Just Be ..on purpose

I had a post in mind today, but I honestly wasnt feelin' it.  Our morning started off a bit crazy, and I was having a hard time focusing my mind in the direction I wanted it to go.

But ...I am doing a study by Casandra Martin, called A Light in the Darkness. God used it this morning to remind me of something important that really applied to several things on my "stress list" this morning.

Like I have already mentioned this week ...this idea of "just being" is on my mind and heart lately. I smiled when today's lesson of the study was focused on Psalms 46: 10 ...."be still, and know that I am God."

{I love how God does that ...sets the same verses in front of you from many different places all at once!}

One of the things on my heart and mind lately has been how chaotic our evenings are around here. Our daddy is working and going to school full time right now (yes, he IS super dad!) which means that we spend most days and every evening just the four of us (me and the three boys).  It never, ever fails that our evenings start picking up in noise level and frustration about 4pm and doesnt stop until 9pm when they are all bedded down for the night and I finally get to breath a quiet breath.

Most nights, I end up putting my kids to bed feeling worn out and often defeated, frustrated that we often finish great days with a feeling of irritation and exhaustion. And its not just me ...my children feel it too! Aside from their increased energy level, my 6 year old commented the other day how it was sad he didnt have a "good day."  Talking about it, I realized that the reasons he felt that way were largely things that had happened in the last couple hours of the day.

God spoke to me this morning, when I had this mind ...what do I do about this problem?

It struck me how purposeful we need to be in that "just being."    Its not just about taking a deep breath, and praying a sense of quiet (which, of course is a great way to get that in the middle of the chaos) but its also about creating moments of quiet, rest and stillness.

I felt like God was clearly reminding me that I need to BE still, CREATE quiet, just be ...on PURPOSE.


Stillness is not passive ...not in our day and time, and not in this house.  Quiet is not a default setting for these boys, or me for that matter. True rest does not come naturally...which is kinna ironic.

So, my plan for the midst of our crazy hours is to purposefully create an alone time for everyone ..me included.  I am praying that it will derail our crazy train for a bit, enough to help us end our evenings peacefully :)

What will you do to just be ..on purpose..today?