Day 20 , Lenten Journey

I love this! You only  need to BE STILL. That's something I've ALWAYS had a problem with! Starting with kindergarten onwards! I think I spent more time IN THE HALL than in the classroom in First Grade.  I was a teensy little kid, (yeah, really!), and I learned how to flatten my little body against the wall when the Principal, Mr. Simmons, would walk by. He occasionally would see me and would waddle over and  say, "now, Janice, why are you standing in the hall?" and I would fidget and bite my bottom lip , trying to look all sad and cute at the same time and say (as I forced tears in my eyes) : " Mr. Simmons, I never stood in the hall in kindergarten!"  (I was also a little liar). He was a rotund little short man, and he would kind of "jiggle" when he moved and would bobble that short fat head on that  "no neck short fat body" and would say, as he pointed his short fat finger in my face: "do I need to call your mother?" (OK, forgive me. I have written  "short, fat. neck. bobble." too many times). But, seriously!  I can see him now. He had on a suit. He was old (probably around 40 , lol). He looked to me like a troll with warts on his face. Nightmarish kind of man.  I would tremble and beg forgiveness. (Mr. Simmons knew both my parents, unbeknownst to me , probably had a good chuckle over telling them my antics!)!* Lord, forgive me for writing terribly about a man who was probably very nice but , hey, I'm writing from my 6 year old memories! *Anyway, Mr. Simmons scared me to death , but I wouldn't be thinking of him when I would be chatting away in the classroom. Or hiding under coats in the "CLOAK ROOM". Or sneaking the chalk and writing on the board tic tac toe.(the only thing I ever got to write on the board was: "Janice will not talk in class" about a hundred times! But,  I was just be being me. A little wild , untamed sprite who loved to play/play/play and could NOT sit still. *(please don't tell my grandsons this story. As I write, I see now exactly where they get their energy from!)!* The only time I would sit still was for 2 things. 1.When the teacher would read to us ("Five Little Peppers and How They Grew"), or  2. when we learned spelling words. Loved to read and spell. (only I guess I missed some spelling too b/c I sure have a lot of misspelled words per spell check!).  Math? Um, just ask Terry today how my math is. I think I was "in the hall" when Math was being taught!

So, being still was/still is an issue for me. NOW, I've transferred my "inability to be still" towards anything that requires a lot of concentration. (Teachers, yes, I would/should still be on some type of A.D.D. meds! ) . I love to read tho! And can stay focused on a book until I drop over in sleep. T.V.? not so much, unless it's something I'm really enjoying. Going to a movie? Hate to.  Balance my account? Drudgery.  Parties? Something I'd rather skip. I'd much rather go to lunch with one friend. But, give me a good book, by the ocean (lake , in my case, most days) and sit me in the sun. Or porch swing. I can BE STILL then.  Hallelujah! ......But, what if the weather is wack-o and there's not a good book? And I need to do a little Bible Study???? Ok., some days, or rather MOST days,  I feel like little skinny Janice in First Grade again. I am too antsy to settle down. SO, what I do is this----I find a study of some sort that appeals to me!....**WARNING: OFF THE BEATEN TRACK HERE :Here is another funny about me and reading and BIG T and reading. (that is probably a compound sentence but, sorry. I don't remember that stuff. English teachers reading? Be gentle with me). ...Terry loves deep and serious readings about the Bible. Books 40 inches thick using words I don't understand. He gets those books. He understands those somewhat antiquated phrases of speech  (no offense those incredible works, just my understanding of them)--many written many years ago, regarding: the life of Christ. or Discipleship. Or deciphering Scripture. He gets that big stuff. ME? A.D.D. person that I am, I am more in tune with doing workbooks that make me get out of my comfort zone (even tho most times I stay in my comfort place)/  Christian books that have a witty but still sharp edge/ books that give me details (which I love) about Jesus/  books that whet my appetite for more but that cause me to change. Even if it's a teensy change.  Terry and I laugh b/c I am always about the JOY and he's always about the Judgement. But, he's my "ying" to my "yang". He is serious and I'm winsome. But it's not always that way-- Most times, tho, yes it is. I will scour the aisles in Christian book stores for those very kinds of works. And there are lots of them! And I want to write some!!!! ( *sigh. one day.)**
.So, when I FINALLY get still  (and you're thinking, reader, she's so A.D.D. she can't keep her BLOG on track! I know you're thinking that!)-- but, stay with my un-still mind for a minute!!!! When I DO sit still, I do love to sit on the swing and go into it. Dive right down into the words and words that still make me cringe today:  BE STILL. And , guess what? It's easy. It's rewarding. It's like no other feeling ever. By being still, I feel peace. (It's so easy, why can't I do it more often?) God made me. And you. You might be like Terry and love to read deep and profound readings. Hat's off to you!!! or you might be like me and need lots of wordy descriptions and hands on stuff. Whatever you find, I say, go for it. Find a place to go and.......BE STILL. Even if you have to train your mind to do so. 

I think I'm a good kids Sunday School teacher b/c I understand where most of their little brains are. (no comments from the "peanut gallery"!)! They are still at an age (3-5th grade) where, even an hour of sitting still in Sunday School could be torture. I keep them active but making them think and then----we sit still.  Katie gave me some "picture cards" that were used in her Small Group and suggested I use them. You look at the picture (they are printed on cards sort of like post cards---of all KINDS of scenes/people/places etc)  and there are questions that you ask as you show the picture. (I made my questions up for them). The kids LOVE these!!!!!!!  As they look and  stare at and think about the image on the card (thus,  being still) then they write down what the picture says to them, and share their thoughts.   I am amazed at their imagination and  Christian understanding. As I watch their faces as they  stare at the picture cards and make them be still while looking at it,  for even a micro-second, I can see they are learning to do what the scripture I started with. "The Lord will fight for you , you need only to be still".
Be Still. He will fight for you.


#Lenten Journey #Bestill #itshardbutworthit #Jesusgetsyou #comeasyouare