Shhhhhhh...

One of my dearest friends and I had the opportunity to just sit and talk the other day. Why is this noteworthy, you ask? Because we, in our busy lives, don't have time to just sit and talk. For that matter, there are many things that get put aside in our lives, just merely because they are further down on the priority list. One main thing that I have very little time for is reading... I LOVE to read, always have. I was going to major in English and Literature... remember? Anyway, we were discussing what we enjoy reading, when time allows. I personally have no interest in "self-help" type books... I just can not get into them. I love to read fiction and the occasional biography. I have many favorite authors such as Robin Cook, Ted Dekker, CS Lewis, etc... I am not one who MUST read a book by a Christan author. (Some of you may have just lowered me on your "Christan-o-meter"... sorry.) I have stacks of unread books on my night stand, in my car, in my closet... all books I think I want to read, but haven't. I recently discovered a way to carve out some time, each day, to read. I leave about 45 minutes early to pick up Jeremiah from school and I read in the car line. Hooray, finally the opportunity to jump into a good book... it worked for a while, but not lately. I finished a book a few weeks ago and since then I have picked up and put down two totally different books... the first one was a secular author, and I just couldn't tolerate it this time. The second one was a Christian author, but it seemed a bit shallow in the story line. I was so frustrated... then I noticed some of my music (again, no it's not all Christan...) I just couldn't tolerate the noise. I started recognizing a trend... I decided I should check in with God "Ummm, are you trying to get my attention? If so, I'm sure not listening very well, am I?" Ahaaa... so that's the problem. He was seeking to speak with me and I was distracted. I turned my radio off, put the books away, sat still and said "Speak Lord, I'm listening." He did.

Now I'm not saying that I don't listen to my music anymore or the radio, and I will still read my books. I just need to be careful of distraction's in my life, that they don't become so loud that they drown out the still small voice of my Savior. Ps. 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God..." Ps. 143:8 "Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You." Matt. 11:15 "He who has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him consider and perceive and comprehend by hearing." He is a jealous God and yearns for our attention, our devotion, our worship... He longs to commune with us, to be close to us... that is pretty cool!