quite and still

"We need to practice being quite and being still. We practice so when it is time to listen we will be ready to do just that...listen...listen and truly hear what is being said. Sometimes God asks us to be still and quite too so we can hear him speak to our hearts. If we aren't ready to listen we might miss something he is trying to tell us." "Mama, God must have a pretty quite voice. When I can't hear him I say...WHAT GOD!!!? Yep that's what I do."
My son...as I'm sure most of you know is not a naturally quite and still child...as I'm sure most are not. I decided though through my own difficulties in doing so that a lesson in the importance of stillness was needed...for all of us. So often the noise of the day to day can deafen our ears to the one voice we need to hear above all the rest. To often I let the voices of the "well intentioned" crowd my mind with all their unnecessary static. I forget sometimes that I am loved by someone so perfectly and without condition. I am loved by someone who knows my faults and weaknesses better then anyone else and loves me still. It is his voice that speaks the one and only truth and it is his truth that I need to hear.
As a mother I have found myself trying to yell over all the noise. It is hard at times to quite my daily anger and frustration. I also began to not allow the necessary moments of stillness to enter my day. As I started to see how this was effecting my children I knew it was time to make a change and so I prayed...
Lord, Speak to me through all the noise, through all the criticism, through all the opinions. Lord let your voice speak louder then all the rest. Lord let my example be that of what you desire it to be. Lord quite this anger inside of me. Lord it is my prayer that I would find a quite time for you each day. A time when I can be quite and can be still. Lord let my ears and heart be open to what it is you have to say. Lord help me to speak softly to my children and to listen to their small voices as they are telling me what they want me to hear. Lord I pray that you may also quite the anger and frustration of my children. Help them to grow as I do. Lord help our daily practice of quieting our minds become something we do without thinking. Lord help us to find the peace that can only truly be found while being still and resting in your gentle and loving spirit. I thank you Lord for listening to what it is that I need to say. I love you Lord. Amen