Slowing Down

“You need to relax. You have trouble relaxing.” Words from God through spoken through the mouth of a Massage Therapist. So true! I am not relaxed, even when I am relaxing.

I went on a 24-hour Silent Advent Retreat this week with a friend. That’s right. Me. Sans words. (Please stop laughing.) I wasn’t premitted to utter a sound, even when I went to bed and found a spider on my pillow. I quietly shuddered, then flicked it out into the hall. That was huge for me, as I find spiders repulsive and terrifying. Be proud of my courageousness!

The point of the Retreat was to create space for us to engage in the spiritual practice of silence and solitude. It allowed me to hear from God as all the noise in my life quieted down. I payed attention to the voice of my Maker.

I thoroughly enjoyed it all. I sat in a cozy rocking chair in front of a picturesque window, watching the snow gently fall on the evergreens. I devoured two books I’d been wanting to finish, swept clean some attitudes and resentments in my heart, journaled, and did a little Life Mapping, considering what God might be inviting me to do next in my life.

I had one of the most wonderful massages ever, in which I was completely ministered to, body and soul, and told the words above, through a cloud of lavender lotion. It leads me to ponder this week: How can I slow down and learn to relax?

One of the highlights of the retreat for me was watching the sunrise. It was not a spectacular display of colors, and I was a bit disappointed. It was a gradual awakening of the earth with light. Quietly, gently, and subtly. God spoke to me, "That's how I came to earth. Like the start of this day." As I watched and listened, I wrote these words about Immanuel:

God is with us! He, who created the vast universe, and set the sun and moon in the sky, left the perfection of Heaven to come be with us! He came without fanfare; quietly and humbly, unnoticed except by the few who were paying attention; a tiny baby born in a stable who would grow up to be our Redeemer. His coming blanketed the darkness with light, and turned the world upside down.

And now He lives with us because He cherishes us. His constant presence can be as clear and vibrant as a brilliant sunrise, or as gentle as a ripple on a lake. He is our daily guide and constant companion, our strength and comfort, our righter of wrongs, and the peace we feel in our hearts. Rejoice....rejoice! Jesus has entered the world and filled it with His presence!

As my friend and I drove away from the Retreat House, we stopped the car to watch three deer peacefully browsing in the snow, unhurried. Hmmm....the perfect metaphor to conclude our time.