Be Still...

It seems that at least every other post from me is about snow. Can you tell that I LOVE snow. There is something so peaceful about a snowy day. I love to watch out the front door and just enjoy the serenity of the snowflakes floating down to the white blanket. My family loves to tease me (but for me it is NO joke!) because I do not allow anyone to walk in the front yard when it snows. I don't want the beauty of the perfectly made bed of snow messed up. They can play in the side yards or up on the hill in the back of the house, but stay out of my front yard! For some reason, Major, our big baby of a dog, can't seem to grasp this concept just yet.

The snow seems to bring with it a mood of self-reflection for me. Maybe, it is because I have extended amounts of quiet time in the mornings when we have a snow-day. The kids sleep late. I can enjoy a cup of coffee and take a much longer time for my Bible study and prayer time than on a 'normal' morning. Whatever the reason, I am so thankful that God gives me this time and speaks to me through His Word and the quiet moments of the morning.

This morning, I started a study of Esther. (Our women's Bible Study groups at church are using Charles Swindoll's guide.) My particular group has decided to also do a daily study so that we can touch base daily and be in the Word daily. Then, to go along with this, I'm using the New Inductive Study Series to help me look at Esther more in depth.

This morning's study for me was an overview or survey of the book and reflecting on how life can sometimes be disappointing in that it doesn't always turn out the way WE planned. Still, through every circumstance and disappointment we should seek the Lord. It could be that He will bring us out of the situation completely. Or maybe there is a reason He has us in the difficult situation that is part of a bigger plan for our lives. What I often struggle with is the seeking Him. How? When? Where?

Well, back to the snow...no, it doesn't have to snow to seek Him. However, the snow is a reminder of how to seek the Lord.



Psalm 46:10 (NIV) says, "Be still, and know that I am God." To know God and to be able to hear Him we have to listen. To listen, we have to be quiet or STILL. If you walk outside when it is snowing, especially in the morning before others are out and about, it is so peaceful. It is an awesome reminder to just BE STILL! The New American Standard Version says, "Cease striving...." Other translations and paraphrases use words such as "Pay attention, relax, calm down, or desist" to tell us to BE STILL AND LISTEN. We get so busy that we either just get ourselves worked into a tizzy about our circumstances or we just seek the advice of everyone around us when we face problems or we seek the advice from the latest 'self-help' book, but we so often forget to seek the Lord, to search in THE BOOK and be still and listen for His advice and guidance.

My prayer for myself and for anyone reading this today is that we would all BE STILL, CALM DOWN, CEASE STRIVING and realize that GOD IS GOD. He is in control of every circumstance and situation we find ourselves in today. Listen for what He has to say to us.

Lots of love,
Cindy