Being Still

My mom’s childhood church stories are some of the funniest.  She is one of five kids and both of her parents sang in the church choir, leaving the children to sit unattended during the service.  And with all that freedom they couldn't help themselves.  They rolled up the offering envelopes and pretended to smoke them like cigarettes, waited for a quiet moment to ruffle the hymnal pages and slam the book shut and rolled marbles down the church aisle from the back of the sanctuary.  My uncle and his friend licked the communion wafers and stick them to their foreheads.  It didn’t matter how hard my grandparents glared from the choir loft or how bad the punishment was when they got home.  It’s a wonder that all five of them have grown up with a love of worship and rightness with God!  You would have thought my grandparents would have thrown in the towel, but it was clearly more than just good discipline practice at work.  It was God’s grace.  Somewhere, in the midst of all those shenanigans, a seed was planted.  God’s grace allowed it to grow.

I’m sharing this because this morning I grumbled at my child during church.  I wanted him to listen and learn and appreciate, not draw on the back of the bulletin and try to lay down in the pew.  But somewhere inside my heart I felt the Lord say, Be still. 

Be still and know that I am God.  Be still and know that I am faithful.  And relax! Sew the seeds I’ve given you and let my infinite grace do amazing things.

As our pastor, Lynda Zelenka, likes to say, Lord, put me aside.  Put aside my pride and my prejudice.  Put aside my weariness and my aggravation.  Put aside the things that bind me to this earth and let instead your glory shine through.  Let your grace water the seeds we are so humbled to plant for you.  Let your grace allow us to grow.

XOXO....Kelly

And, P.S., God's seed can't grow if you don't plant it in the first place.  Get your kids to church. Get yourself to church!! Pass it on.