And throughout my life I have had to learn the lesson of sitting still over and over again. Being still when the very thing you want to do, is to do something, anything - anything would be better than simply sitting still and waiting!
Have you ever struggled with sitting still? Being quiet, having a thousand things you would rather be doing, but instead.... it was not the time for busy, it was the time to be still!
I again experienced the painful lesson this past weekend about being still.
Be still and know that I am God.
My husband was hurt and in pain several thousand miles away, and there was NOTHING I could do... but pray! (See my post here if you have not read it.) Oh the agony of it all was quite hard for both of us. He wanted me there, and I wanted nothing more than to be there for him. But I was miles away, and all we could do was be still and wait. He was waiting in the Emergency Room, alone... and I was waiting to hear what the outcome of his burn would be.
Then I remembered this scripture...
Psalms 121
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth,
and even for evermore.
And so Annie and I went on a long walk and I lifted up mine eyes unto the hills...
from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep
The LORD is thy keeper:
the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day
nor the moon by night
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil
he shall preserve thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth,
and even for evermore.
As Annie and I walked and walked ...
and I talked to the Lord,
the beautiful sunshine gradually faded from the sky,
its vibrant colors mixed with the darkening shades of night
in a glorious fashion.
Be still my soul, indeed!!!
In the gentle grandeur of the setting sun and the rising moonlight...
my soul was quieted and rested in the hope
found in the wonder of our Lord's creation.
As we walked several wild creatures stopped
and gazed upon us as we walked.
I have not had that many wildlife encounters in a while.
The Lord knew I needed to see the beauty of His creation
In all its glory.
Being still.
The stillness of the waiting period became quite glorious.
As the shadows of darkness lingered and
gently pushed the last fingers of light from the sky...
I was still and yet finding myself full of hope,
Full of peace, and knowing....
All was well! The God of Israel who never slumbers or sleeps was doing more for this situation than I could do... and it was well with my soul.
Much later that evening, while the sun was in bed and the moon's light still glistening, my husband was sent home from the Emergency Room with a good report - all would be well!
Being still is not always a bad thing, I learned, once again.
Thank you Dad for teaching me that lesson many years ago. The lesson learned well then, applied again today.... being still and resting in the arms of our loving Heavenly Father is a beautiful thing.
All indeed is well.. in HIM!
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Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chrissy, it was truly a beautiful day, when it was all said and done :)
DeleteLove it and a great reminder to Be still upon the Lord...Even as adults we need to be still, all the other things can wait.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear your husband is okay. God works behind the scenes and never leaves our side even in the midst of the storm. Will he be coming home soon? I'll be lifting both of you in my prayers. ☺
Many hugs, Amy
Being still is always a hard lesson to accomplish, no matter how young or old you are! But, it is a wonderful thing to be still before the Lord and to allow Him to do what only He can do. My husband was planning on coming home this weekend, but we just got word that his mother just got admitted to the hospital, and he needs to be there for her. Thank you for your prayers, it is so appreciated!
DeleteHi MM! I just believe that you live in the most beautiful place in the USA. What a true comfort it was to walk in silence with your dear pet, and train yourself to trust in the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI read your last post, wow. And that you knew something was wrong too. The Spirit is certainly alive, isn't He? I'm so glad your husband turned at just the right time so his face was protected. And the card from Cheryl? Not coincidence to me. The Spirit again, confirming your protection.
Beautiful post,
Ceil
I agree with you Ceil, I do believe that northern Idaho is a gem in the heart of this amazing country that we live in, and we are blessed to live life large here!
DeleteIndeed, the spirit of the Lord is able to quicken in our hearts and lead us to prayer for situations where we can see the power and glory of God at work! So many times we pray, never seeing results, and yet, in this situation, it was a quick and mighty answer to prayer that the Lord allowed us to see His handiwork in action. For that, we give GOD the praise! Yes, the Lord works in mysterious ways, and our hearts are encouraged in Him! Appreciate your visit here dear Ceil, and praying the Lord blesses your heart today in a special way! :)
What a beautiful place you have been blessed to live in dear one, and a wonderful place to walk and gather your thoughts so you can leave all things in His Hands. Your daddy did give you some wonderful life training...right there on his lap. Waiting in stillness is one of the most difficult lessons to learn in life. Thank you for this wonderful reminder that we need to practice this discipline.
ReplyDeleteHugs from Shirley
Indeed, my father's training was a discipline of the heart that needed to be learned then, and still today, I find myself needing to be still before the Lord. You are so right, waiting, and being quiet is possibly the hardest thing to do in the midst of terrible tumult in our hearts. I am thankful that in the stillness of waiting, there was the beauty of His creation around me to comfort, and assure me of His steadfast love for me. Appreciate your dear heart for the Lord Shirley, and praying for you that the Lord will bless you in a special way today!
DeleteBeautiful post, lovely pics!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your week!
Hugs and love from Portugal,
Ana Love Craft
www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com
Thanks for you visit Ana, always a joy to see you visit here! Praying you have a blessed and wonderful day!
DeleteBeautiful post. I've been praying for you although I did not realize what was happening. I am glad everything is ok with your husband. Hugs Ronda
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prayers Ronda, that means so very much! God is so faithful to care for us so greatly in the midst of situations that come to our door! We are praying for you too! Much love and prayers to you today!
DeleteWith those beautiful views you could not doubt the glory of the Lord.
ReplyDeletePsalm 121 is one that I read to my husband over and over as he lay recovering from a stroke a few years ago. We go back to it time and time again.
OH what a comforting Psalm it is indeed! I'm sure reading it to your husband as you indeed had to be still and wait on the Lord as he recovered, that the scriptures brought hope and peace into your heart! I am so thankful for His Word that is timeless, and brings fresh hope and peace into our hearts, no matter the situation that comes to us. Praying for you today dear friend, that the Lord will be with you in this road of recovery for your husband!
DeleteThis is one of my favourite scriptures and I think I memorized it in Sunday School when I was very young. It often comes to me and recently, friends of ours at church lost their 18 year old son to alcohol poisoning. I made a 'photo card' to share with her on Facebook and used the first lines of this passage. It was a sad and tragic end to a young life on the other side of Canada where he was living and working. The family had to wait 36 hours before they could get a flight out due to stormy weather. The pain of loss they are going through is unimaginable. So many words of encouragement and scripture have been given to them to lift them up. I didn't read the previous post about your husband's burn until after I'd read this post but I also believe the Lord touched your husband's burn and made it better than it was and that prayers were answered. I can only imagine your angst when you felt the fear in your spirit that something was wrong. I am glad that all is well with him. May God continue to heal his burn and bless you both! Thank you for sharing your faith! Blessings to you.
ReplyDeletePam
Oh my goodness, how terribly sad to lose one's son and such tragic circumstances! Oh my, I can't even imagine how their hearts were hurting. Scripture is such a comfort in times like this. What would we do without the comfort of God's word when tragic situations such as this overwhelm our hearts! Oh, I will be praying for this dear family dealing with such a tragic loss! Oh my heart does go out to them, as I have a son approaching 18 years old in just a few days! I can't imagine it, and yet I pray that the comfort of the Lord would be with them. Oh in the situations of our lives that come to us, what would we do without the Lord to comfort us! Yes, all is well now with my husband, and he is healing quickly! He was to come home this weekend, but now his mother has just been admitted to the hospital, and we are waiting word on what her condition is. The Lord is our present help in time of trouble, and upon HIM we lean! Appreciate your visit here dear Pamela, always a blessing for me! Much love to you today!
DeleteAll creation speaks to the glory of God! "but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." I can picture your daddy holding you on his lap and gently teaching you to be still. Lovely. A very wise man and wonderful earthly father. Hugs, Nancy
ReplyDeleteBeautiful scripture Nancy, one of my favorites! And yes, a wonderful lesson from my father that I've had to rely on several times through life! God is so faithful to comfort us and be with us in the times of life when there is nothing we can do but wait. And as you shared, waiting on the Lord will renew our strength! Thank you Lord! Appreciate this scripture and your thoughts Nancy! Praying you have a blessed and wonderful day!
DeleteWhat a beautiful post. Your photos describe Psalm 121 creatively and really minister to me as I wait for my husband to get well. He has a severe health problem and the VA is slow in getting the process done so he can have treatment. God really spoke to me in your words! Thank you so much for visiting me today! Never been to Idaho but would love to see more of its beauty. I'm your latest subscriber!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your husband and the problem with the VA! I'm so thankful that the scriptures and pictures spoke to your heart... isn't the Word just like that, alive and ministering to us in all situations that we face in our lives! Oh I can only imagine how difficult it is to wait on the VA to get things in order for your husband to have treatment, and I will join in prayer with you that the Lord will undertake and give them a boost! Northern Idaho is truly a gem hidden up here, and we feel quite blessed to live life large here! I'm so happy that you are my latest subscriber! Appreciate your visit so very much, and look forward to getting to know you better too! God has blessed my heart in so many ways through other bloggers. May He bless your heart today! :)
DeleteI am so bad at keeping still. I try to meditate and it is very hard for me. My mind jumps around then I get up and jump around. I am so glad that your husband is doing well. Sending prayers.
ReplyDeleteSitting still is quite difficult indeed! I am glad I could walk and look at the hills around me! There was nothing I could do, except look up and trust. :) My husband continues to heal quickly, and for that we are so very thankful! Have a wonderful day Kim!
DeleteA very thoughtful post. I love the illustrations you used with the psalm, very appropriate.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit and kind comment.
Diana
Thank you Diana, I'm so happy to have your visit, and pray your heart was blessed and encouraged! I'm glad that we have the Lord to look to in our times of distress. He is faithful! Much love to you today! :)
DeleteBeautiful reflection on pausing in life, trusting God. Thank-you for sharing the photos of your walk--God's creation before you as you prayed.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful thing to be able to call on the Lord in our time of need! He is so faithful, and I'm always grateful to see His beautiful creation reassuring me that all is well. Appreciate your visit today, and look forward to getting to know you better! Blogging friends have brought such blessings into my life :) Have a blessed day!
DeleteSuch beautiful words from the Word and such lovely pictures to accompany them! I am SO thankful your dear husband is going to be fine, and so grateful God brought a stillness to your spirit during this awful ordeal. Have you ever heard that song, "Stand still, and let God move"? Your post reminded me of that song. I trust all will be well with you, and I am praying for you often. Sending you much love!
ReplyDeleteDear Cheryl, I don't know that I have heard that song, but it sounds wonderful. I will do a search on it to see if I can find it and listen to it! We are so thankful for the comfort that the Word of God brings in moments like this, and how we can trust our God in all things! My husband was going to try to get home this weekend, but his mother has just been admitted to the hospital, and he need to be there for her. Believing in the Lord that all will be well for her in Jesus name. Appreciate you dear Cheryl, and your precious friendship that has blessed me in such an amazing way. May the Lord bless you with the riches of His glory today! Much love and hugs!
DeleteJust beautiful and I love how you share a wonderful lesson using your learning from childhood in the present today. So thoughtful and encouraging. So glad your hubby will be okay too. Your photos are amazing. Have a nice and peaceful weekend. Blessings to you. xo
ReplyDeleteThanks Celestina, it was a beautiful lesson to learn again, and I am so thankful that the Lord is able to keep us in both good times and difficult times! Thank you for your sweet words today, they are a blessing! Have a wonderful day :)
DeleteYou can tell this comes from your heart.
ReplyDeleteYour parents are very wise to raise you to sit still. God wants us be still and listen. You can't do that by cleaning, shopping, talking, etc.
God is good!
Sitting still is never a fun lesson to learn, whether as a child, or at any time in our lives, but a valuable lesson it is! It is wonderful to know that our Lord is faithful to us in good times and difficult times... HE can be counted on! Have a blessed day my friend, your visits are always appreciated!
DeleteI am so thankful that your husband is going to be ok and that the Lord was with you and him the entire time.
ReplyDeleteWe give the Lord all praise! He is good in both good times and difficult times. A present help in time of sorrow and trouble. Praying for you dear Debbie, that the Lord would help you through this time of mourning your very special friend who passed and for the family left behind. My heart goes out to them, and my prayers for this precious family with a big hole left in their hearts, that the Lord would comfort them! Much love to you today!
DeleteIsn't it wonderful that something taught so long ago would be such a help for you today? Your images went so well with the scripture you shared in the post. It all came together to make me aware of the importance of being still, and just basking in the presence of God. You certainly have a gift, my dear.
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord for working all things together for good.
xoxoxo
Yes, a simple lesson learned young, and relearned many times throughout life! Thank you for the sweet words your shared today, I appreciate them so much! I pray that you are doing well dear Debbie, and that your day is blessed!
DeleteYes, sitting still even as an adult is hard! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Sitting still is never an easy thing to do... I don't mind sitting still if I have something beautiful to look at though :)
DeleteMy father too was very strict and being still was taught to me also at a very young age. Somehow I didn't mind. At a young age, I knew it was a good thing to be still in church. Later, as an adult I tried to teach it to my children but they weren't as obliging as I was. It's interesting to note how different we all are. My children taught me a lot about myself and are still teaching me today. Praise the Lord that your dear husband is okay! I love how you used scripture and beautiful pictures to get this important message out there. Thank you for sharing with us. Beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sandi
Sandi, indeed times have changed haven't they! I think it was a common practice years ago for fathers to teach their young ones to sit very still and listen. Reading Laura Ingall's books, and how hard it was for them to sit still on Sunday, but it was something they trained young to do. It seems a lost art, perhaps, as sitting still is really not an easy thing to do! I need to practice it more myself :)
DeleteYes, my dear husband is okay, and his burn is healing up, praise to the Lord! Thank you for your sweet words about the post, it is always so nice to hear them, and I always enjoy your visits. May the Lord bless you sweet friend! :)