Meeting Glennon from Momastery!

Yesterday afternoon, I had the opportunity to hear Glennon Melton of Momastery speak here at JMU.  I have read her blog for a long time and have also had the honor of participating in a few of her "love flash mobs."

I don't want to tell Glennon's story, because that's her job, but you can read her stuff over at her blog. If you haven't already, you really should go over there and spend some time.  Go no...I'll wait...Her goal is to help women build community between themselves and to spread love and acceptance. 

One of the topics that Glennon touched on yesterday was the idea of being still.  Seeing as that was the theme of the Cursillo retreat I recently attended, those words have been on my mind and in my heart constantly lately.  To be completely honest, I had an entire post planned on the topic myself.  Those words are words that I need to speak to myself on a regular basis.  I even bought a ring on the retreat to help me to remember. (Alas, the ring slipped off my finger while changing sheets or doing laundry last week. St. Anthony and I are still working on that!)

Lost somewhere is the laundry of bed sheets (I hope)

Glennon has a tattoo of the words "be still" on her wrist.  I had a ring with those words on my hand.  Being still is still not an easy concept for me (or for many other women, I'll bet).  I have a husband, a job, three kids, and I'm trying to have a life myself as well.  There aren't many moments that I am able to just be still, unless I force myself. 

I have been waking up early lately, even before this weekend's time change, although this morning was earlier than usual.  Sometimes when I wake up early I try to go back to sleep.  Sometimes I get up and go start on some chores, or get online to waste time (the latter being more likely).  Lately, though, I've been trying to just enjoy the stillness.  I can say my prayers or listen to kids or Ken breathing. I can hear birds outside, or cars, or the heater coming on.  I take the time to appreciate all of those things and sometimes, I try really hard to just listen to the stillness.

This morning, the message of being still came to me again.  And I asked myself, "How can I be still if I have to get ready for work? How can I be still if I have to check the backpacks and run the laundry and wash the dishes?  How can I remember to be still if I lost the ring that tells me to be still??" And then I yell, "STOP" inside my head and I force myself to stop worrying and thinking and planning and just be. 

I feel like God keeps calling me to be still through different people and occurrences.  He apparently has something important He's trying to tell me.  I am working on trying to figure that out.  But it occurs to me that maybe that is the message.  Maybe the message doesn't come after I've learned to calm my mind and actions and be still.  Maybe the message is to just be still. 

Deserae, Me, Glennon!