed myself not to think about what else I COULD be doing. I tried to stay in the moment and be still with our friends. Nature. Hubby Rick. Myself. Almighty God.

Be still and know I am God.

It’s hard to know God when we’re so busy running from one thing to the next. It’s impossible to know God when we fill our lives with everything but quiet. Most often, God chooses not to compete with all of the noise, and we miss out on opportunities to hear God speak directly to us. It saddens my heart to observe how many times I choose noise and busyness over quiet and stillness.

Be still. Know I am God.

The lesson never grows old. It’s never mastered and always applicable.

Today. Tomorrow. Next week.

Be still.

Know I am God.

For the opportunity to be still and see God, I am grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Almighty God – My heart is reminded of how often I choose something of this world rather than making sure I’ve met you each day. Forgive me for the times I’ve chose busyness and noise over stillness and You. May I take even a few moments and find You today. Amen.  

REMINDER: Devos with Dianne tonight on Facebook Live at 8 PM CT. Tonight’s topic: courage.

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