HUSH
Seven full days with my children on a trip is a long time. A very long time. Now, don't get me wrong, I am super thankful for our travels and experiences together. Traveling in the wilderness gifts us a distraction free environment that gives us glimpses of my children's hearts. On our hikes, even one minute of transparency and vulnerability is treasured deeply and stored in my heart.
However, plane rides, van rides, and making stressful decisions in the moment with 3 highly energetic children is very intense. My word of the week ended up being "HUSH!" I think it's because I was tired of SHHH and hush seemed like the most child appropriate version of other words I could think of to BE QUIET!
Our kids are full of noises, outbursts, hyperactivity, laughter, and obnoxious behavior. Multiple times a day, usually in some kind of vehicle or the 4 walls of a hotel room I spoke "HUSH" into their lives. HUSH! I would threaten them with everything in existence to HUSH and just let me think, Paul and I talk, or try to preserve the ounce of sanity I had left.
The word continues into this week as we are often in our home together. HUSH when I need to make a phone call. HUSH when I am trying to process new information. HUSH when it's dinner time and one child is shouting math facts, the other is making silly noises, and the third is practicing her drama/theater performances.
While I have no regret for hushing my children at these times (trust me, it was more than necessary), I wonder how many times over the last week God has been telling me to HUSH!
Kristie, turn off the news and HUSH!
Kristie, turn off your phone and HUSH!
Kristie, slow down your mind and HUSH!
Kristie, read your Bible and HUSH!
Kristie, pray to me and HUSH!
Kristie, be in my Creation and HUSH!
Kristie, be Present and HUSH!
Kristie, have a heart of gratitude and HUSH!
Kristie, abide and dwell in Me and HUSH!
What if tomorrow I practiced the HUSH with my children?
What if tomorrow when chaos caved in, I HUSHED instead of turn to the news, phone, or let my mind race beyond rationality?
According to BibleknowingJesus.com (credible source - who knows?!) "hush" appears in the Bible 10 times in 6 translations. My favorite Bible reference is found in Mark 4:39 (NASB) which says this:
"And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm."
Good ole' Webster defines hush as:
1. (v. t.) To still; to silence; to calm; to make quiet; to repress the noise or clamor of.
Ahhh. The thought of the wind dying down. The thought of perfectly calm. The thought of silence in my mind. The thought of repressing the noise and clamor. How heavenly. How beautiful. How healthy. How possible!
Not by my will for my flesh is weak but by His strength, power, glory, and design.
So tomorrow, I will be telling my children HUSH at least 153 times. Maybe more. But I will practice the word HUSH too by breathing in "Jesus" and breathing out "Prince of Peace" to quiet the clamor and chaos of my mind. To silence my phone. To calm the storm of anxiety. To just be in His presence.
May you too be blessed and calmed by the HUSH of His command.
However, plane rides, van rides, and making stressful decisions in the moment with 3 highly energetic children is very intense. My word of the week ended up being "HUSH!" I think it's because I was tired of SHHH and hush seemed like the most child appropriate version of other words I could think of to BE QUIET!
Our kids are full of noises, outbursts, hyperactivity, laughter, and obnoxious behavior. Multiple times a day, usually in some kind of vehicle or the 4 walls of a hotel room I spoke "HUSH" into their lives. HUSH! I would threaten them with everything in existence to HUSH and just let me think, Paul and I talk, or try to preserve the ounce of sanity I had left.
The word continues into this week as we are often in our home together. HUSH when I need to make a phone call. HUSH when I am trying to process new information. HUSH when it's dinner time and one child is shouting math facts, the other is making silly noises, and the third is practicing her drama/theater performances.
While I have no regret for hushing my children at these times (trust me, it was more than necessary), I wonder how many times over the last week God has been telling me to HUSH!
Kristie, turn off the news and HUSH!
Kristie, turn off your phone and HUSH!
Kristie, slow down your mind and HUSH!
Kristie, read your Bible and HUSH!
Kristie, pray to me and HUSH!
Kristie, be in my Creation and HUSH!
Kristie, be Present and HUSH!
Kristie, have a heart of gratitude and HUSH!
Kristie, abide and dwell in Me and HUSH!
What if tomorrow I practiced the HUSH with my children?
What if tomorrow when chaos caved in, I HUSHED instead of turn to the news, phone, or let my mind race beyond rationality?
According to BibleknowingJesus.com (credible source - who knows?!) "hush" appears in the Bible 10 times in 6 translations. My favorite Bible reference is found in Mark 4:39 (NASB) which says this:
"And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm."
Good ole' Webster defines hush as:
1. (v. t.) To still; to silence; to calm; to make quiet; to repress the noise or clamor of.
Ahhh. The thought of the wind dying down. The thought of perfectly calm. The thought of silence in my mind. The thought of repressing the noise and clamor. How heavenly. How beautiful. How healthy. How possible!
Not by my will for my flesh is weak but by His strength, power, glory, and design.
So tomorrow, I will be telling my children HUSH at least 153 times. Maybe more. But I will practice the word HUSH too by breathing in "Jesus" and breathing out "Prince of Peace" to quiet the clamor and chaos of my mind. To silence my phone. To calm the storm of anxiety. To just be in His presence.
May you too be blessed and calmed by the HUSH of His command.
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