Listen

A friend gave me a beautiful little ceramic plaque that hangs just above my kitchen sink. It says, "Be still and know that I AM." I discovered yesterday that I don't like to be still. I did a minimal amount of cleaning and cooking in half-hour stretches, and spent the rest of the day sitting with my feet up. I had good books to read, and loved ones to phone, but I still wished to be out walking; and I kept seeing all those things that needed to be done. My ankle looks almost normal this morning, so that's good. We keep praying that if there was a blood clot, it will dissolve by tomorrow's test. Thanks for your prayers.

Maybe we should also pray that I will learn the art of stillness. Only when we're still can we hear. I suppose that should be self-evident, but I'm afraid I often miss it. I've been reading Addiction and Grace by Gerald May, and I saw it there. He writes that we can't produce spiritual growth; it is God's work. Yet, there are three things we can do: pray, attend to what God is saying and doing, and act on what's real. It's the attend part that requires being still and listening. I want to do that better. Yesterday I speed-read The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey (son of "7 Habits" Covey). Here I saw it again, in regard to trust relationships with people: listen to them. "Listen" would be a good word-for-the-year.

Have a great Sunday.

Carol