Quieting down

Who has been eating delicious peanut butter cookies, sleeping in, working out, reading encouraging stuff, watching movie marathons with her awesome hubby, and being generally spoiled on her Spring Break? Me. J  Ahh, vacation is always sweetest when it’s needed the most.

It’s interesting: I’ve had less interaction with my laptop in the last three days of vacation than I had during the three prior weeks when I was actually trying to cut back on media. Go figure.

I’m discovering that periodic times when I avoid the normal definition of “productivity” can sometimes actually produce the best results. One result is that it is definitely effective at cutting back on all the “noise” that fills my head most of the time.

I’m realizing that I need stillness.  Even in the flow of necessary responsibilities and the inevitable crush of deadlines and to-do’s, my heart needs moments when I simply

Sit.

Or belly-laugh with friends.

Or lift my hands in silent adoration to Jesus.

Or stand still in the WalMart parking lot to admire the streaming colors of the sunset.

When my heart quiets down, when I stop the volley of anxious, ping-ponging thoughts for a moment, then—surprisingly—I start hearing the smaller noises that usually don't make the “urgent” list. 

I notice the tone of my friend’s voice and the tremor in her mouth as she shares instead of just taking mental note of the bare facts. 

I remember that another friend has a birthday coming.

I allow myself to giggle over a pair of squirrels being…um, frisky in a tree next to the Physics building on campus. 

I hear the voice of Jesus saying “Come talk with me”, and my heart answers “I’m coming” (Psalm 27:8)