Be Still and Know

On the way out the door to church this morning, running late with the kids, about four million things were going through my mind.  The short list of obligations for the next two weeks--chamber music today, practice music for the first rehearsal as the senior choir accompanist substitute for the next three months on Wednesday, finish preparing for Houston recital performance next weekend, prepare parent lecture for Houston, listen to Suzuki of Minnesota Graduation tapes, rearrange schedule to make-up lessons I will miss, oh and prepare the order forms for the Deerwood Elementary plant sale fundraiser which I am in charge of this year. Add this to the usual laundry, cat litter and groceries and my head was starting to spin.  Then I remembered that Bill is also leaving for Turkey next Monday before I even get home from Houston.  That's a country he needed a visa to get into.  Blah. It's gonna be a wild ride the next two weeks.

When we got to church, it just so happened that the service for today was a choral service.  The choir and handbells lead the entire worship.  One of the reflections was "God Is In Silence."  The speaker read part of a poem by Susan Palo Cherwien, a local poet.  I wish I had the exact words--and I intend to get a book of her poetry--but it was something to the point of: we are so caught up in our self absorbed business, our paltry projects, our mental chatter.  We can find God there, but we are much more likely to find God in stillness.  It was the exact words I needed to hear.  "Be Still and Know I am Here."  Be still.  Be still.

In one of the cheesy yoga DVDs I have been doing, the lady's mantra is strength in stillness--easy for her as she sits in a V shape for two minutes. ..

When we approach the piano to perform, we do a rest position.  To quiet our bodies and minds to reflect on the piece we are about to play.  Then we perform.  Then we do another rest position to close the performance.

I think I am seeing some connections here.

I'm thankful I got an hour in church this morning to be still.  To listen to beautiful choral and instrumental music.  The calm before the storm.  The strength in stillness.  The rest position.

I'm thankful for these next two weeks--full of meaningful work, opportunities to share with students and parents, time to take care of my family, to play beautiful music.  I do believe that we only fully participate in life and growth when we stretch ourselves to our fullest from time to time.  God is in our business as well as our stillness, it just takes more mindfulness to see it.  You have to take it one moment at a time.

Lastly, I'm thankful that after these next two weeks, full of meaningful work, I will have another rest position in Hawaii with my family--as we use up the last of our airline flight benefits.  Then a week off at home for Spring Break.

The truest rest position.

The ultimate Be Still.

And I do intend to be still.