{"id":25164,"date":"2019-03-06T03:30:25","date_gmt":"2019-03-06T11:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=25164"},"modified":"2019-02-28T16:13:14","modified_gmt":"2019-03-01T00:13:14","slug":"march-6-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2019\/03\/06\/march-6-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"March 6, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cI have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Psalm 131:2<\/p>\n

Power Down to Power Up!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Recently, our power, computers, home phones, and cell phones were all out for a full week, and I was forced\u00a0<\/em>to mentally slow down. Yes, there were things to tend to just to keep the house going, but mostly, life seemed truly peaceful. We altered the way we did a lot of things, played cribbage for entertainment, and truly rested without interruption. I began to \u201cpower down\u201d and focus on what was in front of me at the time, and often that focus turned to neighbors in need. We all became an interwoven community of people caring for one another. Now, that\u2019s peace and joy in the Holy Spirit!<\/p>\n

Looking over my life recently, I began to see that a lot of my peace-stealers were things I could actually control. I can\u00a0<\/em>take a break from cell phone activity; there\u2019s a button on the side for that! And really, most of the time, I don\u2019t need an up-to-the-minute report on anything at all. The computer is handy for some things (writing for example!), but it\u2019s OK to take a break from that, too. Many of us have forgotten how to be still, ever, and even with the Lord.<\/p>\n

Recently, my husband and I were visiting with two young adults at a fast (very fast) food restaurant. They had just twenty minutes to eat their hamburgers, a side of fries, a couple of chocolate shakes and get to the movie theater. Between gulps, fingers flew madly over their phone keyboards to figure out movie particulars, as ketchup and fries somehow made it down the hatch. My stomach was in a knot just thinking about this breakneck pace of life that\u2019s become so normal to many.<\/p>\n

So many times while out shopping, I\u2019ve heard one side of another person\u2019s cell phone conversation, and I can tell, the question posed was, \u201cWhere are you?\u201d Now, I have to wonder, why, oh why<\/em>, do folks need to know where we are at every given hour of every given day? \u201cUh, well, I\u2019m in Penney\u2019s in the underwear department (if you must know)!\u201d When our power and phones were out, no one knew where anyone was, and it felt somehow liberating! Of course there are safety reasons for knowing our loved ones\u2019 whereabouts, but seriously, I think this all adds to the stress level of life. Being accountable for every second is just plain exhausting.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Jesus, please, in Your great mercy, save us from ourselves and the falsely perceived need to go faster and faster just to keep up with life. S-l-o-w us down to a manageable pace, and make us aware when things are getting out of control. Open our ears to Your still small voice that can\u2019t be heard in the din of life. Help us \u201cpower-down\u201d and as a result, \u201cpower up\u201d with You. Thank You for Your patient love and guidance. Amen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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