A Time To Be

        I love to talk. It is extremely hard for me to be quiet.  It is painful for me to just "be", but unmeasurable good can come from this. I'm reading through Ecclesiastes, and last night I read through chapter 3 that talks about how "to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven". I've recently had experience with a time for birth ,and today happens to be the 23rd anniversary of my father's death. I've also had a good amount of experience recently with a time to be sick, both personally and with caring for my family. My most recent sickness left me without a voice for a couple of days. That was horrible for me. When I attempted to speak loudly to reprimand my girls, my voice crackled and squeaked like a pubescent boy...prompting stifled laughter, not action. It's not easy for me to shut-up, but ultimately that's what I had to do in order to let my voice heal from the stress of my head cold. I had to be more careful with what really needed to be said vs. what I wanted to say.
        We know it is important for our kids to have quiet time. Most of us have to force our children into this. I have to give my children this gift, so that I too can experience some down time. I have told my children that it had better be an emergency if they are going to be waking me up during a nap at quiet time. My youngest ones often lack discretion in this area, interpreting their lost purple marker as an emergency. When my girls come in, I usually blurt out, "Is anyone cut or dying?" (just to remind them of examples of true emergencies)  Nine times out of ten, they go away without speaking. A few weeks ago, I was very thankful when my oldest timidly came in to ask if a toilet overflowing was an emergency.  Yes, I enthusiastically congratulated her, that is one emergency I want to be woken up for. I can't remember the last time I jumped out of bed so quickly, and sprinted downstairs with towels and plunger in hand. All that running came in handy.
        I think many people truly want to hear from God. They have specific questions they want answers to. I think this is why psychics are so popular...people want an answer now and are willing to pay for it. Within the Christian realm, people gifted with prophecy are equally desired in order to hear from God what He would say to you. I have nothing against the latter, but I would challenge you to be quiet before God to hear for yourself what He has to say to you. I believe He will speak to us if we take the time to be still.
        Five and a half years ago, I went through an event called the "Great Banquet", and one of the most powerful things about the three days was being still. (To read more about my experience, click here.) As a mom, the middle of the night is really the only true "still" time I have, but my recent laryngitis forced me to be quiet during the daytime as well. It is amazing what you will hear when you are quiet. I heard more of my girls' heart in that week than I had in probably the previous six months. The Great Banquet was the first time in a long time that I knew God was talking to me. I heard from His heart. I think it's because the noise of family, cell phones, TV, and even the internet was silenced for three whole days. It was powerful. I was moved to confess a lie to my husband after attending, which began a whole series of confessions over the next year (since I'd been trying to hide who I was...here's that story).
        What does God have to say to you? It could forever change the course of your life the way He did mine. The Great Banquet begins in our area in just a few weeks. Are you curious to hear what He would say to you? If you tell me that you are interested, I will do everything I can to help you get there for three days of peace and quiet. What do you have to lose but a lot of noise?