Find Solitude

*

Last week I started reviewing some old Bible study notes, and shared Mary Tabb's thoughts on finding Silence. Today's notes are a continuation of that lesson. 

Solitude: evidently, it's important and biblical.

Mark 1:32-35

Now when it was evening, after the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those under the power of demons, until the whole town was gathered together about the door.

And He cured many who were afflicted with various diseases; and He drove out many demons, but would not allow the demons to talk because they knew Him.

And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.

In this passage from Mark, take note of the demands on Jesus. We as mothers feel the stress and dependence of little ones and <sometimes!> spouses. How about the stress and demands He felt? In The Message's translation of this passage, it says the "whole city" lined up at His door! But He took care of them, and the next morning, He sought out solitude with His Lord. 

Reasons for finding daily solitude:

1. Getting away from the demands of your schedule.
2. Getting away from our own expectations and the expectations of others (less do, do, do and more be, be, be)
3. Discovering our OWN thoughts
4. Filtering out the non-essentials
5. Finding our OWN PACE
6. Taking time to rest and regroup
7. Using the opportunity to call or recall OUR calling in life, our vision, our mission
8. Reestablishing what I think/believe is important
9. Gaining perspective on what my family's needs are 
10. Prioritizing what I think/believe is important
11. Being more attentive to God

My worshipping God and communicating with God is sometimes limited to Sunday morning. That kind of communication isn't too great for developing or discovering a lot of the things on the list above. Ouch. 

My favorite one is #2. (Less do, do, do. More be, be, be.)

And #11. 

And #4. 

I need to stop. They're all good and important.

The last part of this lesson is about how God speaks to us. Mary emphasized to us that without the Silence and Solitude, it's going to be mighty hard to hear Him. I'll give myself a week or so to think about that one and prepare to "open" my ears. 

Where do you go for silence and solitude? 

*That's Uncle C. in Hawaii last year.

Lock Your Doors!

A New Development in the Phillips' Household:

AE will boldly open her bedroom door.

Shocking, but I've been spoiled for 3 1/2 years now with having a child who regardless of falling asleep at nap time or waking at 6:30 am, would stay in her room without a sound. Well, much of a sound. Like a good little direction follower, she has obediently stayed in her room without a cry or shout. Without a heavy banging on the door. Without protest. At all.

For the last two weeks, AE has been reluctant to ACTUALLY fall asleep during her nap time. I can usually tell when she ACTUALLY falls asleep by the amount of sweat and drool on the pillow. When she doesn't ACTUALLY fall asleep, she usually entertains herself by re-reading the pre-nap books we read, taking the bow(s) out of her hair, talking to herself, pretending to have a party, etc.

In these last two weeks, AE has gotten BOLD. Once I heard her door come ajar. Then SLAM. The next day I heard that tell-tale sound of size 9 1/2 feet pitter-ing and patter-ing across the floor above me. Run, run, run, run. Run, run, run, run. Pitter, patter. Pitter, patter. You know the sound.

Last week The Daddy and I experienced our first "out-of-her-room-without-permission" moment. Most likely a Friday morning, my morning to "sleep in" because we have no pressing plans that day of the week. We hear a noise at our door. Bump. Bump. Doorknob turning. 

Is that the crazy dog? He's been known to plow head-on into our bedroom door early in the morning when his use of the "facilities" is needed. No, he can't turn a doorknob. He just tries to head-butt the door open. With his head. No, it's AE.

Soooooooooooo, AE has made me put on my grocery list something I never thought we would need until HJ grew dexterous enough to turn the knob: the child door knob safety cover. 

Discussing this topic over lunch today with a couple of my mom's club friends, we talked about how you kind of feel guilty using those things. It just feels like I'm going to be locking my kid in a closet. I am actually worried about how she will react when it's introduced. 

Uncle C. is in town for work, and he's staying with us. Tonight AN HOUR AFTER BEDTIME, AE came busting down the stairs. She said, "I was scared. I was scared, so I had to come down."

Me: "AE, did you hear your Uncle C. and I talking?"

AE: "Yes. I came down to see Uncle C." 

And the way she said it, YA'LL!, with the sweetest, most endearing voice I've heard this week, just about brought a tear to my eye. Just about. So we headed back upstairs, and after several trips back to tell Uncle C. something of complete and utter importance, that little girl thanked me for letting her talk to her Uncle. After the sun went down. While she should have been sleeping. Oh, precious. 

I love it when they say thank you. I really do. Made my day. Now tomorrow, I'm headed to the store. 

So tell me, will you, what you think about the doorknob covers? Do you use them? Do you ever feel guilty? 

Ghosts

I have an incredibly talented brother-in-law out on the west coast working in Hollywood. Uncle C. is often talked about around our house as A.E. and H.J. await his arrival this holiday season. He shared with me a couple of links to his latest project. It's a kid's mystery/comedy web series - Ghost Town. Uncle C. has done lots of work with Disney and knows Alyson Stoner from Cheaper by the Dozen and recent Zaxby commercials. He worked with her when she was on Mike's Super Short show on Disney. Uncle C. produced and wrote many episodes.



Check out the site at:
http://www.ghosttownseries.com/

This an original SunnyBoy Production, which is the production company/creative agency he developed and founded.

The series was also on the front page of tube filter news. Check out the article.