So far November has been such a huge blur that I’m barely even sure what month it even is anymore. (Case in point: I just wrote “February” instead of “November” in the above line.) In fact, I just today wrote out my goals for this month. Obviously, that’s somewhat of a fail, but I’m thankful I at least wrote goals sometime during the month.

There’s been so much going on this month that it’s kept me on my toes and that, of course, is rather fun. I got home yesterday from being in PA for the weekend for a wedding. (And we hurried home from that – leaving early in the morning and listening to Christmas music as we drove through snow in the mountains – so we could make it to church in time to help serve Thanksgiving dinner.)

The weekend before that I was in Columbus for a cousin’s get-together. (Did you ever imagine when you were a kid how much harder it would be to plan a couple days together once everyone had jobs?)

The week before that we had a retreat where I work, which means pretty much nonstop kitchen time for me. Rewarding, but overwhelming at times, especially as I’m still learning to juggle my two part-time nonwriting jobs.

Throw in a bridal shower, company, last-minute changes, writing/editing, work, and ya know, life (which includes having to sleep), and November has just been a rather beautiful woosh as it’s sped by.

Each morning as I sit down to have my devotions (reading the Bible, praying, and sometimes going through a Bible study/Christian living nonfiction book), my mind runs rampant, thinking of everything I have to do during the next twelve hours. Sometimes it’s hard to cut off all the noisy thoughts and just focus, but for the most part, I’m able to catch myself and work on just being still.

Being still isn’t something I’m naturally good at. Oh yes, being still physically isn’t hard – in fact, because of health issues I’ve had I’m quite proficient at knowing how to need to rest. BUT! Even when my body is resting, my mind runs around much faster than my comfort level allows. My mind will compile list after list of things I should be doing, of changes I need to make, of ideas that need to be written down, of thoughts and memories and problems. And that’s good. Because if I couldn’t think through things I’d have a lot of issues. But, as good as that is, sometimes I need to silence it. Sometimes I need to hush all the loud, competing, yowling voices and be still on the inside as well as the outside.

This morning when I sat down on my couch for my devotions I set my timer on my phone, then turned the phone on silence and stuck it out of sight. That meant that I would know when I had to get to the rest of my day to make it to work on time, but until that timer rang I could be still and focus on what God had for me instead of constantly checking the time or getting distracted.

It was beautiful. Peaceful. Unrushed.

It was just what I needed.

I know there are sometimes when this can’t happen. If I wake up late or I’m babysitting (babies can’t be put on silence nor left out of sight), then I have to just go with the flow. But, for the most part, this is how I begin each day. Uninterrupted time with God. Time for being still. Time for setting aside the craziness of life and focusing on who I am in Christ.

And do you know what? Taking time each morning to be still, even when a dozen things are vying for my attention, always makes the rest of my day go better. Crazy, right?

(Speaking of crazy, I’m still sitting here in my pajamas six minutes before I’m supposed to leave for work. So…. Gotta go.)