Finding Stillness
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. Take a moment to take in the space that is around you. Listen carefully to the sounds. Allow your body to be where it is, whether you are sitting or standing or enjoying a walk. Take a couple of deep breaths and remember that you are loved.
Consider the sunrise and how the colors of the sky change around you. How does it feel to be in that moment? In what ways do you feel more connected to the world, to yourself, or to God?
God is the friend of silence. See how nature grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and sun, how they move in silence. . . . We need silence to be able to touch souls.
- Mother Teresa
Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that I am God. . . .
Food for Thought
“Would you please be still!”
This all-too-common phrase for any parent with young children has almost become a mantra in our house—the phrase that carries us from one moment to the next.
I’m awakened from sleep by the sharp jab of a child’s bony elbow into the middle of my back. My daughter wants to dance while I help her get dressed. My son talks nonstop as I’m brushing his teeth. My youngest runs away at the first sight of a diaper change. “Would you all please be still!”
In this lack of “stillness,” I’ve found myself in that “be quiet,” “quit that,” “sit down,” “be still” mode even more than usual.
This has led me to think more about how we understand stillness. Psalm 46 has been a guiding verse for me in this exploration. I first read Psalm 46 in a hospital prayer garden after my grandmother had a massive stroke. As I circled the garden, I noticed a rock that said Be Still and Know That I am God. In that moment—in the swirling chaos of my grief—I found myself overwhelmed by the intimate presence of a God who was with me on that garden path and who had entered my grief journey.
When you read all of Psalm 46, it sings of a God who is a refuge in the midst of trouble. This is a God who acts in our stead and on our behalf, and who is deeply present with us. The psalm reminds us that the God who was in creation, who wandered in the wilderness, who went into exile, who held Jesus in the garden, is the same God who is intimately present now in the midst of our lives and is swirling with us in our growing chaos.
“Be still,” the psalm invites us, “and know that I am God.”
The intentional practice of stillness is the act of quieting our minds and opening our souls to experience the abiding presence of God with us wherever we are. Giving ourselves moments of intentional stillness allows us to quiet the chaos swirling around and within us long enough to discover that God has not left us to wander through life alone.
There are, of course, times when our kids need to be still—and times when they need to hear us remind them of it. Our houses are small, the days are long, the kids are loud. But though I am the one who is saying “would you please, be still” the most, I’m also the one who most needs to hear it and to practice it. I’ve noticed that when my kids seem most at ease—when their souls seem stillest—are the moments when I am fully present with them: embraced in a hug, chasing one another through the backyard, watching a movie.
As we continue to move through the weeks ahead, may we practice quieting our minds and opening our souls to experience deeply the presence of God and each other wherever we are.
This week, we encourage you to find some moments to practice stillness. Set aside a moment each day that is completely devoted to your mental and spiritual quiet. Sit outside and notice nature, close your eyes and listen for the sounds of life happening around you, open your heart to the words or phrases that cross your mind and then let them move on to leave space for the next thought. Make time to simply be.
For a printable version of today's reflection, download our For Love's Sake eBook! For the kid's version, check out our For Love's Sake Kids eBook!
Blessing
Loving God,
We thank you that we are not left to wander through our days alone. Help us to quiet our minds, to calm our souls, to still the chaos around and within us so that we might breathe deeply your presence and your love in this season of life.
Amen.
A little Table Talk for your table...
Can you think of a time when you engaged in the practice of stillness? Maybe just a time you sat oceanside and watched the waves, or admired the sunrise. How did you experience yourself and life in that moment?
Take time to list the things in life—worries, responsibilities, work, etc.—that keep you from practicing stillness regularly in your day or week.
Write down one way you will practice stillness this week.
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
As adults, we are not always able to create moments of stillness for ourselves, much less our little ones. But kids gain long-term benefits from learning to slow down with mindful practices. See if you can engage your kids in a moment of practicing stillness this week.
Add deep breathing to your daily routines. It doesn’t need to take much time—try adding it just before a meal or before bedtime. Start small: try taking three deep breaths together, counting to three on the inhale, and then again to three on the exhale.
Try a creative way to get your kids engaged in stillness; kid’s yoga can be a fun new practice!
Meet our Welcoming Voice!
The Welcome Table Team - We are “The Bunce Girls!” Originally from Lexington, North Carolina, we were raised surrounded by music, justice, and faith. We spent most of our Sunday afternoons gathered around an open table with family and friends where the food was plentiful, stories and laughter connected our hearts, and where the presence of each individual was held sacred. It’s those moments that have inspired The Welcome Table.
To hear more from TWT throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!
Here are Five Things to Remember When Setting Your Own Welcome Table!