To Quiet and Back Again

 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31

Coconut's in the foreground. Other one's Scooter.

As I compose this post on a Saturday afternoon, my son is sitting beside me, playing on my Kindle Fire, making most every squealing noise known to man. He just naturally makes sound effects when he plays games. Don't think he could stop if he wanted to.

Earlier today, he and his little sister were arguing. You know, as brothers and sisters do. It was not a quiet argument. It was, I might say, sibling rivalry at its grumpiest and whiniest.

And Coconut, my daughter's guinea pig, is chewing on the bars of her cage. Why? Not a clue. Just something she likes to do. And it's noisy.

Oh - and my email just pinged.

Good thing I don't need silence to get a blog post written. 

The older I get, the more I like quiet. And, it seems, the less I get of it.

 I used to always have/want the TV on in the background. I used to do my homework with the stereo on full blast (or as full blast as my parents would allow!). I NEVER drove in the car without tunes playing. Awkward silences were...well...awkward.

But now? If I'm alone in the car, the radio is off. Almost guaranteed. If I can find a place without noise, that's where I'll be. And awkward silences? No such thing.

This coming week just might be one when I have more opportunities than usual for quiet. You see, both my kids are heading to overnight camp. We're taking them up this morning, and will be getting them again on Saturday.

No squealing. No kid arguments. No backtalk. Just me, my wonderful hubby, and the pets.

This is the second year we've had a week like this over the summer. And if last year was any indication, it will be wonderful, but we won't be too many days into it before we start missing the kids. Missing their smiles. Their hugs. And even (gasp!) the noise.

Because, as much as I enjoy being alone with my thoughts (and my Lord), I was made for community. For connection. For fellowship. We all were. And those kids, no matter how much, or often, they drive me crazy, are God's gifts to me. 

And while I know I'll appreciate the quieter time, life (my life, anyway) isn't meant to be lived that way 24/7. How can we grow closer to one another in silence? Isn't laughter a fabulous way to connect? How can we share our dreams, our desires, our prayers with one another if we must keep our mouths shut?

And how will we ever function in this world, full of distractions and clamor, if we don't learn to work through the noise?

When He lived among us, Jesus left the masses to pray more than once (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, 22:41). He knew the value of time alone with the Lord, without distractions. But He always came back. For that is why He was sent (Luke 4:43) - not just to pray, but to be with people; to share the Good News; to act.

So, go ahead. Recharge your battery. Seek out the quiet. Avoid distractions. But don't forget to come back to the real world and share, interact, and act. That's what we're recharging for - more specifically, what God put us here for. (Ephesians 2:10)

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How much quiet are you getting this summer? Do you find yourself craving that time alone, or do you find it uncomfortable? Do you sometimes avoid doing things for God because you haven't had that "alone time" you crave? Do you agree that we are made for community? Do you put feet to your prayers?





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Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength