Silence is Golden

by Kelly Rotenberry, MSCHSSG Director Do you allow room in your
busy life for quiet--to hear your own thoughts,
to truly listen to others, to discern the voice of God?
Noise pervades the life of a mother.
It seems that children have two levels of volume:  loud and louder.
Many of today's toys can only be called sadistic,
with off-the-charts decibel levels
and noises that no human could ever make. Then there
are TV's, phones, and stereos.  In Scripture,the Lord says,
"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
Make time for quiet each day, even if only for a few minutes.
Allow for silence in your home, if at all possible.
This practice can help you to gather together
thoughts and allow you to hear what God has to say to your heart.
It also lets your kids know that it's okay if nobody's talking.  
Author and pastor's wife Colleen Townsend Evans has written,
"Silence need not be awkward or embarrassing,
for to be with one you love, without the need for words,
is a beautiful and satisfying form of communication.
I remember times when our children used to come
running to me, all of them chattering at once
about events of their day--and it was wonderful to
have them share with me. But there were also the times
when they came to me wanting only to be held,
to have me stroke their heads and caress them to sleep.
And so it is, sometimes, with us and with God our Father."  
Don't force your child to talk to you. Give them
the respect and "space" to remain silent. Sometimes children
need to work out their own ideas and opinions in quiet
before voicing them. On the other hand, when they do talk,
take time to listen intently, carefully, and kindly.
In so doing, your child will know that they can talk to you
whenever they want or need to, and you can rest
assured that their silence is not rooted
in suspicion or fear of you. Silence is a language.    
Excerpt from the book God's Devotional Book for Mother