Tonight I find myself once again in that strange place between utter exhaustion and endless jubilation. I am happy with all that is going on in the church and in my life, and yet I am tired! There is also a little sadness due to the fact that my lovely family departed for Tennessee today, without me! I have a remodeling project going on with a great Credit Union in Springhill Louisiana that requires my full attention!
So, tonight I return from Bible Study to an empty house. Well... not exactly empty. I do have Jack the garbage eating, toilet water drinking constant companion of faithfulness. (You can read more about Jack in a previous blog entry). Jack is soundly snoring away on his pretty pink princess barbie bed.
I have just begun to appreciate the quietness that will be my house this week. No Pixar movie playing on the TV for the 2000th time. No sound of little girls giggling in the shower together. No sound of my lovely wife scolding Jack who somehow seems oblivious to it while he joyfully eats from the trash can. No sound. Nothing. Utter quiet. Well... Jack is still here snoring. But you get the picture.
It is amazing what you can hear, when there is nothing to be heard. In the stillness of absolute silence, it is possible to hear the faintest of whispers from the heart of God. Yes, I believe that God speaks to us in many ways, but there is something about that still, small, quiet, voice that can only be heard when the "noise" of this life is silenced.
No cell phone. No TV. No radio, or music. Nothing. Just my empty ears and God's full heart. It is in this moment that I find myself longing for conversation with Him. I hear God reminding me how blessed I am. How wonderful my family is, how awesome my kids are. Then, as if I could possibly need a reminder, I see a note. Not a big note. Not a long letter. Just a simple note in the loving hand writing of a 9 yr. old.
"Dear Daddy,
I am going to miss you very much! I will take a lot of pictures for you! We will call you everyday! Love you. Reagan"
It is those little things... those tiny little notes that we receive that truly mean the most. Like a symphony played in perfect tempo and composition, so is God's voice and loving presence when we need Him most. Most of us never stop long enough to hear the music that life is playing for us. God, who we tend to not think about until we need something or have a trial of sorts, wants to tell us how much He misses us, how much He longs to spend time with us, and how much He loves us.
The next time you have more than a few seconds to spare. Turn off the TV. Silence the cell phone. Turn off the radio. Close your eyes for a few minutes... and listen to the orchestra of life as God the majestro speaks to your heart.
Love, Honor, Service
Pastor Eugene
I love the silence and solitude! The deep things of God are found there but you have to learn to be comfortable in your own skin and with your own thoughts. I think that many people are not comfortable with themselves so they have a hard time being quiet in God's presence. T.V., radio, constant noise and conversation are used to drown out fear and lonliness. Learning how to be quiet is a great gift and possibly even a skill that needs to be practiced. Tell Christy "hello" from me!
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