My friend, author Edie Melson, stopped me in my mental tracks this weekend.
In a post titled “Only Still Water Reflects,” posted this past Sunday on her blog The Write Conversation, Edie wrote of the busy-ness of life, and how a recent seven-day vacation at the beach helped her realize that only by slowing down, by living in God’s rhythm, can she truly reflect His image to the world.
Life has been oh-so-busy for me of late. None of the busy-ness is bad. I’m enjoying my family, which includes a precious new granddaughter. I’m continuing to live my writing dream, having just sent another round of edits for book #3, Somebody Like You, back to my publisher. I’m walking in honesty in a way I never have before … and learning what that means as each day dawns.
And yet … in the doing of all this, I am losing track of the being. I am living not by God’s rhythm, but by some fast-paced — discordant — rhythm that blurs God’s image in my life.
And I want it to change.
It’s not a question of “what’s wrong?” No. It’s a question of “what now?”
And my answer is … I don’t know.
I’ve made one small change. When I wake up in the middle of the night — and this happens frequently — I will take those few serene moments and pray … read the Word. Ponder a favorite passage.
Me. God. And a middle of the night meeting. And maybe, after I go back to sleep and wake up in the morning, I’ll see His image more clearly in my life.
In Your Words: How’s the rhythm of your life?
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Comments 20
I love this post, Beth. I’ve been running around a lot lately. And the busyness has honestly all been good stuff. I was just reflecting last week on how God is with us in that busyness. And I can learn how to acknowledge and experience his presence even in the midst of the craziness.
But still…there’s nothing like having those quiet, unhurried moments with Christ. I love how you’ve found a way to grab ahold of those moments, even when they come in the middle of the night.
Author
Your post last week was so encouraging to me, Melissa.
The rhythm of my life…like rain pellets beating a staccato rhythm but knowing that when it stops, the sun comes out and growth occurs.
Wow Anne, what a beautiful thought! Life may be busy but we can trust God to bring beauty and growth out of it. I need to remember that.
Author
Such a faith-filled statement, Anne.
Having two weeks in the middle of nowhere to chill and hear birds and watch the sky go by forces me to slow down and get off the merry-go-round. (Of course, a merry-go-round is a great diet! How else can I lose every bite of food eaten in the last week?)
The view out my front door at this very moment? Well, it’s ten feet between me and a glassy, quiet lake.
A fish just broke through the water and a bird flew by to check us out. Water bugs add sparkle to the lake, from just below the surface.
Ahhhh, the rhythm is like a slow concerto, lilting and soothing and carrying me away.
Author
Mind if I hum along?
God’s spoken to me in the past few days that busyness is not so much my problem as scatter-brain syndrome is. I whip from task to task. Sometimes, in the middle of one task, I remember another and off I go. Nothing gets finished. It’s false busyness.
I’m returning to an old habit: at the beginning of every hour, I pause and ask God to direct that hour. Whey did I ever stop doing that?
Wow, Sherry, I love the idea of asking God to direct every hour. I need to try that. If I can stop long enough to remember. 🙂
Author
Love this, Sherry!
God’s spoken to me in the past few days that busyness is not so much my problem as scatter-brain syndrome is. I whip from task to task. Sometimes, in the middle of one task, I remember another and off I go. Nothing gets finished. It’s false busyness.
I’m returning to an old habit: at the beginning of every hour, I pause and ask God to direct that hour. Whey did I ever stop doing that?
Beth, what a beautiful post. I’ve been pondering reflections too, and have taken a few pictures of reflecting water after some of our rains.
I have been very busy with kids home for summer and trying to fast draft a novel by the end of August. Throw in a vacation, a couple birthdays, and the daily responsibilities, and I am BU-SY. It’s good, but it’s tiring. I have been trying to spend time with God each morning before the day gets too far underway. He meets me where I am and speaks to my heart. I’m trying to take those words into my day with me, and to pray, and to savor time with my kids. And to write as time and inspiration allows. My rhythm is busy right now. I put on the brakes when I am able, but I’m looking forward to it slowing down some next month.
Author
Savoring now … even while we anticipate a slower pace …
In the past I’ve made many attempts to find a stillness at the center of my soul. One day I realized that it wasn’t there.
Trying to pretend that I had the capacity for reflection made me impossible to live with, especially for myself.
I’ll ride the avalanche, and wherever it ends up, is where I’ll be.
Author
I like how well you know yourself, Andrew.
I too wake in the middle of the night. I used to think about everything I was worried about but now I pray, instead, for everyone who I promised to pray for. I also am doing a Bible study of my own making everyday from the Bible about being afraid and worry. Already, after two weeks, I can feel the peace that passes all understanding. I know we have to continually seek God to get closer to him and to grown. How easy it is to step away.
I’ve always said that I walk to the beat of a different drummer (my DH says I dance the same way, off-beat. LOL). But even that different beat has been off for me lately. I agree so much with Edie’s and your words. I’m always much happier when I take time to slow down and enjoy the peace of each moment. Thanks for a reminder, Beth!
One of my favorite times is the quiet of the morning, when I wake up and am still in bed, before my feet even hit the floor I talk with God. Those moments ground me:) I tend to be a busy person too, and I want to live in his rhythm, it’s so much more peaceful.
This is the focus of my thoughts and meditations. Jesus defines life as knowing Him. Living is ongoing knowing, a continual abiding, but I seem to have a terrible old habit of taking many relationship breaks in the course of a day. I’m always wandering off somewhere. I feel like I loose spiritual consciousness far too regularly. It’s like being alive for only parts of the day. Anyway, thanks for your post, Beth. It’s a timely message to call me back to consciousness.
There is no rhythm right now! It’s almost back-to-school time. I’ve lost all semblance of normal, and I am thirsty, fatigued, waking up in the night too.
But in one week, that will all change. I’ll have some desperately needed quiet time. I’ll find my routine.
Praying you get uninterrupted sleep again soon!