He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. Psalm 146:7-8
Ahh…contentment. I’m sitting here drinking a hot tea in the stillness of my home while listening to the birds serenading me with their wonderful voices. Too much time without the noises of our madhouse makes me miss my family like crazy, but a couple hours makes me want to shout with joy!
My happiness doesn’t have anything to do with my guys not being here; it has to do with the opportunity to actually hear myself think. It’s rejoicing in knowing that my boys are being active and everything is all right in my little world.
The stillness that I crave seems to be getting harder to come by every day. That’s why as much as I want to crawl under a warm blanket right now and indulge in a bit of a nap, it is vital for me to soak this in before I need to be out the door again.
The busyness and craziness of appointments can make me miss the small details in life that have the biggest impact on refueling me. When I’m constantly on the go, I need to remind myself to slow down because it’s in those quiet moments that God opens my eyes to see his gifts to keep me going.
Yesterday, I was feeling overwhelmed and sat down on our back steps to breathe in the fresh air for just a minute when a black butterfly rested on the stones right in front of me. I always think of strength when I see those black butterflies. That was one of those little moments that God was reminding me that the strength was still right there!
Another time in the silence of the outside, my eyes were opened to a small stone that was beside me. It didn’t have any special color or shape, but it did have a tiny crack that ran along the edge. When I picked it up, it easily came apart. I had two halves that were amazing! They looked just like angel wings. That small stone has given me so much hope. It’s in the quiet that we are charged up for the busy times.
Do you know the wonderful chorus from the song “Open My Eyes, That I May See” by Clara Scott?
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit Divine!
That hymn is a favorite of mine. Even in the constant movements that we face from day to day, it is essential that we get silent and allow God to open our eyes to His provision and His will.
It wasn’t too long ago that we had a pretty bad scare with my oldest. We went to the hospital again this past week to see what his insides looked like after he had some time to heal. We arrived praying and believing for total healing, yet the devil will always try to let doubt get in our heads.
After my son was in the recovery room, the doctor came to show us the pictures and let us know what he saw. He told us everything was pristine inside him…there was not one thing wrong! After he left, it was in the silence that the tears started flowing. I stayed strong throughout the whole hospital stay! Again, it was in the silence that my eyes were opened to the gift of healing he received from God. Gratitude was the only way to describe it.
It’s in the little reminders that God sends when He opens our eyes that brings us joy and reminds us of His love! Take a few moments in silence asking for illumination today. Don’t allow your gift to go unnoticed.
