Still

Apparently my word for 2015 was move. It’s safe to say that I forgot about this resolution as quickly as I blogged it, or, rather I forgot to be intentional about it any time after about mid-January. I was able to move a lot in 2015, literally and figuratively, but probably not as much as I would have liked. Fitbit tells me I had a decent number of steps each day, but that might be the only measurable account of my objectives.

As we move into 2016, I have thought again about selecting a single word to guide me through the year. I’ve given consideration to several words that attempt to get at an overall goal … calm, slow, settle, relax, replenish. These are all great words, but nothing seemed to fit just right. Then it hit me ….

STILL.

I didn’t mean arrive at a word with the exact opposite meaning from the one I chose last year. I’m not sure if there is a bigger meaning here or not.

And, I am not even sure that still is exactly the right word, but I had a hard time finding a single word with the following definition: stop rushing around all day every day because it stresses everyone out and we are rarely able to enjoy each other without feeling like we are neglecting other obligations.

So I settled on STILL.

Life will continue to rush ahead around me. I am an on-the-go mom with an on-the-go family, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. There will be business trips, grocery trips, and never a free weekend. We are in the little years with our kids, which means there is rarely a spare moment to claim as our own. These are things I cannot change.

In fact, I am not even sure I know how to be still.

But I’d like to try.

Because I think that, even if I am not successful, but as long as I try … I might end up finding wonderful things in the still.

Rock the ‘baby’ instead of putting him right back to bed in fear of creating bad habits. At almost 3-years-old, he is rarely still anymore. Enjoy the still with him. These moments are precious.

Shoes, and coats, and backpacks … rushing out the door every morning just to beat the build-up in the carpool line makes perfect, logistical sense. Leaving a minute or two later than usual and NOT sniping at my sweet-stop-and-smell-the-roses child makes even more sense. She knows how to be still. Learn from her.

A cup of coffee. A glass of wine. A hot meal. These are not meant to be rushed. Or enjoyed in the light of a smart phone. Multi-tasking is my lifeblood, but it should be so only when necessary rather than set as my default mode.

Still … life is moving so quickly around us. My goal is not to stop it, or even slow it down. I wouldn't even know where to start. I would like, however, to stop crawling into bed each night to the first still moment of my day.

Plus, God commands it, so it seems like a good place to start …

Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God.”