Tag: stillness equals rest

Two Mites and a Moment of Stillness

I had the privilege of cleaning in the LDS Syracuse Temple. It was enjoyable because of the building’s beauty, peace, and quiet. It was also wonderful because of my working partner, Melissa. We had a deep, interesting, and moving conversation about learning to slow down and being still.

This is something I’ve been tutored in for over a decade, but it still isn’t a habit for me. I’m a mover, shaker, and finisher. Stopping and stillness are not part of my natural energy.

So, what has my tutoring in stopping and being still looked like?

When working on a project such as organizing the garage or simply cleaning the bathroom, I occasionally have the thought to stop, to finish later. I know the thought isn’t coming from me because I’m a finisher. I look heavenward and think, “I could finish this!” The next thought is often, “It will wait. Go and….” Then something that matters more will come to mind: check on Maggie, see if Jodie needs help, hug Don, touch a grandchild passing through, see what my mom is doing, call a friend, or sit and rest.

And here is where an insight Melissa had fits in beautifully. She compared our experiences to the parable of the widow’s mite — what we give from the heart, even if it’s just two small coins’ worth of effort, is enough. Maybe all I got done was cleaning several shelves in the garage or just the toilet bowl. It’s enough, and it will hold until I can give more without sacrificing the things that matter most: rest, connection with a child or spouse, caring for another person, etc. (The Parable of the Widow’s Mite is found in Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4)

Stopping and being still is valuable for many reasons. When we stop, even for a few moments, we can unravel problems, come up with solutions, rewrite our stories, and make wiser decisions. We can really see another person — a child or spouse, a friend or neighbor — and let them know we see them. We can appreciate the beauty around us, even if we’re feeling grief, sadness, anger, or loneliness. Stillness brings a measure of peace regardless of what’s happening in life. Over time, this practice of slowing down and being still leads to better health and a sense of well-being we might otherwise miss.

My favorite scripture has long been “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. It’s been a favorite since my early adulthood. In my heart I’ve always known that stillness, stopping for a few minutes, was a valuable gift I could give myself if I would.

Slow Down

This past Wednesday, I was introduced to the song “Slow Down” by Sissel, a singer from Norway.

In the midst of my confusion
In the time of desperate need
When I am thinking not too clearly
A gentle voice does intercede

In the time of tribulation
When I’m feeling so unsure
When things are pressing in about me
Comes a gentle voice so still, so pure

Slow down, slow down, be still, my child
Be still and wait, on the Spirit of the Lord
Slow down and hear His voice
And know that He is God

You may have another view of God and life, but I’ll bet these words still stir your heart as a parent, homemaker, working woman, neighbor, friend, etc. We are all busy.

An Incredible and Moving Thought

Monday morning, I got up at 6 am. I did my morning routine to center myself for the day. I took care of my husband’s health list, dressed, fed, and helped my mom with her needs, helped with Maggie, and so on. Around noon, I was in the bathroom resting, LOL, and I had this thought:

“Mary Ann, it isn’t what you do, but the pace at which you do it.”

That is why this song, and my favorite verse of scripture, touched me so deeply this past week. I know it’s important to be still, to slow the pace of life, even for a few minutes.

I’m working to be still, to slow down during the day, to sit with no agenda even for a few minutes: to begin my affirmations with purposeful silence and not rush through them, to intentionally give myself time to think and hear after prayer. I’ve been experimenting with sitting on the patio, looking out on the world, and not feeling pressed to move to the next thing for at least 5 to 10 minutes. : ) I’m managing it fairly well, and I’m looking forward to how this changes me, because I know it will.

And that brings me back to Melissa and the widow’s mite. Some people have learned to slow down and be still; it comes naturally to them, or they’ve cultivated it over time. For me, and for many of you, I bring my two mites, because right now that’s all I have, and as Christ and the widow taught us, it is enough.

If you’ve had experiences with stillness, I would love to hear about them. I can use the ideas and motivation, and I’m sure many of you can too.

Leave a comment on the website and bless us all as we learn and grow together.

 

Stillness = Rest and Rejuvenation

My husband was watching the show The Irrational. It’s about a behavioral science professor who solves tough police cases. I was in the kitchen and could hear it. The main character had an appendix surgery. He tried to rise from his bed a few times because there was a case he wanted to get going on. His sister had to nag at him to remain in bed and heal. At one point the professor spoke with a priest, while still in the hospital. The priest said, “St. Stillness has visited you.” Then he smiled and the professor replied, “Oh, stillness. I’m not very good at it.”

This intrigued me because one of my favorite scriptures is “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10, from the Christian Bible. However, I, like the professor, must work to be still.

Recently, I got a call from a friend. We have both had challenging things happen in the last few years and talked about how we’ve managed. At some point in the conversation, I said, “God has put me in Rest and Rejuvenation 101 so I can learn to manage better.” She began laughing, and so did I. She knew exactly what I was talking about.

This topic of Stillness, Rest, and Rejuvenation is tied to the article I wrote on Peaceful Intensity. Not only must we manage busy and often chaotic days with a sense of peace and calmness, but we also need to learn to be still so that we find moments of rest and are rejuvenated. As we do, we manage better.

Getting things done is my nature but it isn’t healthy to think, move, and manage stuff all the time. It leads to weariness, grumpiness, and resentment even though we choose to bypass stillness, receive rest, and be rejuvenated. I have been in this class for a few years. Some tests I pass and others I fail. But I keep receiving resources and information, practicing, and growing. I’m doing what I have done dozens of times in the past seventy-five years, I’m working on getting better at a skill that will help me remain healthy and happy.

My current mission is to care for my mother, who has dementia, my husband who has several illnesses, and help my daughter care for her four children, one with severe cerebral palsy. When I stop and think about it, I realize this is not random. I had determined previously, that I needed to learn to live my favorite scripture, be still, and know God. He, being wise and loving, put me in this class by giving me this current assignment.

In the last couple of years, I have begun to see the connection between stillness and the rest it brings leading to rejuvenation. I haven’t always enjoyed the object lessons in this class. They have been trying at times. However, I have begun to pass a few more tests.

Like many of you, I have a lot on my plate. Whether those we care for are old or young it is the same work. So, learning to be still in small increments, so that we rest and rejuvenate multiple times daily, is vital to our health and well-being.

My Commitment/Affirmations for 2025 are beautiful, and when I read them, I’m astonished at how well they hit the mark. It was worth the effort I put into creating them. Some of them focus on stillness, rest, and rejuvenation because I knew going into this year that I needed to make more progress.

Here are a few things that I have in my current stillness arsenal.

•I have found a way of meditation that works for me. I have a list of meditations that take 8 minutes or less. To meditate, you must get still and focus. I listen to one most nights before I go to bed. It helps me fall asleep quickly.
•Before I begin praying, I stop and get quiet. I am still for a few minutes before I utter a word whether that prayer is being said in my nightly shower, kneeling at the side of my bed, or while washing a sink full of dishes.
•My husband says when I wake up, I move like a fireman. He’s right. Now I am making myself lie still for just a few minutes and feel the goodness of the day before I allow my feet to touch the ground.
•I’m making a diligent effort to remember to breathe deeply three or four times whenever I feel frustration, annoyance, or irritation coming into my body.
•When I must solve a problem or make a decision, I sit down and remain still for a couple of minutes to clear my mind and prepare myself.
•When I face an old story or a new negative one, rather than feeling bothered, I still my mind and then redirect my thoughts.
•If I find myself unsure because of a setback or a very chaotic day I stop where I am, standing or sitting, and listen. What voice do I hear? One that is harsh and critical or gentle and kind. Then I calmly choose to accept the latter.
•I am continuing my gratitude journal. I have been writing three things each day for several years. Before I write a word, I close my eyes, breathe deeply, and then begin. The whole process takes less than 4 or 5 minutes, and frequently that is all I get before someone needs me. : )

A Simple Example

Let me give you an example of a stillness moment that occurred today, Friday. It had been an overly busy day with errands and caregiving. As I served dinner, I felt a deep need to be done. However, my mom needed help with her teeth. My husband needed help to change clothes and food still needed to be put away. I didn’t want to face dishes in the morning, so despite wanting to be done, I began working on cleaning up.

I don’t know about you but when I’m overly tired even inanimate objects seem determined to cause me trouble. LOL As I washed the silverware a knife slipped from my hand back into the water. I made a face and felt the irritation rise. I began to say, “You dumb knife.” Then I stopped, closed my eyes, and took a few deep breaths. I stood still for maybe 30 seconds. It didn’t remove my tiredness. I still had a few dishes to wash. However, the irritation died out and I felt calm, rested, and rejuvenated. I was able to finish the kitchen and help Mom and my husband with a couple more things before heading to my desk to write.

I know that many would scoff at my list. If you look online the advice is to go to lunch or shopping with friends, take a trip, or get away. These are not practical for my current life. They wouldn’t have worked well when I was raising our seven children. I couldn’t do these things consistently, and surely not every day.  It’s been necessary to find simple ways to add stillness, quiet, and space to my life numerous times a day, right where I am.

Friends, I have learned much and I am wise in many ways. I have lived a long life. I have changed, grown, matured, overcome weaknesses, and have blessed others. I have been in more 101-level classes than I care to admit. But here I am again, in class, Stillness = Rest and Rejuvenation 101, and the resources I need to progress are showing up because I ask for them. I know I can become very good at creating moments of stillness in my busy days that lead to rest and rejuvenation.

Stillness = rest and rejuvenation. I am sure of this, and I am learning to increase all three in my life. I know it will bless me, my family, and all those I connect with.

If you are determined to do what it takes to learn and grow it will bless your life. Be open to those 101 classes!