Be Still

Do you know how hard it is to be still?!  Well maybe it’s not hard for you, but for me, I find it extremely difficult to just be still.  Even when I’m not physically moving, my mind is going a million miles a minute.

I went hunting with Alan a few weekends ago.  If you recall, this is my second trip.  I got the normal instructions as we walked back to the woods: Don’t drag your feet, don’t shine your flashlight through the woods, no loud noises, talking, coughing, etc…yeah, yeah, I got all that. 

We were a little late getting in the woods so we didn’t have time to get all the way back to his stand, instead we found a nice big tree to lean against, and set up shop right there on the ground.  We got situated, and he whispered quietly but in a stern voice his one final instruction “BE……STILL…...”

You know when someone says “don’t look” and you look?!  I was in one of those situations.  The only thing I needed to do was be still, but suddenly I really needed to move.  My nose is running and I need to wipe it. Sniffle Sniffle.  Oh no, my butt is going numb, I must adjust. Crinkle leaves Crinkle leaves. My phone is vibrating, I HAVE to check that.  Yeah I was definitely pushing the limit and I could feel Alan glaring at me.

Glare confirmed!

His words to Be Still kept running through my head, but every time I’d think “Be Still” in my head the words “and know that I am God” would follow.  It’s a familiar Bible verse and I’m OCD like that.  But that picture of him glaring at me is hilarious, I must Instagram it.  Be Still…and know that I am God. Okay now my hip is numb, time to adjust again. Be Still…and know that I am God.  I could hear the words over and over in my head but I couldn’t follow the most simple command. 

And then it happened, my punishment.  A squirrel on a tree a few feet in front of us spotted me moving, and started BARKING at me!!!  Did you know that squirrels barked???  Well they do!  Go hide in the woods and pretend like you aren’t there, then surprise a squirrel, he will bark at you!  He barks loud and for a long time too, it’s not like a bark and run.  No, it’s like a freeze and bark as loud as you can to alert everything in the forest that there is an intruder, including any possible deer my husband was going to shoot.   Thank you squirrel, I think you just got me permanently banned from this activity with my husband.

So there we are, my husband I’m sure burning a hole in the back of my head with his glare (I was too afraid to move so I can’t confirm it this time), Me as still as I’ve ever been in my whole life, and the barking squirrel.  What else could I do but pray.  Dear God, good analogy, I get it.  All You ever want me to do is just Be Still, and I find a million reasons to not obey that command.  But I PROMISE you, if you remove this barking squirrel from this scene, I will really really really try to be still, knowing that you are God and YOU are in control, not ME.  Your other option is to allow my husband to shoot me with his bow in like 2 seconds.  Your choice. Amen.” 

And with that, a breeze came and the squirrel strolled away, looking back every few feet to make sure he didn’t catch me moving again.  Nope, not me, I was just going to sit there and be still.