The Preacher and I went on an overnight trip to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.  We went to Saratoga Resort and Spa in Saratoga, WY.  I had a wonderful massage....and fell asleep.  We had a super dinner....and split dessert.  We did NOT sleep in.......no, we did not.  I got up and made a strong cup of coffee in the Keurig coffee pot our lovely room and put it in the insulated cup, put on the snuggly robe provided for the day, took a deep breath and headed out barefoot on the sidewalk at 15* to a little tipi.  By the way, yes, I LOVE coffee and, yes, I go outside barefoot when it is stupid cold.

Anyway, this little tipi was sitting over top of a small roundish hole in the ground that has been lined with smooth river rocks and had three or four steps of red slate going do into it.  It was our own private little pool of hot springs water to soak in.  The tipi is a nice replica of the "real thing."  Each of the four tipis had a little sign outside it that described the Indian it was named for and a small digital thermometer to tell the temperature of the water.  While the little pools is "man made" in its finish and decoration the phenomenon of the hot springs is not.  There is a thermometer, but no thermostat.  The Preacher chose a pool that was right about 98*.

And then we began the wonderful soaking tradition of doing nothing but soaking.  And about three minutes into that sacred process often called "relaxing" we both looked at each other and smiled.  Not a romantic smile.  Not a laughing smile.  But an understanding smile of how hard it is just to sit there!  In our culture so many of us run around "like heads with our chickens cut off" (Farnum-ism by Papa Bill).  And we wish and wish for time to just sit down and do nothing.  But it is really hard to shut your brain off!

And yet the Bible says "Be still and know that I am God."  As a little girl I was told many times a day to "be still" and it meant be quiet.  I was also told to "sit still" and it meant stop wiggling.  I am sure my Heavenly Father wants me to be quiet about something or stop trying to just do things often.  But I think He also wants me to rest and make myself at peace because I know He is God and He is in control.  Hmmm, that is often pretty difficult, too.  But I must.  The Grammar Geek reminds us that this sentence is written in the form of a command not just a statement.  There is no choice.  If you think there is a choice, just try ignoring His sovereignty for awhile and He will give you no other choice BUT to be still.

So, whether you're barefoot in cold, snowy ground or not, and whether you have a private, tipi-covered hot pool for soaking or not, use your heart's imagination to pour a cup of coffee and just be still for a while.....in your Heavenly Father!