Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10 (NKJV)
I am in that frantic stage right before a trip when everything has to get done and has to get done now. All the loose ends must be tied up before I go to Guatemala in ten days. Why does it always seem like someone hands me a grant application a week before I go on vacation?!? Last night, I packed 36 sacks for Pack A Sack. Yes, school is out as the school secretary laughingly reminds me each week, but with the principal’s help, we are keeping in touch with six of our fifteen girls through the summer. I read an article in our local newspaper that 27% of the children in our community are food insecure, meaning they do not know where their next meal is coming from. 27% in a country that is one of the richest in the world is not acceptable. At least six little girls are eating even if it only Vienna Sausage, granola bars and BeefARoni. I packed for six weeks and loaded those bags in my car for drop off today because the next few weeks are going to be busy, and I didn’t want to take a chance of missing a delivery. I was still packing at 10:00 last night and was taking out all the empty boxes to the trash at 11. This morning, I had to go to Sarasota to interview a 98 year old woman so ran by the school to drop off the sacks before driving to the nursing home. On the way, my mind was full of my to do list: finish packing, buy a few more pairs of shoes for the workers and children at the Center, organize our commissioning service at church, make sure everyone has made their last payment, collect encouragement cards for the team members, call the vet for an appointment for the horse’s shots, pick up some more pajamas, check on our flight schedule, make sure the Skype into church is set up, plan supper and find time to write more chapters in my book. In the middle of all that, I was checking work emails at stop lights when my alarm went off to say my car was low on gas. At the same time, someone on the radio said in our world today, with instant messaging, mobile phones, and texting, we never have down time. We do not know what it means to “Be Still.” Much less, “Know that I am God.” While I was pumping gas and checking the time in panic I would be late, it dawned on me that the anxiety, fear and frustration that I have been carrying is a result of not keeping myself fueled by being still and knowing Who God is. Just like a regular gas station stop, I need to frequently be quiet and spend time with God. Now if I can just figure out how to remind myself like the beep of my car reminds me I need gas.
You're BUSY, I'm busy – we're all busy, and taking time to STOP is hard to do. I try to have a little quiet time every day (though it doesn't always work out). Turning off the TV, silencing the phone, stepping away from the computer – hard, but necessary. I've discovered that I get so much more done when I make that special time because I'm calmer and less harried. It all gets done in due time.
Have a wonderful trip to Guatemala!