Be Still and Know

This time of year is filled with business in enormous proportions.  Many of the retailers are sick if not on their way to crashing.  Parents are frazzled. Children are anxious.

Ironic that this is the time of year that is supposed to be filled with peace. Joy. Love. Laughter.  But the way our society has it, it is very much the opposite.

We scurry to get gifts.  We struggle trying to figure out what to give.  Then we wrap it, ship it, hope they like it, maybe have to make returns.  Why gift giving can bring much joy, it can bring a lot of stress.

I was stressed and worried when it took almost over hour and twenty minutes to package a bowl I made.  While, I'm entirely thankful for the care the shipper took to secure my package, I was stressed as I surrendered my piece to be mailed, had other things to do, had someone waiting on me, etc.  I really just wanted to go home and rest.  Don't we all?

Winter is a natural time to hibernate, per se.  It's a time to get out of the cold and sit by the fire snugged up with a cup of hot goodness to warm the soul.  It's a time of reflection.  A time to pause.

One of my favorite verses is "Be still and know that I am God,"  Ps. 46:10.

It is a verse that speaks peace over any situation I face.  It transfers the control of the situation to the Omnipotent.  It puts layers of peace over my perspective.  

Further, it clarifies my role, what I should do and the stance I should take.  Simply put, I should be still.

Course when there are celebrations about to commence, physically being still is hard to come by.  However, if we incorporate this verse into our lives, the focus of our celebration will be shifted.

Let's break down these words and look more deeply at what the verse is saying.

Be- a present and active tense.  It means to exist.  To be can also be referred to as to abide, act, prevail, remain, rest, stand, stay.  To be is a command by God, commanding His audience to exist. 

Still- present tense.  Can be active or passive.  Still is defined as calm, motionless, quiet.

And- a conjunctive word meant to tie two ideas together.  And is used in ways to describe "there's more to say."   (Notice that the words still and know are tied together, not apart.  Much like peace and joy.)

Know- present tense. To know is to have knowledge or be congizant or aware.   It is to understand.  It is also used, especially in the Hebrew context, as to have such a familiarity, that it presupposes intimacy.  To know is also to experience.

That- used as a qualifying word which modifies the word "know".  It's predicating the object of knowledge.

I- singular first person pronoun that describes God speaking.   Here God is pointing out that He is the One and Only, actively making known His name throughout the earth.  He is telling us to sit back and watch the demonstration.  

Am-  This is the second usage of "to be" in this verse.  Here, the usage of Am is used almost as a reflective parallelism of the un-mentioned word "you" before "Be still." 

It is like God is saying: "You be still while I am..."   This usage of Am is similar to that of Hebrew poetry where they'd weave together two thoughts that would reflect each other, like a mirror and its image.  

God is juxtaposing together His command of being still with His declaration of His ability to make Himself known through His actions.  

It is also suggesting that God is speaking firmly without wavering.  He isn't saying: "I am sort of God".  No, He is proclaming I AM God.  

God- The One who is in control, Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, capable of the impossible, the One who is to be worshiped for His greatness.  


Overall, the present tense of all these words show that these actions are to be done continally, not just one time. 

In addition, God's not just saying be still, He's actually commanding it. The way the verse is structured in the Hebrew, "be still" is an imperative command.  Imperative is defined as something that is necessary.   So, to God, being still is necessary. 

And bonus, to know in this verse is also an imperative command.  Thus, to know is also necessary.  

Since be still and know are tied together as one, they are both necessary. 

So, let's take one more step and apply this verse to life at Christmastime.

Be still and know that I am God says.... 

When I'm stuck in lines, trying to mail stuff out, find gifts, etc., I can worry my brains out, but worry won't do me any good.

That God will take care of everything because everything can't take care of itself.

That we are called to stop and be still.  We are called to watch God be glorified during this time of Christmas, for He will be glorified.  

It isn't about the gifts, the hustle, the bustle, the long lines, although that affects us all.  It is about in whatever situation we face, we should exist in a state of being still and knowing while God exists in a state of showing His glory, making known and revealing.  

And ultimately, that we should stand back and watch God as He takes care of us.  He will work it out.  He will make what is supposed to happen, happen.  He will not let something happen if it isn't meant to be.  

So be still and know that He is God.  Be at rest. Be assured. There is no other, there is only One and if it is His will, He will bring it to pass.  

Now go grab that hot cup of goodness and be still by the fire.  Reflect and be restored as God makes Himself known. 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!!!

*dictonary. com

Special thanks to my husband for his help on this article!!!

© Candice Irion.  All Rights Reserved.

Forget the Foreign Lands, The T.V. Show Survivor Should Just Go To Wal-Mart!

WHEW! 

Dodged a cart about to t-bone me.

ERRRRR! 

My cart brakes slam to a halt 

as the person stops suddenly in front of me.

And but of course...

WHACK! 

Does my hand go on the steering wheel when the car in front of me just. won't. move!

AGH!!!

It wasn't any wonder that Brother Homer's mention of Proverbs 12:16, "Fools show their annoyance at once," rang over and over in my head on the recent excursion to Wal-Mart.


Because yes, it was an excursion.  

Know the feeling? 

Part way through I stopped myself and said: I'm tired.  What? 

Yes, I was out of breath and ready to get the heck out of dodge for this trip was nothing less than pure stressful.



The prologue of my story begins with me wearing heels.  Need I say more? 

Why in the heck would I not pack tennis shoes for the journey? And boy did my feet hurt!

I really should have planned for this because I know I'm going to walk at least 1.5 miles throughout the store and then another half mile after I've been in the long check-out line when I remember: "Dang. I forgot the creamer" and have to go all the way to the back of the store to hunt it down.

**Note to self**: pack stupid tennis shoes in the car.  Or spend the $5 and get them at Wal-Mart.


So, without further adieu, here is:

 Candice's Top Five Rants 

on Trying to Survive Wal-Mart  

See if you concur.  (:


First.  Too much stuff, too many people.

The aisles that are needed to actually, you know, move around in are filled with tons of stuff.  It is near impossible to maneuver down the current of people and into a lane.  Then, once you've successfully made it into the lane without getting hit, (or so you thought), you find yourself starring ahead to a full aisle of people wondering how to weave around everyone.  


On this particular trip, I came across a blank aisle and had no need to go down it, but went forth just to take a breather. 

But soon enough, the crowds cometh.  I had to get out.

Second.  When shopping at Wal-Mart, my patience somehow wears thin fast.  

There is nothing that drives me crazier than people who stand in my way and are completely and utterly clueless as they gaulk at all the pretty lights (a.k.a. whatever is in front of them).  

Move people.... plllllleeeaasse?  

(Ok... I know this is selfish and I should be more patient, kind, resilient--anything but how I am acting--... but somehow all of this evaporates after about 5 gawlkers.  Maybe next time, my threshold will reach to 6 gawlkers.......  Likelihood? Fat Chance.)



Third.  Oh, third.  I just don't understand third.  

Why, tell me, WHY, in the samhill is one of the biggest and richest companies in the world ALWAYS short staffed?  Is this how they cut corners and make the dough? I mean SERIOUSLY!  Could you hire like 2 more people and put them in the checkout lanes? 

It seems that every single time I go to whichever Wal-Mart throughout the nation that they have 28+ lanes with 5 cashiers open.  Sometimes I'll give you 10.  

It makes absolutely NO sense why THIS would be the corner Wal-Mart cuts.  They could boost the economy that they benefit so highly off of by just giving 2 more people a job.  


PLEASE.  I BEG OF YOU! HIRE MORE ASSOCIATES!!! 
(Or just give the ones you have more hours!)

Four.  Yeah. Well. 

Then we head to the parking lot and all bets are off here.  If my blistering frustration wasn't enough by the time I get to my safe zone (my car) where I can sigh a humongous breath of relief, the EXACT moment I want to reverse my car--even if I'm in the furthest parking spot away--someone walks RIGHT BEHIND my car.  AGH!!!!  

To boot, they have three kids.  
Kids that are going everywhere.  
Kids that they aren't watching.  


Just let me out people, please.  

Just let me out! (Pathetic whimpers are cried here...)

My thoughts exactly. 

And then there is FIVE.  The battle of the carts.  

It's like the freight train of carts decides the best time to wheel through the parking lot is right after I'm trying to reverse yet again which is finally after the family took their sweet ol' time to pass my car.

All I want to do is go.  Just let me out!!!  

But no.  



100 carts + cart tower + cart associate needs to get by. ...    

....   .....   .... 

....   ..... ....
..................................

.......................

(that's me staring blankly in disbelief).  

I mean, what is Wal-Mart really trying to do? They already sucked me in once! I already have purchased more than I came to get!!! You have my money!! Why are you now trying to keep me here?

Why me?? Why? Why? Why?!?!?!?!!!!

(More pathetic whimpering...)



Ok, ok, ok..... So after I've somewhat gotten a grip and removed myself and my vehicle off the premises by speeding as fast as I could out of the windy lot (dodging more people and more carts and hopefully not getting a ticket), I find relief as I get on the road home.  Until there is traffic, or one more red light, or.... sigh.  I give up.  I only have so much hair to pull out!!! 

You know what I mean?? 

Sadly, yes.  You do know what I mean because it is on any given Sunday, day around a Holiday, day around a major weather system or frankly just any day, Wal-Mart is like this.  Surviving the Supercenter seems to be an American experience that while is supposed to be pleasurable, it just downright difficult.

But it shouldn't be so bad.  We are SO INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE that a major distributor stocks all this stuff for us to purchase so cheaply and even puts a grocery store in at the same location for our convenience.  

They offer flu shots, kind nurses to administer the shots, eye exams, hair salons, to-go food and more.  There are a lot of good things that happen at Wal-Mart.

In fact, there really isn't anything that can truly match Wal-Mart and a store like this really doesn't exist isn't everywhere in the world.  I didn't see one in Zimbabwe when I was there filming a documentary. Didn't see one in the Ukraine either.  Nor on the rivers of the Amazon... although that might be rather unique... sailing to the Wal-Mart entrance... I digress.  

We are very fortunate that we, as Americans, can have access to all this stuff.  We are blessed without measure and we don't even realize it.  

Maybe since we see it all the time, we don't even consider that people can't even get the opportunity to go to Wal-Mart if they wanted to.

Further, the funds we have to purchase anything at Wal-Mart, that is a blessing too.



All this to say...

I want to love to go Wal-Mart.  

It's true! I want to come out of there feeling like "Gee, what a refreshing time" instead of trying to talk myself out of pulling a Madea because of the fifteen other unmentioned grievances from just trying to get by.

Mabel "Madea" Simmons about to go get somebody. 

You need to see this too.  I promise it will make you feel better. At least you'll crack a smile.

People of Wal-Mart!  I ask you, why does this have to be a love-hate relationship? Why can't it be love-love?  Just like Target.  I'm sorry W-M, I have to say that I love going to Target.  I don't feel stressed--for whatever, unbeknownst reason-- and enjoy it. I get this "ahhh" zing! feeling just thinking about it.  It's kind of that feeling when a peppermint first hits your mouth.  

Ahhhh... circles of happiness.

Now that I'm thinking about a peppermint and Target, doesn't the photo somewhat resemble one? 

Bottom line....


For all of Wal-Mart's marketing, merchandising and moving the stuff back and forth all over the store, I wish the Wal-Mart experience wasn't: "I gotta go to Wal-Mart" (cue soundeffects of feet drudging to the door).  I wish it was more like the zing! peppermint feeling.  

Not to mention some of the rudest people shop there and there are rarely associates available or even findable to help you.... and when they do, they hardly know where to find the mound of stuff.... Ugh, I digress yet again....


So if I haven't said enough, you probably already know what else needs to be said from your own experience.  


But let us join together and ask Wal-Mart..... PLEASE HELP OUR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE BE BETTER.  WE ALREADY LIKE SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER... EXCEPT FOR ACTUALLY HAVING TO BE THERE. 

And one more thing...


I seriously think the t.v. show Survivor should save budget money and staff themselves at Wal-Marts during a Black Friday or during the first of the month when paychecks are cut.  
That would be a real reality show.

I think the show's ratings would even hit the roof because you want drama? 

FIRE! 

There goes the customer torching 

another for walking in the wrong way.  

You want comedy? 

SLAM! 

There goes my cart wheels locking up and 

sailing right into the paper kiosk stand 

knocking down the whole thing over.  

Or how about action? 

SNAP! 

There goes my side when I get T-Boned 

after looking both ways and 

turning my cart into the intersection of the three aisles.

Ambulance anyone?

Get the picture?

Exactly. 

It ain't pretty.

So, Survivor, ditch the bug/insect eating and please go somewhere from where we can all learn.... 

How to Survive the Supercenter!

Or, in the meantime, take Brother Homer's advice: 

Fools show their annoyance at once,

but the prudent overlook an insult.

Proverbs 12:16 

                        

A Quick Thought

The post Thanksgiving fridge is getting empty. However, the strawberries that I paid a lot for were still there.

My internal dialogue went a little something like this:

Do I eat them? Do I not? Ugh. I am not feeling the berries today....

But... I paid a lot for them, therefore I am responsible for them.  

Click.

I believe that the Lord sees us in the same way because He paid a lot for us and because of that, we are His responsibility.  He takes great pride in this by promising to take care of us...to wash us clean and to release us from the molds of life we so easily find ourselves in.

With that, I washed my strawberries and enjoyed their goodness!

"See what great love the Father has for us, 

that we should be called children of God!  

And that is what we are!" 

1 John 3:1 NIV

Content and Photography © 2013 Candice Irion. All Rights Reserved.