Quiet Time

Quiet time.

The two things I have almost zero of in my life are quiet and time.

Between 3 kids, a very large, very old dog, an equally old and temperamental cat and a husband who travels, quiet and time are pretty hard to come by around here.  

But it is something we are called to do every day, to set aside some portion, some time, of our day and in quietness, connect with our creator.

It is very difficult to have a relationship with someone you only talk to once a week.  Trust me, I know this first hand.  Erik and I have to really work at staying in touch when he is on the road.  Neither of us are particularly good "phone people".  There are some people who can talk on the phone for hours, just like they were sitting right next to you having a cup of coffee.  That is not Erik nor me.  For us, our relationship is the strongest when we are face to face, sharing an experience.  Whether it is dinner with the family, a movie after the kids go to bed or working in the yard together, close proximity is how we connect.  

Maybe that is why I so easily understand just how important daily connection with God is.  There have been times in our 14 years of marriage when Erik was traveling week after week and we only talked once or twice during the whole week.  Let me tell you that was definitely one of our valley times.  It was just too hard.  So we both made the changes necessary to make our relationship stronger.  One of those things is consistently communicating with each other even when he is away from home.

My relationship with my savior is no different.  What relationship can not only survive, but strengthen and grow in only one hour a week?  Not very many.  Yes, you might have that friend whom you dearly love who moved out of state and now all you get is that one phone call on saturday morning to catch up.  But I would argue that those relationships are few and far between.  In order for a relationship to flourish, strengthen and grow, it takes time.  It takes commitment.  And it takes more than one hour a week.  

Doesn't the very one who created you deserve a little piece of each of your days?  After all, He is the reason you are here.  Even when we are short on quiet and/or time, our creator, redeemer and sustainer deserves our attention.  He deserves a part of each of our days, set aside just for him.  

He deserves our quiet time.  

Just you and the one who created you.